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18 Top Attractions & Places to Visit in Strasbourg

Written by Lisa Alexander Updated Dec 24, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Author Lisa Alexander spent two years living in France and has traveled the country extensively.

With its awe-inspiring cathedral, charming burghers' houses, and elegant Louis XV buildings, Strasbourg has a distinctive old-world character. The quaint cobblestone streets and picturesque canals of the medieval quarters (on the Grande-Île) are some of the cities main attractions for tourists.

Thanks to its advantageous location at the intersection of important traffic and commerce routes on the Rhine River, Strasbourg has prospered throughout its 2,000-year history. In the 13th century, it became the Holy Roman Empire's richest city, where art and learning flourished.

Today, Strasbourg is still a city of culture. Besides its incredible collection of historic monuments, Strasbourg boasts exceptional museums of fine arts, archaeology, and traditional Alsatian crafts.

Learn more about the best places to visit in the city with our list of the top things to do in Strasbourg.

See also: Where to Stay in Strasbourg

1. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

2. wander the narrow streets of quartier des tanneurs (la petite france), 3. maison kammerzell, 4. eglise saint-thomas, 5. eglise saint-pierre-le-jeune, 6. maison de l'oeuvre notre-dame, 7. palais rohan, 8. musée alsacien, 9. place du marché-aux-cochons-de-lait, 10. quartier krutenau, 11. historical museum, 12. musée d'art moderne & contemporain, 13. parc de l'orangerie, 14. palais de l'europe, 15. shop at the christmas markets (marchés de noël), 16. music festivals and cultural events, 17. place gutenberg, 18. synagogue de la paix, where to stay in strasbourg for sightseeing.

Considered one of the most beautiful monuments of Gothic architecture in Europe, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame presides over Strasbourg with its soaring tower. This spire, reaching 142 meters, was the highest point in the Christian world until the 19th century.

The cathedral owes its delicate look to the construction from red Vosges sandstone, which is ornately embellished. Hundreds of Christian figures are sculpted from this stone on the façade. This elaborate exterior functions as a lesson in biblical stories.

The 13th-century west front façade depicts scenes of the Christ's Passion, the work of Master Erwin and his successors. The south side of the façade features famous allegorical sculptures of the Church and the Synagogue created by a German artist circa 1230.

The Strasbourg Cathedral has exceptional medieval stained-glass windows (dating from the 12th to 14th centuries) that compare in magnificence to those at the Cathedral in Chartres. The rose window is particularly splendid.

In the south transept stands L'Horloge Astronomique , a Renaissance astronomical clock. This masterpiece of timekeeping entertains visitors with an automated parade of the apostles and a crowing rooster every day at 12:30pm.

After touring the inside of the Cathedral, visitors can ascend to the top of the bell tower. The tower's viewing platform affords sweeping panoramas of the city, the Rhine plains, the Black Forest, and the Vosges Mountains.

The cathedral is the heart of Strasbourg's UNESCO-listed Grande-Île district. The Grande-Île (a large island surrounded by the Ill River) is the historic center of the city.

Mass is celebrated at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, Monday through Friday at 7:30am and 9am and on Saturdays at 9am. On Sundays, the regular Mass is held at 9:30am and Mass with Gregorian chants is held at 11am and at 6pm.

Address: Place de la Cathédrale, Strasbourg

Within Strasbourg's UNESCO-listed historic center, the Quartier des Tanneurs (also known as "La Petite France") is a winding maze of canals and narrow, old streets lined by perfectly maintained half-timbered houses. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the neighborhood was home to the city's leather tanners and fishermen.

The most charming street of the quarter is the Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes . Strolling along this cobblestone thoroughfare offers a chance to admire the traditional Alsatian houses with their flower-bedecked windowsills.

Tourists should look out for the Maison des Tanneurs , a half-timbered house at 42 Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes. Built in 1572 and listed as a Historic Monument, the Maison des Tanneurs is now a fine-dining restaurant with cozy interior décor and an outdoor terrace overlooking the river banks. It's one of the best places to visit in Strasbourg for authentic Alsatian cuisine.

To the southwest are the Ponts Couverts (Covered Bridges), which include four of the town's medieval defense towers. From the Grande Écluse covered bridge, there is a panoramic view of the Strasbourg cityscape. The Grande Écluse is open to the public during the day and illuminated at night.

The Quartier des Tanneurs has an alluring riverside ambience. Along the tree-lined river banks, tourists and locals alike enjoy taking walks in this pleasant area, away from the urban hustle and bustle.

The Maison Kammerzell is the finest old burgher's house in the city. Considered a gem of Alsatian architecture, the Kammerzell House (built between 1427 and 1589) features half-timbered upper floors, exquisite leaded stained-glass windows, and rich carved ornamentation.

The building's ground floor, with its carved stone arches, served as a space where merchants sold their wares during the 15th century.

The Maison Kammerzell has been converted into a hotel and has a renowned fine-dining restaurant with windows that look out onto the cathedral's façade.

Another interesting half-timbered house located in the area (at the Place de la Cathédrale and Rue Mercière) is the Pharmacie du Cerf . This building was constructed in the 14th century (with renovations in later centuries) on a site that functioned as an apothecary/pharmacy from 1268 until 2000.

Nearby on the Rue des Juifs are the ruins of an ancient Roman fort, giving visitors a sense of the city's cultural heritage that dates back two millennia.

Address: Maison Kammerzell, 16 Place de la Cathédrale, Strasbourg

Official site: http://www.maison-kammerzell.com/en

The Eglise Saint-Thomas is located on the site of an ancient church built in the early 6th century, dedicated to the Apostle Saint Thomas. After being destroyed by fire, the Saint-Thomas Church was rebuilt in the 12th century.

During its 800-year-history, the Saint-Thomas Church has been most renowned for the role it played during the Protestant Reformation of Alsace. The church was a center of the Lutheran movement in the region.

The church has a clock, which for 400 years has struck the hours four minutes too soon. The idea was to make itself heard before the Cathedral clock strikes.

Continuing its tradition as a Protestant house of worship, the Eglise Saint-Thomas offers religious services on Sunday mornings at 10:30am. Midday prayers are held from 12:10pm until 12:30pm, Monday through Friday. Tourists may visit the church Monday through Saturday from 10am until 6pm and on Sundays from 12noon until 5:30pm.

Address: 11 Rue Martin Luther, Strasbourg

The Eglise Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune is steeped in history. The church was built in the 11th century on the site of a 7th-century Merovingian chapel. Although the building was renovated in Gothic style during the 13th and 14th centuries, the Romanesque elements are still evident in the 11th-century cloister.

During the Reformation (beginning in 1524), the Eglise Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune became a Protestant house of worship. The Eglise Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune still serves as a Protestant church and hosts traditional religious services, concerts, and guided tours.

Address: 7 Rue Saint-Léon, Strasbourg

In 1349, the workers responsible for the maintenance of the cathedral established the Maison de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame. The east wing of the building is the oldest part (and was renovated in the 16th century), and the west wing was built from 1579 to 1585.

Today, the building houses the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame, which has one of the finest collections of medieval and Renaissance art in Europe. This collection exhibits masterpieces of Alsatian art, created during the Romanesque era (early medieval period) through the Middle Ages and until 1681.

On display are originals of sculpture from the cathedral as well as paintings and stained-glass windows. Visitors should be sure to see the 12th-century Tête de Christ (also known as the Christ de Wissembourg ) window, one of the oldest known stained-glass windows.

