Gay Basel: LGBTQ+ Travel Guide: If you are looking to escape to a picturesque and relaxed, gay friendly city in Switzerland, look no further than Basel. I this Gay Basel travel guide, I will share the best gay bars, hotels, LGBTQ+ events and everything you need to plan a trip.
The home to Switzerland’s first ever gay bar back in 1957 (Isola), Basel has a rich LGBTQ+ history and welcoming atmosphere for gay travellers.
Whilst there isn’t an all singing all dancing gay scene in Basel, there is plenty to keep you busy and if you plan carefully, I would make sure to time your visit with one of the popular queer parties I have shared below.
Let’s get started, this is your gay travel guide to Basel, Switzerland in partnership with Basel Tourism!
Is Basel Gay Friendly?
Yes, Basel is very gay friendly. Whilst it may not have an overt gay scene like some other cities, Basel felt safe, welcoming and provides a number of safe spaces for it’s LGBTQ+ community.
Switzerland as a country has strong LGBTQ+ rights and protections including gay marriage, full adoption rights for LGBTQ+ couples, and protections against discrimination based on orientation and gender identity (noting that non-binary as a gender is not yet recognised but being worked on – remember their winner of Eurovision Nemo is non-binary!).
You can rest assured on your next visit to Basel.
Gay Bars in Basel
Whilst the city is LGBTQ+ friendly and welcoming, there aren’t any permanent gay bars per se, that’s not to say that queer parties and events don’t exist! Of course they do!
For queer parties and events in Basel take a look at the following events/spaces:
Back4More
Back4More is a popular queer party that is held the first Saturday of each month at Heimat Basel. Expect to party from 11pm – 5am with music from the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
Under the same team and location, they occasionally run a Sunday T-Dance (mainly house music) and free Queer Karoake night on Friday. Keep up to date on what events they are running on the Back4More Instagram page.
KaBar aka ZischBar
Perhaps the closest thing to a gay bar, each Tuesday from 6pm, KaBar in Kaserne Basel adorns its rainbow flags and transforms into ZischBar, a meeting spot for the local LGBTQ+ community.
It’s a really nice spot with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the green. Try their house iced tea, it’s super refreshing!
#Hrdr
If you are looking for something a little cheekier, so to speak, then you might want to check out the #Hrdr techno party which is hosted once a month at Borderline.
Expect techno played by the DJs across 2 floors and playful rooms for you to enjoy yourself and as they state on their website: as long as you enjoy yourself with consent!
All sexualities and genders are welcome and no dress code is enforced but you can wear whatever you want!
Queer Cinema in Basel
For something a little more wholesome, if you find yourself in Basel on the last Friday of the month then head to Kult.Kino Cinema for pink.friday where they will be screening queer cinema.
On pink.friday they also have a pop-up bar, pink.bar, and your first drink is half price if you are attending the screening.
Basel Gay Sauna and Shop
The Sunny Day Club Sauna is the only remaining permanent and exclusively gay establishment in Basel.
It’s a little tricky to find as from the street it is a little unassuming. Let google maps take you to the address, you will see it’s sign on the wall of the building amongst other signs
Go inside and walk straight ahead until you see the sign again and then turn right to the lift and you will see the sign again in the top right corner of the lift front to be sure you are heading the right way.
Take the lift down and you will find the entrance. As you go in there is a shop to the left and the sauna to the right – I didn’t have time to go in on this visit so do let me know if you go and how your experience is.
Basel Pride
Basel Pride, like most in Europe is held in June, however unlike most prides, Basel Pride appears to be much more grass roots and less corporate sponsorship. In fact, there is no commercial advertising in its Pride Walk!
Over their pride weekend you can expect Drag Brunches, the Pride Walk, outdoor concerts and of course a party or two.
To keep up to date with the latest Basel Pride program see here.
