Lucerne to Basel and Schaffhausen: Private day trip

Settled since antiquity, Basel’s position along the Rhine at the meeting point of the French, German, and Swiss borders solidified its status as an important trade and transportation hub, often making it the site of international peace negotiations and meetings. Today, it’s still retained that station, with visitors flocking from all over the world to attend its ART Basel festival. Home to the country’s highest concentration of museums, visitors have over 40 options, ranging from the world famous Basel Art Museum, to the Museum of Cultures, or the museum devoted to the iron sculptor Jean Tinguely. At the heart of the city’s historic old town, visitors can enjoy the the large market square, faced by the vibrant red sandstone town hall and the late Romanesque-Gothic cathedral.

First mentioned in the 11th century, Schaffhausen was a city state, and even minted its own coins. It owes its success to the impassible Rheinfall waterfall - shippers would need to unload their goods in Schaffhausen to bypass the falls. Dominating the town is the 16th century Munot fortress, which provided great views of the town and surrounding landscape. In the car-free Old Town, visitors can wander the cobbled streets, admiring the oriel windows and lavishly painted facades from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. Near the river, visitors can stop by the IWC museum, where Schaffhausen’s most prestigious local business exhibits over 230 of their legendary watches, walking visitors through their history and development.