Address: 3 Place du Château, Strasbourg

The elegant 18th-century Palais Rohan was the former residences of the Bishop-Princes from 1732 to 1742 (until the French Revolution). The rest of the immense building houses three exceptional museums.

Located on the first floor of the Rohan Palace, the Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) has an excellent collection of paintings by Italian, Spanish, Flemish, Dutch, and French masters from the Middle Ages to modern times.

There are works by Botticelli, Corot, Courbet, Delacroix, Giotto, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, Tiepolo, and Véronèse among others.

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts) is located on the ground floor of the Rohan Palace, the former apartments of the Cardinals of Rohan.

Visitors can see the sumptuous rooms of the bishop's apartment, including a library, print room, and chapel, as well as the collection of decorative arts. The collection includes ceramics, porcelain, paintings, time pieces, and goldsmith's art.

Located in the Rohan Palace basement, the Musée Archéologique (Archaeological Museum) has one of the best collections of antiquities in France. The collection includes items from prehistory to the Middle Ages.

Address: 2 Place du Château, Strasbourg

Located in a patrician house built in 1620, the Alsatian Museum displays a collection of folk art, furniture, costumes, and domestic items. Visitors can view thousands of objects that offer an insight into rural Alsatian life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The museum also features rooms that represent the interior style of different regions of Alsace, including the agricultural plains and the Vosges Mountains. A tour of the museum gives visitors a feel for the charm of Alsatian homes.

Address: 23-25 Quai Saint-Nicolas, Strasbourg

Near the Maison de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame is the picturesque Place du Marché-aux-Cochons-de-Lait, one of the city's most charming squares. The square takes its name from the ancient market where suckling pigs (an Alsatian culinary specialty) were sold.

Farther west is the former Grande Boucherie , built in the 16th century as a butchers' house. Today this building houses the Historical Museum (Musée Historique de la Ville de Strasbourg).

The lively Quartier Krutenau combines old-world charm with trendy restaurants, fashionable shops, and art galleries.

This district of canals and half-timbered homes was once where boatmen and fishermen lived, as indicated by the names of streets such as the Place Saint-Nicolas-aux-Ondes and the Rue de la Tour des Pêcheurs.

This quarter has a friendly village atmosphere and is a pleasant area to take a sightseeing stroll.

Located in the 16th-century Grande Boucherie (Butchers' House), the Historical Museum offers a comprehensive exhibit of paintings, graphic art, weapons, and everyday objects.

The collections span the centuries from the medieval period to the French Revolution with a few rooms dedicated to the Napoleonic and modern eras.

Visitors will learn about Strasbourg's politics, society, and economy throughout the ages. The museum dedicates exhibits to important political figures such as the famous General Jean-Baptiste Kléber.

Also on display are the costumes and furniture of ordinary citizens, which offers insight into the everyday life of Strasbourg in times past.

Address: 2 Rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Poissons, Strasbourg

The Musée d'Art Moderne & Contemporain (Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art) occupies a sleek, contemporary-style building on the banks of the Ill River, near the Petite France quarter.

Designed with vast windows and high ceilings, the spacious 10,000-square-meter gallery space is bright and airy.

A must-see attraction for those who appreciate modern art, the museum boasts an expansive collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, including works by Alfred Sisley, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Wassily Kandinsky, Hans Arp, Georges Braque, Paul Klee, Max Ernst, Auguste Rodin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.

Address: 1 Place Hans Jean Arp, Strasbourg

To the southeast of the Palais de l'Europe is the beautiful Parc de l'Orangerie, the oldest park in Strasbourg. The Orangerie Park was created in the early 19th century for the Empress Joséphine.

The garden's Pavillon Joséphine is now used for temporary exhibits, special events, and private receptions.

The Parc de l'Orangerie was created in the style of an English Garden , with its inspiration taken from nature and pastoral landscapes. Perfect for leisurely strolls and picnics, the park has an idyllic atmosphere complete with winding walking paths, a lake, fountains, footbridges, and a waterfall.

The Temple de l'Amour (Temple of Love) and other follies add to the romantic ambience.

Children adore the abundance of things to do, including the park's playground, vintage race car track, miniature farm, and small zoo, which are free of charge. There is also a bowling alley, and it's possible to go boating on the lake.

Gourmands should make a reservation at the park's Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurant, Le Buerehiesel (4 Parc de l'Orangerie). Housed in a refurbished 17th-century farmhouse, the restaurant features intimate dining rooms with refined décor, additional seating in a sunlight-flooded conservatory that looks out onto gardens, and a tree-shaded outdoor terrace.

Address: Avenue de l'Europe, Strasbourg

Strasbourg was chosen as the capital of the European Union because the city became a symbol of reconciliation after the Second World War.

Designed by Henry Bernard (a renowned French architect), the ultramodern Palais de l'Europe was built from 1972 to 1977 as a fortress-like structure of nine stories.

The Palais de l'Europe is used by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Members of the European Parliament meet in the building's Assembly Chamber, a vast tent-like space with a circular seating layout.

The Palais de l'Europe is open to the public for guided tours. Another rewarding thing to do is attend a Parliamentary Assembly debate, held in the Assembly Chamber during a plenary session.

Visiting the Christmas Markets in Strasbourg is a must-do activity during the holiday season. This festive event has been a tradition since 1570, when it was called " Christkindelsmärik " ("Market of the baby Jesus").

Every year in time for the holidays, Strasbourg's houses, streets, and churches are decorated with Christmas lights, and a giant Christmas tree is placed at the Place Kléber. Throughout the city's historic center, around 300 "chalets" (stalls) sell Christmas decorations, artisanal gifts, gingerbread, and other seasonal Alsatian delicacies.

Highlights of the Marchés de Noël include the artisans' chalets at the Place Broglie and Place de la Grande Boucherie, and the specialty food stalls at Place du Marché-aux-Poissons at the terrace of the Palais Rohan.

The Marchés de Noël in Strasbourg is one of Europe's best Christmas markets and runs from November 25th until December 24th. Although the markets end (and the chalets are removed) late in the day on Christmas Eve, the holiday festivities continue through January 2nd.

Strasbourg has several excellent music festivals held throughout the year. Les Nuits Européennes in October celebrates a wide range of European and world music.

From November through April, the Jazzdor festival presents a superb program of live jazz music, providing a stage for talented French jazz performers, as well as European and international jazz artists.

From mid-September through the beginning of October, the Festival Musica dazzles audiences with classical music and a variety of other performances including jazz, blues, world music, opera, and musical theater.

One of the most whimsical events in Strasbourg, the FARSe (Street Arts Festival) in mid-August brings lively animation to the streets and squares of Strasbourg's city center. Acrobats and clowns offer puppet shows, mini circus acts, juggling, magic tricks, and burlesque. Poets, musicians, and theater performers also provide entertainment to make audiences smile.

Film buffs will appreciate the Festival Européen du Film Fantastique de Strasbourg , held at the end of September through early October. This unique festival is dedicated to the genre of fantastic cinema, including animation, science-fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Place Gutenberg is found on the Grande-Île, a short walk from the cathedral. The square centers around a 19th-century statue dedicated to the famous Strasbourg resident Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press around the decades of 1430 to 1450.

The publication of the Gutenberg Bible in 1455 marks a momentous event in history; this bible was the first book to be printed by machine rather than copied by a scribe.

On the southwest side of the square is the finest Neoclassical 16th-century building in Alsace, originally the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) and now occupied by the Chamber of Commerce. At the corner of the square near the Rue Mercière, there is a magnificent view of the front of the cathedral.

