Weekly Markets (Hauptgasse/Gurzelngasse)

Solothurn is a small city on the river Aare at the foot of the Jura, and it is often called the most beautiful Baroque town in Switzerland. For almost two centuries, from the sixteenth to the eighteenth, it was the seat of the French ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, and the wealth and taste of the diplomats and local patricians shaped the city's architecture. The weekly market is one of the best ways to see it in daily use. It takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, filling the old town's main square, the Marktplatz, known in local dialect as Märetplatz, and spreading along the main street, the Hauptgasse, with stalls on both sides.

The market is a working market, which is part of its appeal. Farmers from the surrounding countryside sell fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, and others offer cheese, eggs, honey, bread, cakes and cured meats, with seasonal products appearing through the year: asparagus and strawberries in spring and early summer, berries and tomatoes in high summer, apples, pears and pumpkins in autumn. Bakers sell local breads and pastries, and craftspeople offer pottery and other goods. The stalls are set up in the early morning, and the trade is busiest from mid-morning, when residents do their weekly shopping and stop to chat, and the cafés around the square fill up. For visitors, it is a good opportunity to buy picnic ingredients, taste regional products and watch daily life in the old town.

The setting adds to the charm. The Marktplatz is overlooked by the old town hall, the Baroque buildings of the patricians and the Zytglogge, the clock tower with an astronomical clock and figures that move on the hour. The tower is among the oldest in the city and is one of the symbols of Solothurn. A short walk from the market, the cathedral of St. Ursus, built in the eighteenth century in an Italian late Baroque style, stands at the top of a wide flight of steps, and its white façade is one of the most elegant in Switzerland. Fountains with painted figures stand in the squares, and the number eleven appears often in the city's history and symbolism, with eleven churches and chapels, eleven fountains and eleven towers, according to local tradition.

The market is easy to reach on foot from the railway station, since the old town begins just over the Aare bridge, and the walk takes only a few minutes. A full visit combines the market with a stroll along the river, a visit to the cathedral and a coffee in one of the old squares. The Kunstmuseum Solothurn and the Old Arsenal, a museum of arms, are also within walking distance, and a boat service runs along the Aare toward Biel in summer.

The market is free to enter, and prices are modest for the quality of the produce. It suits food lovers, photographers, families and anyone who wants to see local life. Go early for the best choice, bring a bag and cash for small purchases, and check the date if a public holiday falls on a market day.