This is Basel, the Swiss city where the Rhine turns north, and its position at the meeting of three countries makes it feel more European than most. France and Germany both begin within a few kilometres of the city centre, and the river carries barges, tourists and swimmers through the heart of town. In summer, Baslers float down the river in the current with their clothes in waterproof bags, and the riverbanks fill with picnics and music.
The old town stands on a hill above the Rhine, crowned by the red sandstone Münster, a cathedral that was first built in the eleventh century and later became a Protestant church after the Reformation reached Basel in 1529. The scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam spent his last years here and is buried in the cathedral. Below, the narrow lanes lead past the Rathaus, whose bright red walls and painted façade are the city's most recognisable building, and down to the river, where small cable ferries cross the water, powered only by the current, as they have for centuries. In February, the city's carnival, the Fasnacht, begins at four in the morning in February or March with drums and piccolos, a tradition so beloved that people plan the year around it.
Basel is also a capital of art and science. It is home to some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, and the city has an unusual number of museums for its size. The Kunstmuseum holds a major collection from the Renaissance to the present, and the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen near Basel, sits in a beautiful building by Renzo Piano in a green park. Each June, Art Basel brings the art world to town.
For riders, Basel is the gateway to the Jura and to the Black Forest and the Vosges, which are close. City traffic is dense, with trams that need respect: rails and wet cobbles are slippery on a motorcycle, so cross them at a right angle. Parking for bikes is available in many places and is cheaper than for cars.
Fuel and food are everywhere, and nearby Germany and France have different prices, so many people cross the border to fill up. Order a Basler Läckerli, a spiced honey biscuit, for the road.