Built in 1954, the Synagogue de la Paix was created to replace the historic synagogue on Quai Kléber that was destroyed by the Nazis in 1940.

Although this monument lacks the grandeur and elegance of the original neo-Romanesque synagogue, it is an important landmark that serves the city's Jewish community, which has had a presence in Strasbourg since the 12th century.

Behind the Synagogue de la Paix, the expansive Parc du Contades is a peaceful space, with leafy pathways ideal for enjoying an afternoon stroll. During summertime, jazz, classical, pop/rock, and other types of music concerts are held the Villa Osterloff bandstand located at the back of Contades Park.

Address: Avenue de la Paix, Strasbourg

Most of Strasbourg's tourist attractions are found within the UNESCO-listed Grande-Île, a large island surrounded by the Ill River. This district includes the charming La Petite France area, a maze of narrow canals and streets lined by half-timbered buildings. Just across the river, the lively Quartier Krutenau is another great place to stay. Here are some highly rated hotels in the best areas of Strasbourg:

Luxury Hotels :

• In a picturesque canal-side location of La Petite France, the Hôtel & Spa Regent Petite France occupies a repurposed medieval mill. The four-star accommodations include a fitness center and a gourmet restaurant with outdoor terrace overlooking the river. The hotel's upscale spa features a sauna, hammam, and whirlpool tub, and offers massages, facials, and beauty treatments.
• In a historic building that has been updated with modern comforts, the four-star Hôtel Cour du Corbeau Strasbourg - MGallery is near the cathedral and all the major sights.
• A renovated 16th-century mansion in La Petite France has been converted into the Hôtel & Spa Le Bouclier d'Or . This four-star hotel features a pampering spa that offers well-being treatments and facials.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Occupying an updated 15th-century building in La Petite France, the four-star Hôtel de L'Europe is a short walk away from the cathedral. Guest rooms feature contemporary-style décor and modern amenities including cable television. The hotel has a snack bar and a generous breakfast buffet.
• The boutique Hôtel Rohan is nestled on a quaint pedestrian street near the cathedral. The four-star accommodations include a concierge, 24-hour front desk reception, and room service. Guest rooms feature fashionable contemporary-style decor.
• The three-star Hôtel Cathédrale is right on the Place de la Cathédrale, near many restaurants and shops. Rooms in the front of the building have cathedral views.

Budget Hotels:

• A five-minute walk from the train station just outside of the historic city center, the Hôtel Mercure Strasbourg Centre Petite France is near the bridge that leads to the Grande-Île.
• In the lively Quartier Krutenau, the stylish two-star Hôtel Roses is about a 10-minute walk to the cathedral. It's also a great location for the choice of restaurants and cafés.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Exploring the Beautiful Alsace Region : Although Strasbourg is less than a two-hour TGV (fast-velocity) train ride from Paris, it feels entirely different because of the distinctive regional architecture, culture, and cuisine. Highlights of Alsace include Colmar (30 minutes from Strasbourg by train) and the quaint villages in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains.

Exploring Germany : Tourists may also enjoy visiting nearby attractions in Germany , which has a border just five kilometers east of Strasbourg. The Black Forest lies less than a one-hour drive away from the Alsace region, and the city of Stuttgart is a two-hour drive from Strasbourg.

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20 Top Attractions & Things to Do in Strasbourg

By Alex Schultz · Last updated on March 3, 2024

Tucked away in the northeast of France, Strasbourg is renowned for its marvelous medieval center and important European institutions.

Strasbourg may be situated in France now, but its German roots are still very evident. This city boasts charming half-timbered houses, cobbled squares and one of the largest medieval quarters in Europe. Even its cuisine is an interesting blend of German and French influences. And this probably should not be too surprising.

Strasbourg is located on the border of both countries and over the years, it has ping ponged back and forth between German and French control. Today, this historic city is not just the capital of the Alsace region of France — it is also the official seat to the European Parliament.

See also: Where to Stay in Strasbourg

Alongside its historic heart and ginormous Gothic cathedral, there are many excellent tourist attractions in Strasbourg to explore. You can also take some peaceful cruises along the Rhine river and sample delicious Alsatian dishes.

On top of all this, it also boasts some of the best Christmas markets in Europe and doesn’t lie all that far from both mountains and wine country. With so many things to do in Strasbourg you’ll need at least a few days to explore it all.

Map of Tourist Attractions in Strasbourg

20. Saint-Thomas Church

Just a short walk from the cathedral is another of the city’s most important and impressive places of worship: the stunning Saint-Thomas Church. Most known for the role it played during the Protestant Reformation of Alsace, it exhibits some exquisite late-Gothic architecture.

While an even earlier sixth-century church once stood here, the current Lutheran one was ‘only’ built in 1196. Very sturdy looking, it eventually ended up taking well over a century to complete. Rising at either end of its enormous five-naved hall are now an imposing belltower and soaring cupola.

Inside is just as striking as marvelous stained-glass windows and monumental tombs line its walls. Particularly striking features are its remarkable fresco representation of Saint Micheal and the richly decorated sarcophagus of Bishop Adelochus. Its ornate 1741 Silbermann organ also attracts lots of attention as Mozart played the masterfully crafted instrument several decades later.

19. Maison Kammerzell

Another of Strasbourg’s most beautiful historical buildings is the amazing Maison Kammerzell which overlooks one corner of the cathedral. Very well-preserved, the fine old burgher’s house is one of the best remaining examples of Alsatian architecture.

Now home to both a chic hotel and restaurant serving traditional fare from all around the region, the half-timbered building impressively dates to 1427. We were absolutely gobsmacked by the splendid stained-glass windows and intricately carved decorations that covered its fading facade. While some sculptures depict religious scenes or Zodiac signs, others are of famous figures such as Caesar and Charlemagne.

Graceful stone arches, fragments of frescoes and phenomenally painted floral motifs and scenes of local life also decorate its interior. Due to the restaurant’s horrific reviews, we decided to give it a skip and head elsewhere after snapping some photos of its lovely late-Gothic exterior.

18. Modern and Contemporary Art Museum

After seeing so many centuries-old historic attractions in Strasbourg, the excellent Modern and Contemporary Art Museum makes for a very pleasant change. Located near the Petite France area, it houses an extensive collection of thought-provoking paintings, photos, sculptures and prints.

One of the largest museums of its kind in France, it occupies a gigantic glass building alongside the Ill River. Established in 1973, its 18,000 or so objects include everything from Impressionist paintings and imaginative video installations to Surrealist masterpieces, decorative artifacts and more.

Within its spacious galleries, guests can examine arresting artworks by renowned names like Monet, Rodin, Picasso and Kandinsky. After perusing Brauner’s brilliant paintings, venture up onto its rooftop terrace for divine views over the river and Petite France.

17. Cave des Hospices

A fascinating place, the Cave des Hospices see you head underground to explore the cool, cramped cellars of Strasbourg Hospital. Created in 1395, it now has wonderful tours and wine tastings for you to enjoy.

Originally used to store wine, grain and perishable goods for patients and visiting pilgrims, the cellars slowly expanded as landowners donated more and more land. Now a popular tourist attraction, its dimly lit tunnels are lined by enormous oak barrels full of outstanding Alsatian wines.

On tours, you’ll learn about the atmospheric old cellars’ history and see the world’s oldest wine which dates to 1472. Afterwards, you can even try some locally-produced wines and pick up some bottles to take back as souvenirs and gifts.

16. Le Vaisseau

First opened in 2005, the state-of-the-art education center occupies a hulking great concrete building down by the waterfront. Inside are 130 interactive exhibits with some focusing on anatomy and the animal kingdom and others on science and mathematics.

