Walking Into the New Year on 2 January
Two days after the fireworks over the Rhine, Basel is quiet in a particular way. The Christmas markets in Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz have packed up, the last of the Glühwein stands have gone, and the city settles into the deep hush that follows the holidays. On 2 January, the streets are largely yours: shop windows still carry their festive displays, the trams run on a holiday rhythm, and the Rhine itself, grey-green and steady, keeps moving as it always does. This is Berchtoldstag — Berchtold's Day — and if you happen to be in Basel for it, you will experience it not as a civic spectacle but as a pause. The city observes the day in its own way: quietly, domestically, with the year still new enough to feel unhurried.
What Berchtoldstag Actually Is
Berchtold's Day falls on 2 January and has been observed in some form since at least the 14th century. The name has several possible origins: it may come from an Alemannic word meaning "to walk about begging for food," from the folkloric figure Perchta — a half-human, half-beast guardian of animals — or from an old High German equivalent of Epiphany. The most likely explanation is that it began as a local name for the Roman Catholic feast of Epiphany, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, commemorating the Three Magi. After the Swiss Reformation, when Protestant authorities discouraged Epiphany celebrations, the date shifted to 2 January to compensate for the lost holiday. There is no saint named Berchtold; the "Saint" prefix appears to have been added by habit.
The tradition extends beyond Switzerland into Liechtenstein and Alsace. Within Switzerland, the cantons that formally observe it include Aargau, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Jura, Lucerne, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Thurgau and Vaud. Basel — both Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft — is not among the cantons that list Berchtoldstag as an official public holiday. In 2027, 2 January falls on a Saturday.
How to Spend the Day in Basel
Because Basel does not mark Berchtoldstag with an official programme, your day is shaped by what the city reliably offers in the first week of January. The Christmas markets have closed by this point, so the rhythm is different from December. What remains is the city itself, still dressed for the season:
- Walk the old town on foot. The streets of Grossbasel — around Marktplatz, along Freie Strasse, up to Münsterplatz — are at their most peaceful in the first days of January. With many businesses closed or on reduced hours, you can take in the painted facades, the medieval lanes and the cathedral without the crush of shoppers.
- Cross the Mittlere Brücke. The bridge over the Rhine connects Grossbasel and Kleinbasel and is one of the oldest Rhine crossings. On a January morning, the walk between the two halves of the city is brisk and clear, with views up and down the river.
- Look for the Rhine. Even in winter, the river defines the city. The banks on both sides are walkable, and the path along the Kleinbasel side offers a different angle on the old town.
- Check what is open. Museums and larger venues in Basel typically operate on holiday schedules in early January. The city's major institutions — the Kunstmuseum, the Fondation Beyeler in nearby Riehen, the Tinguely Museum — are worth checking directly for opening hours on 2 January, as holiday schedules vary year to year.
Eating and Drinking in the First Days of January
The seasonal food of Basel in early January is the food of winter: hearty, warm and rooted in the region. While the Christmas market stalls are gone by 2 January, the city's restaurants and bakeries continue to serve the things that define the colder months:
- Basler Läckerli. The city's signature biscuit — a dense, spiced honey-and-nut confection — is available year-round from bakeries in the old town. It keeps well and travels well, making it a natural thing to buy on a quiet 2 January.
- Fasnachtsküchli and other fried pastries. These begin to appear in bakeries as the city moves toward Fasnacht, the Basel carnival that follows in the weeks after Berchtoldstag. In the first days of January, you may already see the earliest signs of preparation.
- Warm, sit-down meals. With many smaller establishments closed on 2 January, the reliable option is a hotel restaurant or a larger brasserie in the city centre. Basel's restaurant culture is strong, but the first week of January is a time of reduced hours — plan to check ahead rather than assume.
Timing Your Visit Around 2 January
If Berchtoldstag is your reason for being in Basel, the date to note for 2027 is Saturday 2 January. Because Basel does not observe it as an official public holiday, you will not find parades, fireworks or organised street parties tied to the day itself. What you will find is a city in its post-holiday quiet — which has its own appeal. The advantage of a Saturday 2 January is that the weekend gives you a full day without the usual weekday obligations, and the city is still in its festive afterglow without the December crowds.
If you want the fuller Basel winter experience, the weeks after Berchtoldstag lead into Fasnacht, the city's carnival, which is the major event of the season. Berchtoldstag itself is better understood as the calm before that — a day to walk, to eat well, and to see Basel without its crowds.
Planning Your Berchtoldstag in Basel
Start by checking the opening hours of the museums and restaurants you want to visit, since 2 January falls in a week when many Basel businesses operate on holiday schedules. Book a table if you plan to eat out, and build your day around walking rather than around events, because the city does not stage a Berchtoldstag programme. The reward is a Basel that feels like itself: quiet, walkable, and yours for the day.