The beautiful oasis on the Rhine

I've been a big ESC fan since I was a child and have been following this event on TV for many years. Last year, I was even there live for the first time in Malmö when Nemo put on a fantastic show and brought the title to Switzerland. And now it's only a few weeks away and the big event is taking place right on our doorstep - in Basel. The organizers have put together a fantastic multi-day supporting program for the general public.

The ESC is not the only reason why the whole of Europe will be watching us in the coming weeks. The European Women's Football Championship will also be held in Switzerland and some decisive matches, such as the opening game and the final, will be played in Basel.

This major event will also attract many people to our region. And everyone will have the chance to experience our beautiful city as well as the event.

Recreational oasis Rheinfelden

Even though we are looking forward to welcoming many international guests and a colorful audience to Rheinfelden in the coming months, we certainly don't want to compete with Basel.

It would be nice if we could act as a kind of "recreational oasis on the Rhine".

A recreational oasis where it is by no means boring, but where you can experience so much. Here are a few examples:

With the free "SmartGuide" app, we now offer an audio guide for smartphones (available in the AppStore and GooglePlayStore). The old town can now be discovered at your own pace in German, English or French.

In addition, our city guide Davina Benkert will be giving a public tour of the old town in English for the first time on Friday, May 16. Rheinfelden has a lot to offer culturally. This is not only evident during the themed and scenic city tours, which allow visitors to see and experience numerous historical sites. At the latest when you visit the Fricktal Museum, you realize what an important role Rheinfelden has played in the history of the past centuries.

In addition to the many historical sites in the old town, Rheinfelden offers a number of other interesting excursion destinations such as the Sole Uno wellness world, the Feldschlösschen brewery and the Swiss salt works.

You can also spend some time shopping in the town or at the wonderful weekly markets. Gourmets will get their money's worth in the 20 or so restaurants. If you prefer things a little quieter, seek out the hidden places in the old town. For example, the historic town hall, the Känzeli near the Johanniter chapel or the Inseli. A visit to our animal residents, the goats at the stork nest tower or the two geese in the city park, is always a good idea.

A place of local, national and international encounters

With over 101 nationalities and a foreign population of 34 percent, Rheinfelden is a place of international encounters.

As a border town where you cross the Rhine bridge into Germany, the motto "Crossing Borders" from the ESC in Basel could not be more fitting.

We look forward to welcoming many more guests from the region, Switzerland, Europe and the whole world in the coming weeks and months. We want everyone to discover Rheinfelden. And all those who are lucky enough to already know Rheinfelden should be inspired anew.

As an ESC fan, I'm just as excited about the fact that it's about to start as I am about Städtli. Over the next few weeks, the magic of this special major event will spread across the entire region. This year will be only the third time that the ESC has been held in Switzerland since its inception in 1956. And we have the unique opportunity to be very close to it and offer many people from near and far the chance to rediscover and enjoy Rheinfelden.

Ramona Herzog is Product and Marketing Manager at Tourismus Rheinfelden - and has been a big ESC fan since childhood. In addition to her task of marketing Rheinfelden as an idyllic oasis of peace, she will be throwing herself into the colorful ESC hustle and bustle in Basel in May.