Very well done, its displays see kids learn through play, touch and by creating whatever they set their minds to. Besides building things and splashing about with water, they can explore all the museum’s sensory trails or watch 3D films. The perfect activity for a rainy day, it lies not far from the ruined fort in Parc de la Citadelle.

15. European Parliament

Although Strasbourg is known for its gorgeous historic old town, it is also equally famous for being the official seat of the European Parliament. Each month, members meet here to vote and debate on a variety of proposals during meetings known as plenary sessions.

There are a total of five buildings that make up the Parliament, with the principal structure being the Louise Weiss building. This structure has a 750-seat chamber and is one of the biggest and most visible buildings in the city. Tours of the European Parliament are available, and travelers who time their visits at the right time may even be able to sit in on one of its sessions.

14. Place Gutenberg

This square is named after Johannes Gutenberg, who is famous for inventing the movable type printing press in 1440. And where did he develop and refine this important invention? In the city of Strasbourg, of course.

Today, this square boasts a statue of the inventor as well as a vintage carousel that is a fun diversion for children. There are also a number of nice restaurants around the square where visitors can grab a bite to eat. Place Gutenberg is conveniently located close to the cathedral and to Petite France.

13. Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame

Located alongside the cathedral is yet another of the city’s best museums: the magnificent Musée de l’Oeuvre Notre-Dame. A must-visit for art aficionados, it boasts a breathtaking collection of Upper Rhenish fine arts and decorative pieces.

Itself a work of art, the museum’s old building exhibits an enthralling mix of Gothic and Renaissance architectural features. While its east wing already dates to 1349, many of its holdings are even older. Its rooms contain not just sculptures and stained-glass windows from cathedrals but paintings and carvings from the Middle Ages too.

Amongst its most incredible artworks are the twelfth-century Tete de Christ and Christ on the Cross stained-glass windows. Other than all their colourful designs, we really enjoyed seeing the museum’s amazing old statues and altars. Very tastefully laid out, these worn, weathered figures lie right beside bas reliefs, baptismal fonts and stone pillars.

12. Historical Museum

For those interested in learning about the city’s captivating past, the Historical Museum is definitely the place to go. Packed with age-old artifacts and engaging exhibits, it shines a light on Strasbourg’s tumultuous history from the Middle Ages up until contemporary times and the European institutions.

Now located along the Ill river, the museum occupies the city’s former slaughterhouse – the sixteenth century Grande Boucherie. Its displays cover the Alsatian settlement’s socio-economic, political and geographic importance over the ages. Other exhibits explain how it kept swapping hands between France and Germany before eventually being chosen as the home of the European Parliament.

As you explore its rooms, you’ll see historic maps and models next to old globes, jewellery and other glittering treasures. Vintage vehicles are also on display as are weapons and uniforms explaining the area’s involvement in WWII.

11. Barrage Vauban

Located on the River Ill, the Barrage Vauban is a pink limestone structure that was originally built as part of Strasbourg’s defenses. Also known as the Vauban Dam or the Great Lock, the Barrage Vauban was considered an engineering triumph when it was first erected in the 17th Century.

In the event of an enemy attack, the dam would have been used to flood the River Ill so as to prevent invaders from reaching Strasbourg. Today, visitors can walk the interior corridor and also climb to the roof to enjoy impressive views of the surrounding area.

10. Christmas Markets

Strasbourg calls itself the “Christmas Capital.” Why? Because it is home to one of the oldest and largest Christmas markets in Europe. So it’s not surprising that the holiday season — which runs from the end of November to the end of December — is one of the best times to visit this beautiful city.

Strasbourg’s historic city center is where visitors will find the approximately 300 Christmas stalls that are brimming with unique arts and crafts, holiday decorations and delicious foods. With its many enticing scents, magical sights and holiday sounds, Strasbourg’s Christmas Markets are a delight to all of the senses.

9. Place Kleber

Located in the city’s historic center, Place Kleber is Strasbourg’s central square. It features a statue of Jean-Baptiste Kleber, who was an important general during the French Revolutionary War and who was born in Strasbourg in 1753. Today, this square, which was named in the general’s honor, is lined with popular stores and crowned by the historic Aubette Palaces.

It is also an excellent spot to people watch. Place Kleber is especially festive during the holiday season when it is graced with a large Christmas tree and dotted with stalls filled with crafts, traditional ornaments and delicious local goodies.

8. Saint-Pierre Le Jeune Church

For approximately 200 years, this beautiful church was divided into two — with one side being for the Protestants and the other for the Catholics. Appearance-wise, this church also has a split personality.

The exterior is understated and passers-by might be tempted to keep on walking past it. But the interior is quite the opposite, with colorful frescoes that date back to the 14th and 15th centuries brightening the interior.

In addition, this church also contains a well-known 18th-century organ. this is a very old church. It, in fact, contains the remains of a small Columban church that dates back to the 7th century, and its cloister dates back to the 1000s. Because of its beautiful artwork and interesting architecture, Saint-Pierre Le Jeune is considered to be one of Strasbourg’s most important churches.

7. Boat Tour

One of the most popular things to do in Strasbourg is to take a scenic boat tour of its winding waterways. These take you below dozens of charming old bridges and alongside all its banks lined by beautiful historic buildings. As you sit back and relax, your expert guide will explain the spellbinding sights you pass on either side.

From the center of town, a couple of companies run excursions either around the Grande-Ile, along the Ill or even up the Rhine. These often take you by the old timbered buildings of Petite France, the Pont Couverts and Barrage Vauban. Others instead pass the European Parliament or head out to see some of the surrounding countryside.

Whatever option you select, you’re guaranteed to see a lot with some tours including dinners, drinks and snacks. You can even take a boat tour in the evening when the city is so delightfully lit up against the dark night sky by hundreds of twinkling lights.

6. Palais Rohan

Magnificent and impressive, the Palais Rohan was once the home to the prince-bishops and cardinals of the House of Rohan. It was built in the early 1700s and designed by the architect Robert De Cotte, who also designed the royal chapel at Versailles.

This beautiful landmark has hosted numerous famous figures in French history, including Marie Antoinette and Napoleon. This building remained with the House of Rohan until the French Revolution, when it was auctioned off.

Over the years, it changed hands several times and at one point, it even served as Strasbourg’s town hall. Today, it is home to three museums, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts.

5. Ponts Couverts

Once an important part of the city’s defenses, the pretty Ponts Couverts now instead make for some fantastic photos. Erected across the Ill river, the set of three historical bridges and fortified medieval towers guard the southwest side of the Petite France quarter.

Built in 1230, the sturdy stone structures cross four rushing channels that course their way through the old neighborhood. Until Barrage Vauban was constructed just upstream in 1490, they played a key role in defending Strasbourg from attack.

Although their wooden roofs were removed a couple of centuries later, the ‘covered bridges’ are still known by the same name. Used every day by pedestrians, they are lovely to stroll across while taking in the phenomenal views and architecture.

4. Musee Alsacien

Located in several 17th-century houses that are linked together with passageways, this fascinating museum is dedicated to giving visitors a glimpse into the rural life and art of the Alsace region during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This museum is a treasure trove that contains more than 5,000 exhibits and includes costumes, toys and furniture. Musee Alsacien, which opened in May 1907, also has displays showing the interiors of different homes from that period, as well as of workshops. For example, visitors can see the way an upper class home looked in comparison to that of a middle-class house.

