museum
Pantheon Basel
Striking rotunda in Muttenz where a spiral ramp climbs past decades of classic cars and motorcycles: part museum, part working forum for Basel's vintage-car scene.
35 km · about 40 min drive
EuropeSwitzerlandAargau
Aarau
Aargau, Switzerland · Europe
About Aarau
Aarau sits on the route: 5 minutes from Suhr, 35km from Pantheon Basel.
Aarau is in Aargau, Switzerland, with about 22,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Suhr, about 4 km away.
Aarau (Swiss Standard German: [ˈaːraʊ], Alemannic German pronunciation: [ˈɑːræu̯]) is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The town is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in theRead more
valley of the Aare, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura Mountains, and is west of Zurich, 58 kilometres (36 miles) south of Basel and 65 kilometres (40 miles) northeast of Bern. The municipality borders directly on the canton of Solothurn to the west. It is the largest town in Aargau. At the beginning of 2010 Rohr became a district of Aarau.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Aarau?
Within an hour or so of Aarau: Pantheon Basel (35 km), Zürich Old Town & Lake (37 km), Ace Cafe Luzern (37 km), Basel (39 km).
Are there any good drives near Aarau?
The nearest famous roads are Glaubenbielen Pass, Axenstrasse and Ibergeregg Pass.
Where is Aarau?
Aarau is in Aargau, Switzerland, about 4 km from Suhr.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 21,503
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Aargau
- Timezone
- Europe/Zurich
- Coordinates
- 47.3925, 8.0442
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Switzerland
Motorway vignette (toll sticker) required: buy at the border or online. Roadside assistance (TCS): 140.
Full driving guide for SwitzerlandTags
Worth the detour from Aarau
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Zürich Old Town & Lake
Switzerland's largest city blending a medieval old town with trendy districts, all set along the Limmat River and the shores of Lake Zürich.
37 km · about 45 min drive
cafe
Ace Cafe Luzern
The first overseas outpost of London's legendary biker hangout, complete with diner, shop and event halls in Rothenburg near Lucerne: a magnet for petrolhead meets.
37 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Basel
A cultural powerhouse at the meeting point of three countries, home to over 40 museums, a vibrant Rhine riverfront, and Art Basel.
39 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Basel Zoo
Switzerland's oldest and most visited zoo, affectionately known as 'Zolli', with a strong conservation focus.
39 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Zürich Zoo
Progressive Swiss zoo known for its Masoala Rainforest hall, a massive indoor tropical ecosystem.
40 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Lion Monument
Mark Twain called it the most mournful piece of stone in the world: a dying lion carved into a cliff face commemorating Swiss Guards killed in the French Revolution.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)
Europe's oldest covered wooden bridge, built in 1333 across the Reuss River in Lucerne with 17th-century painted panels inside.
43 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Aarau
17 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 49 kmMount PilatusA jagged mountain above Lucerne reachable by the world's steepest cogwheel railway, steeped in dragon legends and offering 73-peak panoramas.
- 50 kmMount RigiThe 'Queen of the Mountains' above Lake Lucerne, site of Europe's first mountain railway and offering sunrise panoramas over the Alps.
- 54 kmFeldbergThe Black Forest's highest summit at 1,493 m offers Alps-to-Vosges panoramas and a chairlift up to the windswept ridge.
- 64 kmGlaubenbielen PassA quiet pass over the Obwalden ridge between Giswil and Sörenberg, with wide views over the Entlebuch biosphere.
- 65 kmAxenstrasseA spectacular cliff-hugging shore road blasted into the rock above Lake Lucerne between Brunnen and Fluelen, threading galleries and tunnels with constant views across the Uri arm of the lake.
- 67 kmIbergeregg PassA modest but scenic pass above Schwyz with long views to the Mythen peaks, usually kept open through winter.
Driving in Switzerland
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €42 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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