The city of Basel lies at the foothills of the Alps, directly on the borders of Germany and France in the country of Switzerland. The well-preserved medieval town is perched on a cliff overlooking the banks of the Rhine river. The city itself is surrounded by tree-lined boulevards and filled with Switzerland’s famous banks. Outside the USB bank building, there is a giant sculpture of a three-story tall man consistently banging away with a hammer, symbolizing the hard work that goes into securing everybody’s money.

In the center of town is the red-bricked city hall adorned with a gold-leafed picture of a man preparing to draw his sword, letting you know that Basel means business. A short hike up the hill towards the river is a plateau with an impressive church, the Muenster, where carnivals are set up from time to time. Down by the river on the north side of the centrum are fine examples of Swiss style cottages. This is also where the Museum Fur Gegenwartskunst is located, Basel’s contemporary art collection. With a name like that, you know that the Swiss are serious when it comes to their art.