Basel, Switzerland

With its huge river port and as the seat of major pharmaceutical and chemical companies, Basel is one of the wealthiest cities in Switzerland, if not the wealthiest. All three parts of the port, Kleinhüningen, Birsfelden and Muttenz-Au, are optimally linked to the European road and rail network, affording ideal conditions for efficient logistics. The Roman settlement, Augusta Raurica, near Basel, is an indication of the city’s long history and its key location on the Rhine; however, even older Celtic settlements have been discovered. The city's early name of Basilea or Basilia was first documented in 374 AD. Basel’s historic centre, dominated by the magnificent Münster, is well worth seeing. No other city in Switzerland has such a compact concentration of culture. The cathedral city on the Rhine is home to Europe’s oldest art collection, housed in the Museum of Fine Arts. The prestigious Art Basel, a major event in the art world, attracts an enormous public every year. The city’s 40 museums include buildings by acclaimed architects: the Schaulager (art storage & exhibition space) by Basel star architects Herzog & de Meuron, the Fondation Beyeler by Italian-born Renzo Piano and the Vitra Design Museum by Californian architect Frank O. Gehry. But Basel and its surroundings also offer an array of other attractions, from easy strolls through the beautifully preserved old town and captivating cruises on the River Rhine to a vast variety of sport.