Discover Aesch: vineyards, trails and local history

Aesch is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. Winegrowing, nature-themed trails and local history offer different ways to shape your stay. You can plan your time around exploring the vineyards, the Birs landscapes, historic sites or a hike to the castle.

Winegrowing and trails by the water

The Aesch Wine Hiking Trail uses twelve information boards to explain winegrowing and the work in the vineyards throughout the year. The boards also cover the seasonal rhythm of this work. At Aesch’s Chlusberg is a vineyard of around 16 hectares, the largest in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. A vineyard tour at Peter's Reben includes a light snack and an aperitif with three wines.

The well-marked Birs Riverside Trail focuses on something different: eleven themed boards provide information about the Birs’s natural assets and the impact of people on the Birs area. Comparing the two themed trails, the Wine Hiking Trail focuses on winegrowing and vineyard work, while the riverside trail focuses on river nature and human influence. The Birs also supplies Aesch with drinking water.

Local history and buildings

The so-called “Käppeli” was built in the mid-18th century. It is the only wayside chapel of its kind in the canton of Basel-Landschaft and has been protected by the canton since 1970, as well as by the federal government. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph in Aesch was consecrated on 7 September 1841. In 1942, Hans Stocker from Basel painted a large fresco depicting the Ascension of Christ on the church’s chancel wall.

Around 1606, the Blarer family of Wartensee converted Blarer Castle into an aristocratic residence. The garden park behind the castle is open to visitors. The Aesch Local History Museum is housed in the Kesslerhaus, a 400-year-old farmhouse. Its exhibitions cover winegrowing, village history, community life, and the prehistoric and early history of Aesch.

Hikes and activities

The Castle Hike leads to Pfeffingen Castle ruins, where visitors will find audio stories, viewpoints and numerous fire pits. The return route follows the Chlusbach stream to Aesch. A circular hike starts at Aesch railway station and follows the ViaJura to Pfeffingen Castle ruins. It crosses the ridge of the Eggflue and offers panoramic views across Basel-Landschaft. The Castle Magic Route can be ridden by e-bike, bicycle or gravel bike.

The Aesch-Pfeffingen outdoor swimming pool has a 62-metre water slide, a shaded baby pool, a play stream, a non-swimmer pool with a water depth of 50 to 135 cm, a swimming pool and a diving pool. There are also two 1-metre diving boards and one 3-metre diving board.

The interactive, smartphone-based village tour “aesch bigott” takes visitors through Aesch. It is free of charge, requires no booking and can be completed independently at any time of day or night. Visitor information is available on the tour website.

Wine festival and seasonal planning

The “Räbesunntig” winegrowers’ festival takes place in the Klus on the last Sunday before the summer holidays. The exact date varies, so check it before your trip. Around ten winegrower families welcome visitors to their small festival venues to taste the new vintage and enjoy culinary specialities from local winegrowers.

Discover more destinations: Schönenbuch, Reinach, Arlesheim, Münchenstein, Ettingen, Muttenz, Allschwil, Oberwil

Go to the main travel overview: Arlesheim.