This European border city is positioned on a tri-point – the location where three countries all meet – allowing visitors to explore all of them in just 24 hours
If you’re a keen traveller looking to tick off as many visited countries as possible, a travel expert has shared a European border city that lets you explore three countries in a single day. Chyna, who documents her global adventures in a blog, turned to TikTok to share her top “hack” for cramming in the three holiday hotspots in quick succession.
The city she suggested visiting is Basel, Switzerland, which serves as an ideal launchpad for excursions into two neighbouring nations. “It borders both France and Germany, which means you can spend the morning in Germany shopping, the afternoon in France and the evening back in Basel having dinner,” Chyna gushed in a video.
She went on to explain that the city is positioned on a tripoint (or border triangle) where the three nations converge – allowing you to stroll between them in just 15 minutes.
Chyna added: “There’s also a bridge where you can see all three countries at once, and there’s even a monument marking the exact point where they all meet.”
Germany can be reached by tram – a 20-minute journey from Basel’s city centre. “You will need your passport with you as you go over the border on the ride,” she cautioned, however.
“Border control agents come on the tram before it stops in Germany and check your ID, and if you are from the UK it needs to be your passport – your driving licence won’t be accepted.”
Chyna went on to document her trip further, revealing that when you get off the tram you can find a shopping centre, a restaurant and a bridge that crosses into France. “There’s a tiny village where you can get lunch and as soon as I stepped into France, I could use my EU roaming [data] because I had to use an e-Sim in Switzerland [as it is not part of the European Union],” she advised.
She added: “What I love about the trip is that each country has its own vibe, even though they are literally minutes apart. The whole experience is so unique – it’s a cool way to travel.”
Chyna concluded by highlighting that Basel offers additional advantages, serving as an excellent “travel hub” for day excursions to Lucerne and Zurich in Switzerland and Strasbourg in France, plus other destinations across France and Germany.
Meanwhile, the Basel tourist board adds online: “The striking border triangle building is the result of an architectural competition to which Swiss, German and French architects were invited in 1990.
“On the first floor of the futuristic building are a bar, an event room and a terrace with a border-spanning view of the Rhine. In summer, the ‘sand oasis’ on the ground floor invites guests to relax. The beach area with its sand, palm trees and cocktail bar makes for a holiday atmosphere.
“An ideal way to discover the border triangle is a harbour tour with the Basler Personenschifffahrt cruise company. Or explore the Rhine in and around Basel on a ‘Rhytaxi’ water taxi.”