3. Parc de l’Orangerie

This park, which is located across from the European Parliament, is perfect for visitors looking for a peaceful getaway. This lovely park is named for the 140 orange trees that were taken from the Chateau de Bouxwiller, a moated castle, during the French Revolution and given to the city of Strasbourg.

The trees were planted in the park’s Josephine Pavilion, which was named after Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife. Sadly, only three of those original trees remain. Today, this park is a popular place to picnic and just enjoy a little leisure time. It contains a lake — where one can rent a rowboat in the summer — playgrounds, a mini-zoo and many pretty flowers and plants.

2. Strasbourg Cathedral

Gorgeous and eye-catching, the Strasbourg Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for 227 years until its reign ended in 1874. This stunning cathedral does, however, still hold on to the honor of being the highest building to have been built completely during the medieval period that is still surviving today.

It is also the sixth-tallest church in the world and considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe. Also known as Strasbourg Cathedral de Notre-Dame, this church boasts a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture and an impressive interior, including stained glass windows that date all the way back between the 12th and the 14th century.

1. Petite France

Definitely the most picturesque part of the city, Petite France is known for its charming cobblestone streets and canals lined by handsome half-timbered houses. Occupying the southwest of the Grande Ile, its historic streets are atmospheric to explore with photoworthy spots wherever you look.

Once home to tanners, millers and fishermen, its narrow alleys and waterfront buildings now instead attract tons of tourists. Wonderfully well-preserved, many of its quaint old edifices date to the 1500s and 1600s. Among the most impressive are the majestic Maison des Tanneurs and all the traditional Alsatian homes along Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes.

Lots of its half-timbered houses now contain cosy cafes and classic restaurants serving tasty dishes from around the region. Its romantic riverside walks and relaxing ambience only make the area even more special to amble around. One of the most beautiful places we’ve been in France, its gorgeous streets also host a magical Christmas Market each winter.

Where to Stay in Strasbourg

As most of its main sites are found within the Grande Ile, the city’s historic heart is certainly the most convenient place to stay in Strasbourg. Lots of hotels and accommodation options also lie just off of the central island, not far from the train station.

Ten minutes walk from both the cathedral and station is the sleek, modern Hotel D . While its rooms are spacious and elegantly decorated, the four-star hotel’s spa means you can relax in style. Friendly and welcoming staff are also on hand to point you towards all the tourist attractions nearby.

Facing Strasbourg’s imaginative train station is the Grand Hotel – another comfy, convenient option for travelers. Ideally placed for dropping off your luggage and heading straight to the Grande Ile, the three-star hotel has a cool design and decor. It also offers guests a buffet breakfast, parking discounts and is located right next to numerous shopping and dining options.

How to get there

The city is also well-connected by train with TGV and ICE high-speed trains whisking travelers both towards Paris or into Germany. Within two hours, you can reach everywhere from Frankfurt, Metz and Basel to Paris, Luxembourg and Saarbrucken.

Other than exploring its historic center on foot, you can also take buses and trams out to the handful of sites that lie outside the Grande Ile.

Approximate travel times:

• Colmar – 30 minutes by car, 30 minutes by train
• Basel (Switzerland) – 1 hour by car, 1 hour by train
• Freiburg (Germany) – 1 hour by car, 1 hour 30 minutes by train
• Heidelberg (Germany) – 1.5 hours by car, 2 hours by train and bus
• Paris – 4.5 hours by car, 2 hours 20 minutes by train
• Frankfurt (Germany) – 2 hours by car, 2 hours by train

Best Time to Visit Strasbourg

Despite lying far inland, Strasbourg has an oceanic climate with relatively warm, sunny summers and cold, cloudy winters. As such, May through September is the best time to explore the city and enjoy some outdoor activities.

While the spring and autumn temperatures range from 15 to 19°C (59 to 66°F), summer usually hits the mid-twenties (mid-seventies in Fahrenheit). Whenever you visit though, bring a jacket as every month of the year has 12 to 17 days with at least some rain!

Although they are peak season, hotels are actually cheaper in July and August though flights are more expensive. While this is a lovely time to take boat trips along the Rhine, it is when its restaurants and bars are at their busiest.

Despite the worse weather, spring and autumn can be pleasant due to the pretty flowers and colourful tree leaves. Check beforehand when the European Parliament is holding sessions as this pushes up hotel prices considerably.

Another hugely popular time to visit Strasbourg is from late November to late December when its famous Christmas market creates a magical atmosphere. Temperatures drop to 5°C (41°F) and all its squares and streets are packed with people.

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Visit Strasbourg: 25 things to do and see

Things to do in strasbourg: the 25 best places to visit.

You’re planning to visit Strasbourg , in France on your next trip? Good choice! Strasbourg, located in Alsace region next to the German border is one of the European capitals and a typical Alsatian city.

So what are the best things to do in Strasbourg? Follow the guide to discover all the must-see attractions and highlights during your stay in this emblematic French city. And yes, in Strasbourg there is more than just the Christmas market and its mulled wine!

In this guide, I will also suggest you the best place to stay in Strasbourg   depending on your budget as well as a few itineraries to visit Strasbourg in 1, 2 or 3 days. Perfect if you don’t want to miss any point of interest.

As a bonus, I will also tell you about all the best places to visit around Strasbourg. And this include some amazing castles!

1. Grande Île

2. strasbourg cathedral, 3. visit strasbourg medieval churches and st. paul’s church, 4. place gutenberg, 5. place kleber, 6. palais rohan, 7. kammerzell house, 8. the petite france, 9. eat in an alsatian winstub, 10. the covered bridges, 11. barrage vauban, 12. strasbourg museum of modern and contemporary art, 13. strasbourg historical museum, 14. alsatian museum, 15. zoological museum, 16. broglie square, 17. strasbourg christmas market or christkindelsmärik, 18. the orangerie park, 19. strasbourg european institutions, 20. strasbourg boat tour, 21. strasbourg bike tour, 22. visiting strasbourg at christmas, bonus: an original visit to strasbourg, 23. must-see typical villages around strasbourg, 24. alsace wine route, 25. europa park, 27. haut-koenigsbourg castle, 28. haut-barr castle, 29. other castles in alsace, the strasbourg pass, how many days to spend in strasbourg, one day in strasbourg, what to do in strasbourg in 2 days, what to do in strasbourg for 3 days, strasbourg tourist map, where to stay in strasbourg, what to do in strasbourg with your family, what are the best things to do in strasbourg when it rains, where to buy my strasbourg pass, where to park in strasbourg, you’re traveling in france these articles will help you, visit strasbourg: 25 m ust-see attractions.

Strasbourg is crossed by the Ill river . As such, it’s made up of several islands, but the best known is the Grande Île (“Large Island” in French), which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

It’s the historical centre of the city and the place where you can admire the main monuments and points of interest that make Strasbourg famous.

The world renowned Strasbourg cathedral (cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg in French), 4 medieval churches, as well as several hotels and palaces from the 18th century are located there.

The Grande Île is the ideal place to start your visit of the city and soak up its historical atmosphere.

To discover the city , there is nothing better than doing a guided bike tour of Strasbourg!

Jean, your (awesome) tour guide, will show you the most beautiful places of the city and even give you a few good secret addresses??

To make the most of your visit to Strasbourg, book your guided bike tour by clicking on the button below:

And if you prefer to take a private tour of Strasbourg , you can book the following tour:

No doubt you will want to start your visit with the most famous monument of the city, the one you can see on all the postcards: the famous Notre-Dame de Strasbourg cathedral .

It’s the symbol of the city and the oldest Gothic cathedral in the world . Entry is free of charge.

