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

Au Violon
Basel veterans like Paul Gray, a director at the Richard Gray Gallery of Chicago and New York, prefer this 12-room guesthouse, which was originally a Gothic monastery and later a prison. Ten years ago, the building was turned into a jazz club and musical-instrument museum — hence its name. Keller also recommends it. "It’s very spartan, but it has everything you need," he says.
Im Lohnhof 4
41-61/269 87 11
Rates: $150-$160
www.au-violon.com

Eat:

Restaurant Kunsthalle Basel AG
The lively art displayed in the austere dining room and the consistency of the hearty dishes — grilled sea bass for two, rib-eye steak with rosemary — are big draws at this hot spot. But ultimately, it’s the crowd. "Everyone is there," says local gallery owner and fair exhibitor Stefan von Bartha. A nightcap at the adjoining Campari Bar may also be in order, since the fair is hosting DJ’ed parties there every night from June 9 to 14. "It’s the default location at 11 or midnight," says Thornton.
Steinenberg, 7
41-61/272-4233
restaurant-kunsthalle.ch

Restaurant Stucki Bruderholz
In this spacious, tastefully modern setting, the acclaimed Swiss chef and cookbook author Tanja Grandits serves up dishes like duck confit and foie gras ravioli with cinnamon blossom leek cream. Oenophiles will be delighted by the restaurant’s deep wine list, currently 600 selections strong.
Bruderholzallee, 42
41-61/361-8222
www.stuckibasel.ch

Lily’s Stomach Supply
The idiosyncratic name of this trendy Asian fusion spot gets right to the point. It’s the savvy and utilitarian choice for midday cuisine, as its steamy bowls of noodles are served up quickly, not to mention in close proximity to the action at the fair. "The kitchen is very fast, so lots of exhibitors prefer it," says von Bartha.
Rebgasse 1
41-61/683-1111
lilys.ch

Chez Donati
Once frequented by the likes of Jean Tinguely and Andy Warhol, Chez Donati is still a favorite among the art world glitterati. "I’m a creature of habit," says Cheim & Read’s Sheffer. "You’ll find me there every night." He recommends the île flotantte dessert after a day at the fair.
Johanns-Vorstadt 48
41-61/322 09 19
www.lestroisrois.com

See:

Kunstmuseum & Schaulager
For a tiny city, Basel has the most outstanding museums," says Rubell. Among the city’s oldest institutions is the Kunstmuseum Basel (St. Alban-Graben 16; 41-61/206-6262). At the tail end of April, it unveiled a 70-work survey of van Gogh’s landscapes. The museum is also lending about 250 paintings, from the 15th century to the present, to another of Basel’s must-see art venues: the Schaulager (Ruchfeldstr. 19; 41-61/335-3232), where "Holbein to Tillmans" will be on view through October 4. Thornton calls the curation at the venerable museum "impeccable."

Fondation Beyeler
A few days before the fair, the Fondation unveiled a gigantic Giacometti retrospective that covers the artist’s oeuvre from beginning to end. "We actually start before he was born," says Keller, explaining that the show opens with works by Giacometti’s father, Diego, who was a well-known painter. Keller adds that the Fondation is also hosting shows of African, Oceanic and modern art and a special exhibition featuring some never-before-seen works by the Austrian sculptor Franz West.
Baselstr. 101
41-61/645-9700
beyeler.com

Vitra Design Museum
Since May 16, Vitra — located across the border, in Germany, but only a 10-minute drive from the Beyeler — has been presenting a survey of work by the brothers Fernando and Humberto Campana. The Campanas’ colorful stuffed-animal chairs and woven chaise longues are housed in the museum’s main hall — the first building Frank Gehry completed in Europe.
Charles-Eames-Str., 1
Weil am Rhein, Germany
49-7621/702-3200
design-museum.de

Theater Basel
Artists such as Doug Aitken, Olafur Eliasson and Pierre Huyghe will take the stage at the Theater Basel in "Il Tempo del Postino," a group show that unfolds over three nights beginning June 10. Directed by an all-star curatorial team that includes the ubiquitous Hans Ulrich Obrist and art star Rirkrit Tiravanija, the show offers its participants their 15 minutes of fame — literally. The time-restricted performances may even involve audience participation.
Elisabethenstr. 16
41-61/295-1133
www.artbasel.com/il-tempo-del-postino

Shop:

Set&Sekt
To add some art-world-appropriate Minimalist chic to your wardrobe, drop by this sleek boutique, where luxurious textures enrich the largely black and beige couture. Set&Sekt is highly recommended by dealer von Bartha, who thinks it brings a welcome cosmopolitan element to Basel. "The concept is very much in the style of Berlin or New York," he says.
Rümelinsplatz 5
41-61/271-0765
www.setandsekt.com

Seven Sisters
Keller recommends this shop in the heart of the Old City, which carries playful modern objects such as doorstops in the shape of high-heeled shoes and perspective-defying vases. "It’s like the MoMA design store," he says. Seven Sisters also provides items for the fair’s own store.
Spalenberg 38
41-61/262-0980
www.sevensisters.ch

Designbutik
The design fair may offer a sampling of the best international wares, but for uniquely local output, visit this butik. The store carries a variety of pieces from mid-20th century on, including work by Swiss designers like Max Bill and Willy Guhl.
Amerbachstr. 35
41-79/368-3932
www.designbutik.ch

"When in Basel for... Art Basel" originally appeared in the June 2009 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's June 2009 Table of Contents.