Best time to visit Basel
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Basel
6 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Basel).
- 1
Arrival Private Transfer: EuroAirport (BSL MLH EAP) to Basel in Luxury Van - 2
Private Transfer from Basel Airport BSL to Basel City - 3
Private Day Trip from Basel to Lucerne and Interlaken - 4
Swiss Experience: Chocolate Tasting and City Tour of Basel - 5
Basel Private City Tour: Highlights And Hidden Gems - 6
Luzern Private Day Trip incl. Lake Cruise from Basel
Last refreshed 2026-06-16.
Similar climatesZurich95% · Colmar95% · Heidelberg94%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Basel (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Basel's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0–6 | 3 | 13 | 170 | 13.1 | 75% | 15 | 104 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 2–10 | 7 | 14 | 152 | 10.9 | 68% | 18 | 129 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Mar | 2–12 | 9 | 12 | 135 | 11.3 | 63% | 16 | 192 | 3 | Quiet | 6 |
| Apr | 5–15 | 13 | 12 | 157 | 13.1 | 59% | 15 | 213 | 4 | Quiet | 6 |
| May | 9–19 | 18 | 15 | 189 | 12.6 | 62% | 15 | 239 | 5 | Quiet | 6 |
| Jun | 14–24 | 25 | 14 | 153 | 10.9 | 59% | 14 | 262 | 6 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jul | 15–26 | 26 | 13 | 125 | 9.6 | 55% | 15 | 285 | 6 | Quiet | 8 |
| Aug | 16–26 | 27 | 11 | 117 | 10.6 | 57% | 14 | 248 | 6 | Busy | 8 |
| Sep | 12–22 | 22 | 11 | 126 | 11.5 | 64% | 13 | 210 | 4 | Moderate | 8 |
| Oct | 8–17 | 16 | 13 | 145 | 11.2 | 72% | 14 | 156 | 2 | Moderate | 7 |
| Nov | 3–10 | 7 | 15 | 161 | 10.7 | 78% | 15 | 114 | 1 | Peak | 4 |
| Dec | 1–7 | 3 | 16 | 207 | 12.9 | 80% | 15 | 79 | 1 | Moderate | 3 |
UV Index in Basel by Month
UV index in Basel peaks at 6 (high) in June, dropping to 1 (low) in January. June, July have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
August
8/1016–26°C · 11 rain days (117h) · 248 sun hours · 57% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
July
8/1015–26°C · 13 rain days (125h) · 285 sun hours · 55% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
September
8/1012–22°C · 11 rain days (126h) · 210 sun hours · 64% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/100–6°C (feels 3°C) · 13 rain days (170h) · 104 sun hours · 75% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
5/102–10°C (feels 7°C) · 14 rain days (152h) · 129 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
March
6/102–12°C (feels 9°C) · 12 rain days (135h) · 192 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
April
6/105–15°C (feels 13°C) · 12 rain days (157h) · 213 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
May
6/109–19°C (feels 18°C) · 15 rain days (189h) · 239 sun hours · 62% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
June
8/1014–24°C · 14 rain days (153h) · 262 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
7/108–17°C (feels 16°C) · 13 rain days (145h) · 156 sun hours · 72% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
November
4/103–10°C (feels 7°C) · 15 rain days (161h) · 114 sun hours · 78% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 1 (low)
December
3/101–7°C (feels 3°C) · 16 rain days (207h) · 79 sun hours · 80% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Basel
When is the best time to visit Basel?
August is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 16–26°C (11 rainy days). The top three months by score are August, July, September.
What is the worst time to visit Basel?
December is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 1–7°C (16 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Basel?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Basel have good weather but fewer tourists?
June (climate 8/10, crowd index 11) and July (climate 8/10, crowd index 16) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Basel by month?
UV peaks at 6 (high) in June and is lowest in January at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 3, Apr 4, May 5, Jun 6, Jul 6, Aug 6, Sep 4, Oct 2, Nov 1, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Basel in June?
June is the peak UV month in Basel, with a daily-peak UV index of 6 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Basel on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 6 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 8 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Basel bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 7 months: January, February, March, April, October, November, December. The worst month is February with a typical-day mean of 14 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 25 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.