It brings together three architectural masterpieces:

• The highest spire of Christianity dating from 1439
• The large rose window on the main facade above the entrance
• The astronomical clock , the most famous attraction of the city. Every day at 12:30 pm precisely, the automatons animation begins and presents the different ages of life and the parade of the apostles before Christ. ( free with the Strasbourg pass , which I’ll tell you about after this top)

Another experience not to be missed if you visit the Strasbourg cathedral is to go up on “the platform”.

After an ascent of exactly 332 steps in a spiral staircase, you will have the privilege of contemplating the city from the cathedral’s roof. If the sky is clear, you can even see all the way to Germany.

Even if the entrance to the cathedral is free, the access to the platform will cost you 8 euros.

You can find more information about the cathedral on this website

To make the most of your visit to Strasbourg, you should buy the Strasbourg Pass . It’s valid for 3 days and offers you free admission and discounts .

What’s included in the Strasbourg City Pass? Here is a brief insight:

• Strasbourg sightseeing cruise
• Free entrance to a museum of your choice
• Access to the platform of the cathedral
• Discover the astronomical clock of the cathedral

With this pass, you will also get 50% discount on the small tourist train , for a guided tour on foot and for the rental of an audio guide to visit the old town and Strasbourg Cathedral.

You need to click on the green button below to buy your Strasbourg Pass:

After the cathedral, you can visit the 4 medieval churches of the Grande Île of Strasbourg and the magnificent St. Paul’s church of Strasbourg (église Saint-Paul).

• St. Thomas Church , which houses in its choir a funerary masterpiece of Baroque art: the tomb of the Marshal of Saxony (tombeau du Maréchal de Saxe).
• The Saint-Pierre-le-Vieux Church , the first large Christian building in Strasbourg
• The church of Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune to see for its 14th century frescoes
• Saint-Etienne Church classified as a historical monument
• St. Paul’s Church , located at the intersection of the Zorn and Mullenheim platforms.

Located a few steps from the Cathedral, the Gutenberg Square (place Gutenberg) was named after the inventor of the printing press who lived in Strasbourg for 10 years. A statue in his honour is erected there.

It was the administrative and political center of the city from the Middle Ages to the 18th century and you can see the Renaissance building of the Chamber of Commerce .

It’s also the ideal place to have a drink on one of the many outdoor terraces.

Another very famous Square, if not the most important, is Strasbourg ‘s main public square in Grande Île: Kleber Square .

It’s the meeting place for Strasburgers at major cultural or sporting events as well as the place where you can admire the huge Christmas tree during Christmas time.

Around the square there is a pink sandstone building dating from 1770, the Aubette . It’s name comes from the fact that soldiers went there every day at dawn to seek their orders of assignment.

The square is a very pleasant pedestrian area with its flowerbeds and water fountains.

You’re going to Strasbourg?

You probably know it: the hardest part of planning your trip is to find an hotel offering a good value for money!

The closer you get to your travel dates, the harder it will be to get a good deal. Lots of people will be visiting Strasbourg on the same dates as you , so you can be sure that the best deals are booked extremely quickly!

Hopefully, there is a pretty simple solution to this problem: do like me and book your hotel as early as possible!

So, my best advice is to take 5 minutes (now) to have a look at the list of travelers’ favorite hotels in Strasbourg.

And if you see a good offer, book it!

Most hotels offer free cancellation, so it’s quick, easy, and you will avoid the the inconvenience of finding nothing but mediocre rooms at exorbitant prices.

To check the current best deals for your hotel in Strasbourg, simply click on the green button below 😎:

Once you’ve booked your hotel, it will be time to continue reading this guide and find out more about the best things to do in Strasbourg!

The Rohan Palace (Palais Rohan) is another historic monument on the Grande Île and one of the main points of interest in Strasbourg . Originally a princely residence, it was home to 4 princes of the Rohan family, hence its name, and now houses 3 museums:

• The archaeological museum will allow you to discover the complete history of Alsace since prehistory
• The museum of fine arts with a very rich collection of paintings, from Botticelli to Goyat and Rubens
• The Museum of Decorative Arts with its collection of furniture and ceramic pieces

If you don’t want to visit the museums, I still advise you to go and admire the architecture and facade of the Rohan Palace . It deserves a photo!

For schedules and fares, it’s on the official Strasbourg museums website.

Another building listed as a historic monument is the  Kammerzell House (Maison Kammerzell), an Alsatian typical half-timbered building.

It’s considered to be the most beautiful house in Strasbourg!

On the beams, you can see wooden sculptures depicting secular or sacred scenes, all the signs of the zodiac, or some important historical figures such as Charlemagne and Caesar. A must-see tourist attraction in Strasbourg.

And good news, if you are there at lunchtime, Kammerzell House is now a restaurant offering local cuisine .

You should definitely try the speciality of the house: sauerkraut with three fish, whose recipe is jealously guarded by the chef!

To see the menu and book, here is the website .

The Petite France (“Little France”) is Strasbourg’s most picturesque and visited area.

In the past, tanners, fishermen and millers used to live and work there, because of the water nearby.

Today, we come here to admire the numerous half-timbered houses that are extremely well preserved and to walk in the small cobblestone alleys at the water’s edge.

The island is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, so you can enjoy the calm of the place. It’s, for me, the best place to visit in Strasbourg!

It the many typical narrow alleys of the Petite France, you will be able to find food in these traditional Alsatian restaurants: the Winstub .

It’s time to try your hand at sauerkraut, flambée pie, baeckeofe and dessert with the famous kougelhopf.

To find authentic and home made products while avoiding tourist traps, I recommend you:

• The Tire-Bouchon: 100% guaranteed home cooking thanks to the label of “maître restaurateur”
• Mun’ s : for Munster cheese lovers, since the regional specialities are revisited here with this cheese
• La Petite Mairie: a family restaurant with local suppliers and fresh produce. You absolutely need to try at least one of the 8 kinds of home made flamekueche.

To discover the best of Alsatian gastronomy, there is nothing better than a gastronomic tour with a local guide!

This two-hour tour takes place on market days and allows you to discover wines, cheeses and other local specialities .

Next to the Petite France , you can see the covered bridges (“Les Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg”) that have retained their name despite they have no roof any more.

They were built to serve as a rampart to reinforce the fortification on the waterways.

They were used to connect the 3 medieval towers , vestiges of the ancient ramparts, and had covered wooden galleries , which have now disappeared.

A few meters upstream of the covered bridges is the Vauban Barrage (Vauban Dam).

It was built to protect Strasbourg when the covered bridges became obsoletes because of the evolution of artillery. The dam allowed, by clogging its arches, to raise the level of the Ill river and flood the surrounding fields in order to trap the enemies in the mud.

You can cross the river by passing inside the dam, thanks to a corridor where many gargoyle statues are stored.

But the most interesting thing to do is to climb on the roof where there is a splendid panoramic terrace. Perfect to admire the maze of Strasbourg canals , covered bridges and the Petite France.

As long as you are in the Petite France district, take advantage of this opportunity to visit Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (“musée d’art moderne et contemporain de Strasbourg”).

It’s locateds not far from the Vauban Dam .

Pieces of art by Monet, Picasso and Brauner can be seen. See also its library, the auditorium and the graphic art room.

And here too you can enjoy a drink on the panoramic terrace.

Opening hours and prices can be found on the official website.

Even on Sundays, you will find things to do in Strasbourg: you can, for example, go to a museum. In Strasbourg all the museums I mention in this guide are open on Sundays.

