Germany > The Basel Minster

Just before eight o’clock, we want to enter the breakfast room. The door is still closed. “Just a moment,” says the receptionist in French. While he opens the door to the breakfast room, he asks if we slept well. Because of the French language, we get the feeling we are staying in France. It’s actually quite special that Switzerland is divided into a French-speaking part, an Italian-speaking part, and the large German-speaking part. In addition, there is also the Swiss language. At half past eight, we drive away. We take the same route as two days ago, this time downhill. We wind down the slope through the narrow curves. From Montreux, we head to the highway toward Bern. Around eleven o’clock, we approach Basel. Basel lies on the border with Germany on the banks of the Rhine. We park the car in a parking lot by the river. We are actually surprised that we can park here for free for three hours. We are practically on the edge of the old town. When we walk into the city, we almost immediately reach the Münster Cathedral. The large church is impossible to miss. First, we look at the cloister. Then we enter the church.

Germany - The interior of Basel Cathedral

The origin of the church dates back to 1019, but the current church was built in the 16th century. Originally it was a bishop’s church, but since the Reformation it has been in Protestant hands. Erasmus von Rotterdam is buried in the church. Erasmus spent a large part of his life in this Swiss city. Inside the church there is a memorial stone for him. Through the narrow streets of the Altstadt, we come to the Roothuus, the red town hall on the Marktplatz. The town hall was built in 1503. The building, with a late-Gothic facade, was intended to give the city more prestige. The courtyard offers access to offices that are still in use today. On the north side of the old city stands the Spalentor gate. After a powerful earthquake in 1356, the old town was largely destroyed. During the reconstruction, it was decided to wall the city. The Spalentor was part of this defensive wall. At a terrace, we order sandwiches and coffee. We spend our last Swiss francs and withdraw the remainder with a card. Over the old bridge across the Rhine, we walk back to the car. It is half past one when we set off for Cologne. Over five hours of driving. The road is busy with holiday and freight traffic heading north. There are also many roadworks. Narrow lanes often cause short traffic jams. Around half past six, we enter the center of Cologne. Our hotel is located in a pedestrian area next to the famous Cologne Cathedral. We park the car in a nearby parking garage. A day ticket costs 25 euros. Maybe this isn’t the cheapest garage.

Germany - The illuminated Cologne Cathedral

We decide to go to the hotel first. The hotel is in the middle of the shopping street. The street is lively and busy. The hotel receptionist advises us to park in another garage, which he says is cheaper. However, according to the internet, that garage is full. We decide to leave the car where it is and accept the price difference. We walk into the city. Almost immediately we stand next to the impressive large Cologne Cathedral. We walk around the cathedral. Tomorrow we have plenty of time to visit the church. We continue toward the Rhine. Everywhere there are cozy terraces and restaurants. On the Rhine, we take a seat on a terrace to eat. A tasty meal with a Kölsch beer. Meanwhile, it slowly gets dark. The lights come on in Cologne.