Audio tours through
the Old Town
Each tour is dedicated to a famous personality from Basel’s history and identified by its own colour and number. The five personalities will accompany you on your journey and take you to their favourite places in Basel. All of the tours start and finish on Market Square (corner of Freie Strasse). Choose your tour and allow the signs and the app to guide you around the city.
App “Basel Audio Tours”
Download the audio tours directly onto your smartphone! The free “Basel Audio Tours” app is available from the App Store and Google Play.
Download now for iOS and Android:
Brochure
You can obtain the “Audio tours through the Old Town” brochure from the Tourist Information office or download it here:
Development partner
Good to know.
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The audio tours are five different walks through Basel’s Old Town, each dedicated to an important historical figure: Erasmus of Rotterdam, Irène Zurkinden, Hans Holbein, Paracelsus and Jean Tinguely. Whether humanist, artist or alchemist – each voice opens up a unique perspective on the city, brings historical places to life and invites you to rediscover Basel. In entertaining episodes, they talk about their lives, comment on their surroundings and take you to their favourite places. All tours begin and end at Marktplatz, on the corner of Freie Strasse.
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No, the app is free and available in the App Store and on Google Play.
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The duration varies depending on the tour:
- Erasmus tour: approx. 60 minutes (slightly longer when the augmented reality elements are activated)
- Zurkinden tour: approx. 75 minutes
- Tinguely tour: approx. 75 minutes
- Paracelsus tour: approx. 90 minutes
- Holbein tour: approx. 120 minutes
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Yes, the app makes it possible to select individual stations and listen to them independently of the whole tour. However, in order to fully enjoy the narrative structure and storyline, it is advisable to experience the tour in its entirety and in the intended order from Marktplatz.
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No, the content can be downloaded in advance with an existing internet connection so that no mobile internet connection is required during the tour. However, the activation of some augmented reality (AR) elements only works in online mode.
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The app is available for iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. To activate the augmented reality (AR) elements, Apple devices should be newer than an iPhone 7 and have at least the iOS 15+ operating system. Android devices require at least a 9+ operating system. AR Core Support is a prerequisite for this. All devices that support AR Core can be found in detail via the following link: AR Core Support
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Yes, all tours can also be listened to independently of the location – ideal for preparing for a visit or for exploring Basel virtually.
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Make sure that the location services are activated on your device and that the app has the required authorizations. Sometimes it can help to restart the app or check the GPS signal outdoors.
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Check whether your device has AR capability and that the latest version of the app is installed. Make sure that app access to the camera is granted. Restarting the app or the device can also help.
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Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that allows digital content to be superimposed on the real environment in real time. During the Erasmus tour, virtual extensions provide a particularly impressive and immersive experience.
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Further information can be found on the official website of Basel Tourismus. It provides comprehensive information on places of interest, events, accommodation and more. The Tourist Information Centre at Barfüsserplatz will also be happy to provide you with personal information.
