1. Old Town

Strolling around Old Town with its narrow alleyways and century-old houses is a really nice way to spend the afternoon. There is so much to discover like the magnificent Gate of Spalen which is one of the original eight city gates that were part of the outer wall, or the old half-timbered houses in the "Rheinsprung" street, and of course hay mountain - an area that once was the home to many butchers (since there were no cold houses to store meat at that time, the animals had to be fed with hay until they were slaughtered).

2. Town Hall

One of the most eye-catching buildings is Town Hall with its red facades and playful frescoes. It dates back to the 15th century and combines several architectural styles, i.e., Gothic, Renaissance, Late Gothic, and Jugendstil. How fortunate that the building has lasted through the centuries! By the way: City Hall is still the seat of the government and parliament today.

3. Middle Bridge & River Rhine

Standing on the Middle Bridge, you have a stunning view of the city's skyline. If weather allows, you should cross the bridge and sit down on the banks of the Rhine to enjoy the scenery and potentially spot some swimmers who let themselves drift down the river a bit. In summer, it's like the Basel thing to do, Stefanie tells me.

Tip: If you have time, cross the Rhine on the non-motorized wooden ferry.

4. Tinguely Fountain

Tinguely Fountain (or Fasnachtsbrunnen) is one of the most popular landmarks in Basel. Its creator Jean Tinguely designed several strange looking iron-made machine sculptures that would spew out water. It is almost as if the machines are brought back to life. Pretty amazing. I have never seen anything like it.

5. Basel Minster

Day 2 - Day hike to Le Moléson

After consulting meteo.swiss for about an hour, we finally decide to escape the bad weather in Basel and go day hiking in Canton Fribourg. It's a three hour drive by train, bus and funicular car to get to Plan Francey. The summit Le Moléson is still hidden in clouds. Nevertheless, we are excited - for me it's the first hike in the swiss mountains ever and Stefanie hasn't been here before.

The first part of the trail meanders along farm roads and switchbacks up to the peak. It's mostly cloudy but from time to time we are able to spot Lake Geneva in the distance. Wow! We can only imagine how it would look like on a sunny day. We rest at Le Moléson (2002 m) and then follow the trail to Teysachaux (1909 m). The up and down to the second peak is really steep, so watch your steps.

On Rue de Lausanne, we finally find us a nice restaurant and order a plate of grilled vegetables with gluten-free bread. It's delicious. And by the way: It's really nice to listen to waiters speaking French. That contributes to a great vacation feeling.

Exploring Parco Ciani

If you ever plan to visit Lugano, make sure to make a stop at Parco Ciani, the city's green lung and just a short distance from the city center. The paths meander along the lakefront, adorned with flower beds and sculptures. That's the English part of the garden. Further down you will also find the Italian part (look for the playground) with lime and plane trees typical for Ticino woodlands. It is simply beautiful and if you come early in the morning, you will have the park almost to your own.

A Monte Brè Hiking Experience

Next on our list of things to do in Lugano: A hike to the summit of Monte Brè, often called the sunniest mountain in Switzerland. The trail starts a few meters down the station Cassarate (funicular up to and down the summit) and winds through the peaceful mountain forests. From time to time, you can catch a glimpse of the lake (Monte Brè is pretty dense with trees). I would highly recommend to wear good shoes as the path is steep and rocky. In case you wonder: It takes about two hours to hike from Lugano to the summit.