Things to do in Basel for Gay Travellers
In my 48 hours in Basel I managed to tick off a lot of things, this city is beautiful so I was for the most part, happy to aimlessly wander the streets and enjoy exploring.
However, if you are looking for a list of things to do for gay travellers in Basel, take a look at these spots and activities.
Go on a Pride Walking Tour
A great way to learn about the LGBTQ+ history of Basel as well as see some of the city along the way, this 1.5-hour Pride Walking tour can be booked through the Basel Tourism website.
Swim in the Rhine
An absolute must! And you better get yourself a wickelfisch and do it properly….
What is a wickelfisch you may ask? Apart from being my new favourite word a wickelfisch is a fish shaped waterproof bag that you can use to put all your clothes and valuables in, roll up and use as a floatation device to travel down the river.
There are many points that you can enter the river, one of the most popular being the Tinguely Musuem via the (stoney) beach area. From here you can easily float up to 3km along the river and get off after the “Mittlere Brücke”.
Basler Münster (Cathedral)
The most famous landmark in Basel to visit, head to Basler Munster Cathedral to admire or (if there are two of you or more) you can enter and climb to the top of the Cathedral for 360* views of the city below.
Unfortunately, I could not go up as a solo traveller, this is a safety measure.
Explore the Old Town
Always one of my favourite things to do in any city I visit, take your time to explore the old town and its picture postcard buildings that make up the area.
The easiest thing to do is to first visit the Cathedral as mentioned above and then work outwards from there.
For Art Lovers
For art lovers there are three suggestions I would make:
- Explore local street art – whilst spray painting is banned in the city, certain spaces have had approval for artists to create some awesome street art. You can find the hotspots on the map here.
- Relax at Tinguely Fountain – an outdoor and very unique piece of art, the Tinguely Fountain was created in 1977 using sculptural machines in a shallow fountain that playfully spray the water around.
- Kunstmuseum Basel – the Kunstmuseum Basel is a contemporary art museum over three floors.
Walk the Rhine Promenade
Take your time to stroll along the Rhine Promenade. There are lots of cute spots along the way for food and drink, as well as little ‘beaches’ where you can stop and relax (or swim!).
There are also lots of good photo opportunities along the promenade with the Cathedral serving as a back drop.
BaselCard
A top tip for travel to Basel! Get yourself a BaselCard which then gives you free public transport and discounts/offers on certain activities.
Full details are here.
Where to Eat in Basel?
My visit was short and sweet with just 48 hours; however I can recommend three places, all of which are a bit different:
- Klara – Klara is a casual spot for lunch or dinner and is made up of multiple vendors and cuisines to please any palate. I chose the massaman curry from the Thai vendor and was not disappointed!
- Kuni and Gunde – for something cute and local, try Kuni and Gunde for lunch. They serve various things but are most known for their breads with some very tasty toppings. I tried the pumpkin and feta option, as well as the brie, hazelnut and fig. Both were delicious and washed down with a refreshing lemon and mint drink.
- Rhywyera – my favourite meal and one to save for your final night. Rhywyera sits next to the Rhine so you have beautiful views whilst you enjoy your dinner if you are lucky enough to sit on the outermost tables. I had steak with garlic butter and sweet potato fries and it was cooked perfectly.
Gay Friendly Hotels in Basel
HYPERION Hotel Basel
The HYPERION Hotel towers over the city giving you some seriously impressive views.
The rooms were spacious and stylish, most notably if you can get a corner room then you will have two full walls of floor to ceiling windows, hence my comment on the views!
In terms of location, it is perfectly located in the centre, 10 seconds from a tram stop but equally walkable to most things that you will want to do.
And, important as ever, it is indeed listed as one of booking.coms Travel Proud accredited properties so has gone the extra mile to ensure its LGBTQ+ guest are welcome.
My trip to Basel has been a beautiful experience, the city feels warm, welcoming and vibrant with a lot of character and a gentle pace. Make sure to add it to your travel list!