If you are interested in Alsatian history and culture, you can visit the Historical Museum of Strasbourg (“Musée historique”).

It retraces the city’s urban history with a collection of models, maps and daily life objects from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution.

You will find Opening hours and prices for visiting this museum on the official website.

And to complete your journey in learning more about Strasbourg history, take a short tour of the Alsatian Museum (“Musée Alsacien”).

You can find there several reproductions of traditional Alsatian life scenes , such as a forge or a joinery. There is also a collection of traditional costumes and furniture.

You can find more information on the official website.

Finally, to finish the tour of the best museums in Strasbourg , I advise you to go to the Zoological Museum (“Musée zoologique”).

If you are with children, they will love it! The museum collection presents the fauna of the Arctic and Antarctic with stuffed animals and naturalized insects and butterflies.

It’s not really typical of Alsace, but the museum offers a good moment of relaxation and discovery with your children.

Update: Strasbourg Zoological Museum is under renovation since 23/09/2019. It’s scheduled to reopen in 2022.

Broglie Square (“place Broglie”) is not really a square, but rather a long tree-lined walkway.

Take a walk there to admire several beautiful 18th century mansions:

• The City Hall
• The prefecture
• The Banque de France: a little anecdote, this is where the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise” was sung for the very first time
• The Strasbourg Opera House

Every year on this square takes place an event known all over the world, the famous Strasbourg Christmas market , which I’m talking more in depth about in just below.

Starsbourg’s Christkindelsmärik is the oldest and most famous Christmas market in France .

More than 300 chalets are scattered over a dozen sites, including the Cathedral Square and along Broglie Square .

There are of course Christmas decorations, all kinds of handicrafts as well as local and regional food products.

It attracts nearly 2 million visitors in a single month of opening, so you have to love the crowd. Just take a good breath and let the Christmas spirit penetrate you and everything will go well!

During this period, all the shop windows of the main shopping streets are decorated with grandiose Christmas lights illuminations . Strasburgers also contribute to the mood by decorating the houses facades and their balconies.

If you’re planning to visit Strasbourg in December, this is THE destination you shouldn’t miss!

And for food lovers, there is a special Christmas market in Strasbourg , on the fish market square and on the Rohan palace terrace.

It brings together all the guilds of craftsmen: bakers, farmers, winegrowers, winemakers, artisan brewers…

Enjoy a good mulled wine or a beer from Alsace accompanied by a little foie gras to prepare your stomach for Christmas.

After walking along the small alleys, go for a walk in the Orangerie Park (“parc de l’Orangerie”) to take a breath of fresh air.

It’s the oldest and largest park in the city with more than 26 hectares.

This park, loved by both Strasburgers and tourists , is a great place to take a stroll or do some sport. There is even a skatepark! Children have a merry-go-round, several playgrounds and a mini zoo with free access.

You can also enjoy a large lake with canoe rentals and a place to buy ice-cream, waffles and other delicacies.

Finally, the park is the ideal place to observe the emblematic animal of Alsace: the stork . You will see their nests on the top of numerous trees in all seasons.

For an original experience, you should book a Segway tour in Strasbourg. It of course goes to the Orangery Park!

Accompanied by a guide , you will be able to ride effortlessly through the beautiful streets of the city:

Close to the Orangerie park , you will find the institutions that make Strasbourg the capital of Europe:

• The European Parliament
• The Council of Europe
• The European Court of Human Rights

To discover them, I advise you to follow the “Parcours d’Europe” which will take you for a 2.5 kilometers walk around the European institutions.

Several explanatory panels and playful installations punctuate the route.

Of course you won’t be able to enter the institutions, but it’s always interesting to see the places where important decisions are made.

Moreover, the “Europe Day” (“fête de l’Europe” in french) takes place in Strasbourg every year in May. This day, visitors can enjoy cultural and sports activities as well as debates.

 However, people’s favorite is for sure the European Parliament’s open day. It’s the only day where you will get a chance to visit the parliament!

You will find more details about visiting Strasbourg European institutions on the official website.

If you don’t feel like visiting the European district on foot, you can also explore it by Segway . It’s a very fun way to discover the area and learn more about the different institutions with your guide.

This guided tour also includes the visit to the most popular districts of Strasbourg: The Petite France, Grande Ile and the Neustadt district.

Taking a boat tour on the canals is one of the city’s main attractions, and probably one of the best ways to visit Strasbourg.

Departure is located at the foot of the Rohan Palace with the Batorama company, which offers 2 types of boats: covered or uncovered, so the trip takes place in all weather conditions.

You will have the choice between 2 tours:

• « Strasbourg, plus de 20 siècles d’histoire » which lasts 1h10 and will take you through the Petite France , the Vauban Dam and through the European institutions that I have told you about above.
• « Strasbourg, Grande-Île »  is 45 minutes long and focus on the city center, so no European institutions on this one.

Another option to visit Strasbourg by boat is to choose a lunch cruise with the “Les bateaux de l’Ill” company. Departure every Tuesday evening for 2 hours. All the info is on their website.

Don’t forget that if you bought the Strasbourg Pass , the cruise is included!

As i told you earlier, Strasbourg is great for walking tours , as many areas are reserved for pedestrians.

However, Strasbourg, with it’s 500km of bike paths is also a great destination for bike lovers! So if you’re looking for activities to do in Strasbourg , cycling is for sure one of them.

For example, the tourist information office offers a 10 km itinerary to discover the city , but you can of course pedal along the canals and through the alleys by yourself.

Around the city, you can try Strasbourg’s Forts Trail (“la piste des forts”), an 85 km cycling route that will take you on either side of the Rhine and therefore to Germany.

This tour crosses many kinds of landscapes such as the countryside and forest but also typical towns and villages. It’s not very difficult , so you can go with your children.

To rent a bike to visit Strasbourg , it’s super simple, just click on the button below:

I have already mentioned the Christmas market above, but did you know that you can visit Strasbourg in December with a Christmas themed guided tour?

That’s for sure the best way to enjoy your visit of the city!

You will be sure to discover the city’s most beautiful illuminations, the best decorated houses and of course the famous Christmas market .

Here are the best guided tours you can do in Strasbourg during the Christmas season:

• A guided tour of the Christmas market: This 2-hour tour allows you to explore the market with a local guide and discover the best places to have a drink or try Christmas specialties.

To book your guided tour , click on the button below

• A “Christmas bicycle tour” in Strasbourg. You will visit the most popular tourist sites such as the Cathedral or the Petite France district at the end of the day. It’s simply wonderful when the lights and decorations are on!

This activity can be booked here:

• A bicycle tour of the Christmas markets in Strasbourg . The market on Place Broglie is of course the most touristy, but there are more than ten Christmas markets in Strasbourg that are worth a visit . This 2h30 cycle tour is dedicated to these markets!
• A visit to the 3 most beautiful Christmas markets in Alsace – You will discover the markets of Riquewihr, Eguisheim and Colmar . You will have about 2 hours each time to do your shopping. Transport is included.

If you plan to visit Strasbourg during the Christmas season , I strongly advise you to book your accommodation as early as possible! The city attracts millions of visitors in December and the best hotels sell out very quickly.

Don’t hesitate to consult the section of this article dedicated to the best accommodations in Strasbourg, a little further down (or you can just click here)

Welcome to one of Strasbourg’s hidden treasures , the Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg!

Located right in the heart of the city, this historic cellar is a great place to discover not only exceptional wines but also a piece of local history.

The cellar contains wines from vineyards acquired by the Hospices over the centuries, often donated by benefactors.

