Straddling the Rhine as it does, just in the edge of Switzerland, Basel has naturally sieved out the best of culture that has come its way over the centuries. It has always welcomed newcomers, especially if they were intellectuals, craftsmen or wealthy. France and Germany rub shoulders with Basel, and both countries have their own railway terminals here. An obelisk at the Petit-Huningue in the port of Basel marks the Dreilaendereck , the junction of the three countries. A wheelchair-accessible terrace offers a panorama of the town and port on the one hand and the Black Forest and the Vosges on the other Chemical and pharmaceutical companies have set up along the river cheek by jowl with the shipping firms.
Finance is big business.
And while the city is hemmed in with nowhere to grow, it is the second most affluent per capita of all cities in affluent Switzerland. Basel has maintained the charm of cobbled alleys and medieval houses. And that is the rub for less-mobile people, especially wheelchair users. A motorized wheelchair or someone strong to push is ideal. Try lunch time - the spaces clear out a bit then.