A stunning city in central Europe is on the border of three countries. Basel, a city in northwestern Switzerland, is on the river Rhine and the country’s third-most-populous city.
The harbour city is also where the borders of Germany, France and Switzerland all meet. In fact, it remains an important transport hub between the three to this day. The Dreiländereck monument marks the tripoint where all three borders converge and there is a popular viewpoint where you can get a photo of yourself with all three countries behind you.
One holidaymaker on Tripadvisor explained: “The monumental structure shows the intersection of the borders of three countries, namely France, Switzerland and Germany. By walking around the monument, you symbolically set foot in all three countries. At this point, the view of the river is also beautiful.”
The easiest way (and usually the most popular) to explore the area is by a water taxi or a boat tour, which often include a stop at the monument. It’s worth noting that some holidaymakers have gone in search of Dreiländereck but struggled to find clear signage, so if you are planning to tick it off the list, make sure you have a clear map and plan before you head off.
Meanwhile, some visitors have warned that while it’s quite a cool bucket list item, it’s not a particularly breathtaking area.
One tourist explained: “Geographically interesting, but not particularly scenic. The boat trip is free with the Basel-card, which is very generous of the city!”
For those who want to make a short break of it rather than a day trip, there is actually a longer walk of approximately 44km which is broken down into three stages, and takes the scenic route through all three countries.
Basel’s not the only spot in Europe where you can stand in one spot and say you’ve been in multiple countries at the same time. Baarle is a small town that often attracts intrepid explorers because it straddles the border of the Netherlands and Belgium.
It technically has two municipalities, which are intertwined. However, that has also meant the town has two town halls, post offices and police forces, making it a quirky must-visit for those who like to go off the beaten track.