The decades have hardly dulled the art world’s love affair with the distinguished international showcase of modern and contemporary art, now celebrating its 40th year. Opposites attract in this Swiss city, where the charm of the Old World — everything from mouthwatering schnitzel to starlit walks along the Rhine — meets the shock of the new. Basel’s appeal remains timeless.

Go:

ART BASEL
What: The 40th edition of the can’t-miss fair, which features 300 exhibitors selected from a pool that included a record 1,100 applicants.
When: June 10-14
Where: Halls 1 and 2 of Messe Basel, Messeplatz
Highlights: Dealers are pulling pictures fresh out of the studio to make a statement in these storied halls. New York’s 303 Gallery is bringing works by hip portraitist Karen Kilimnik, while London’s Alan Cristea Gallery offers a colorful etching by Ian Davenport. Berlin’s Galerie Eigen+Art is showing Neo Rauch’s narrative dreamscapes and paintings by other leading names in Leipzig. New York’s Cheim & Read is filling its booth with photography by William Eggleston and works in various mediums by Jack Pierson. "We want to show the similarities in their work," says gallery partner Adam Sheffer. • For experimental art of epic proportions, visit Art Unlimited, featuring 60 projects, including a large-scale installation by the American artist Sarah Oppenheimer, presented by von Bartha, of Basel; P.P.O.W., of New York; and Annely Juda, of London. • Now in its fourth edition, Design Miami/Basel appears in a new venue that not only gives its 28 exhibitors 15 percent more space but is more convenient for Basel-goers. Don’t forget the nearby satellite fairs, from the relocated Scope to the expanded VOLTA (see "It's Basel Time" for more on these fairs). With so much to cover, Miami-based collector Mera Rubell has a few choice recommendations: "Always wear comfortable shoes, always bring a bottle of water, and always wear layers." Sarah Thornton, the author of Seven Days in the Art World, swears by her pashmina, and suggests studying the fair’s layout in advance. "I love Basel because the floor plan is navigable," she says. "It’s basically two concentric squares — like a Josef Albers from above."

Hotels:

Les Trois Rois
Although any hotel could name its most lavishly appointed suite after Napoleon, few can say they actually hosted the formidable emperor. Add legends like the Dalai Lama and Picasso, not to mention art world bigwigs like Eli Broad and Larry Gagosian, to the list and you’re looking at the guestbook of Les Trois Rois — a hotel with a history as rich as its lush Old World interiors. "It’s got that je ne sais quois because it’s right on the water," says Thornton.
Blumenrain 8
41-61/260-5050
Rates: $300-$4,500

Swissôtel Le Plaza
Just down the Messeplatz from the fair is the Swissôtel Le Plaza, the largest five-star hotel in Basel. The back-and-forth travel time that you save can be spent in the hotel’s pool, sauna or steam bath. And if you have kids in tow, the hotel offers a babysitting service.
Messeplatz 25
41-61/555-3333
Rates: $165-$892
basel.swissotel.com

Krafft Basel
This 45-room guesthouse may be small, but it offers big views of the Old Town and Saint Martin’s Church. The rooms are outfitted in dark timber contrasting with bright linens; some have river views. "Artists love it," says Sam Keller, director of Basel’s Fondation Beyeler.
Rheingasse 12
41-61/690 91 30
Rates: $130-$245
www.hotelkrafft.ch

Der Teufelhof
The most style-conscious of all the hotels in Basel, this three-story mansion holds a wide array of artworks behind its white façade. The walls of one suite, for instance, are painted to resemble pages from a medieval Bible, because "a copy of the Bible can be found in any hotel room," according to Albert Merz, the painter who conceived the decor.
Leonhardsgraben, 49
41-61/261-1010
Rates: $260-$410
teufelhof.com