The centrepiece is undoubtedly the famous ‘Vieux Millésime’, the first vintage of which dates back to 1472. This white wine from Alsace is considered to be the oldest wine in the world to be kept in barrels. It has been tasted on rare occasions, notably during major historical events.

As you wander the aisles of the cellar with your audio guide, you’ll learn how the wines are made and preserved , using traditional methods. You’ll also have the chance to see the historic barrels, veritable works of art, sculpted and decorated.

A must for all wine and history lovers visiting Strasbourg. Especially as it only costs €3!

And don’t forget to pop into the shop at the end of your visit to buy a bottle or two.

Book your visit to the Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg by clicking here:

The 3 best things to do around Strasbourg

If you have already been in Strasbourg for several days and have already seen everything I mention in this guide, then you should now visit the surroundings of the city!

Here are the best things to do around Strasbourg:

If you you have already explored Strasbourg thoroughly and are not fed up with half-timbered houses,  you should definitely go visit the typical Alsatian villages nearby, which are also very famous:

• Colmar with its beautiful “little Venice ” district and old town.
• Eguishem with half-timbered houses, fountains, balconies with flowers and its ramparts.
• Riquewihr is one of the most beautiful villages in France, particularly due to its location in the middle of vineyards
• Obernai whose historical centre has very beautiful medieval houses
• Saverne and the Château des Rohan , which dates from the 18th century. It is also called Saverne Castle.

If you don’t have your own vehicle but still want to visit some of these villages during your trip to Strasbourg, you should book an organized day trip .

In 1 day, you will discover the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg, the wine route, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar .

This day trip includes bus transport, an audio guide, the entrance ticket to the castle and a tour in a small tourist train through Colmar.

If you have more time to spend in the region, want to visit a little more than Strasbourg and its surroundings and of course you are a wine lover, the Alsace wine route is for you!

It is the oldest wine route in France . From Tann to Marlenheim, this 170-kilometre itinerary will take you through the communes of Alsace to discover local white wine.

On the Alsace wine route , there is more than 300 wineries and 67 wine-producing municipalities , some of them being among the most beautiful villages in France.

Things to do: visit the wine cellars, stroll in the vineyards and villages, and of course, wine tasting . The months of July and August are particularly favourable, with the numerous wine fairs organized in the villages.

You can find the complete list of wineries offering tours near Strasbourg by clicking on the green button below:

And the best part is that some of the tours are free! Here are my 3 favorites (simply click on the orange links to book):

• The Achillée domain : this organic vineyard is worked only by hand. Free commented tasting of 5 wines!
• The Agape domain in Riquewihr offers a free 30 minute commented wine tasting
• The Dischler domain is located only 25 minutes from Strasbourg and offers a tasting of crémant + 3 other wines of your choice among the best wines of Alsace.

If you plan to visit the Alsace wine route and the towns and castles around Strasbourg, here are 2 amazing tours. I recommend them for the guides knowledge and their exceptionnal value for money.

• Half-day tour: Discover the Alsace wine route with this half-day tour. Click here to learn more and book the tour
• Full day Tour: If you have a full day, this tour is just perfect to visit Strasbourg’s surroundings. Learn more about it and book your tour by clicking here.

About 60 kilometres from Strasbourg is Germany’s largest amusement park, Europa Park .

On 85 hectares, there is more than 100 rides to entertain you! The park is made up of different neighbourhoods, each referring to a country. Ireland, Iceland or Italy , you will have the choice! There’s even a flight simulator that just opened.

This is the best amusement park you can visit in the surroundings of Strasbourg!

To avoid queuing at the ticket office, you should really book your skip the line tickets in advance by clicking on the button below:

26. Visit the Alsatian castles around Strasbourg

The Alsatian region is renowned for it’s many castles, so I have chosen 2 of them that are fairly close to Strasbourg for you. They complement each other well for a quick half-day visit.

First, you can go to the Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle which is considered as the best castle to visit in the region. It is the best known and therefore the most visited in Alsace.

Due to its geographical position on a rocky outcrop, it offers a magnificent view of the Alsace plain .

Do not hesitate to visit the surrounding forest and take a walk around it to admire the viewpoints. Visits to the interior and cultural events are also organized. And if you are hungry, it also has a restaurant.

A quick tip : the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle and dozens of other attractions around Strasbourg are included in the Alsace Pass. It’s thus really worth buying this convenient pass!

Simply click here to purchase it:

In a completely different style, that is to say “slightly” more dilapidated, you should go and see the Haut-Barr Castle .

The castle stands on 3 large rocks connected to each other by the devil’s bridge (“pont du diable”) and stairs that will allow you to reach the top.

It is not the castle that will impress you the most by its architecture, It’s main interest being the view it offers on a large part of the plain, hence its nickname of “The Eye of Alsace” (“l’Œil de l’Alsace”).

It would seem (I could not verify it myself) that in case of very good weather, you can see the arrowhead of Strasbourg Cathedral! Don’t hesitate to confirm this rumour in the comments.

As there are many other castles to visit around Strasbourg (the farthest away, apart from Ferrette castle, are located at a 1 hour drive from the capital of Alsace), I have made you a map of the 10 most beautiful:

• Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle , of which I spoke to you earlier, considered by many as the most beautiful castle of Alsace
• The Fleckenstein Castle , which offers a panoramic view of the Sauer valley
• Hohlandsburg Castle and its panoramic view of the city of Colmar
• Lichtenberg Castle
• Ferrette Castle , in the extreme south of Alsace
• The Haut Barr Castle , which I also told you about above with its magnificent view
• The Andlau Castle , accessible free of charge after a 20-minute walk in the forest. You can park at the farmhouse named “ferme auberge du Hungerplatz”
• The Nideck Castle and its 25m high waterfall
• Kaysersberg Castle , which overlooks the village of Kaysersberg
• The five castles road (“Route des Cinq Châteaux”) , a 20km hike that will take you to several ruined castles.

I have also included the Mount Sainte-Odile convent (#30), which is a must-see in Alsace.

You can display the map legend by clicking on the top left button, the one with a little arrow on it.

The Strasbourg Pass is really a great way to save money when visiting the city!

It costs 21.50€ for adults and between 10 and 15€ for children, is valid for 3 days and offers free admissions and discounts for the main activities and points of interest of Strasbourg. Here’s the detail of what’s included:

• Visit a museum of your choice
• Cathedral platform
• Strasbourg boat tour

50% discount:

• Visit of a 2nd museum
• Little train trip to discover the city (from April to October)
• Strasbourg walking tour (April to December)
• Visit of the “Vaisseau” (Spaceship in french), a science center for children and teenagers from 3 to 15 years old.
• Audioguide to visit the old town and the Strasbourg cathedral

You will also benefit from a variable discount on other activities:

• Segway City Tour
• The “Château Vodou” Museum.
• “The secrets of chocolate” museum

You need to buy the Strasbourg Pass online on this website . You can then get them at the Strasbourg Tourist Office , right next to the cathedral.

• Address : 17 Place de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg

To visit the city of Strasbourg and its main monuments, you should plan a 2-day stay.

If you plan to spend 3 days or more in Strasbourg , you will have enough time to discover the surroundings of the city . And to be honest, you can even easily spend a whole week in Alsace , as there is a lot to see!

Below you will find the best itineraries to visit Strasbourg in 1, 2, 3 or more days:

Don’t forget to get the Strasbourg Pass I mentioned earlier. It’s valid for 3 days and includes a free sightseeing cruise, a museum ticket and numerous discounts.

You can buy it directly by clicking on the button below:

If you only have 1 day in Strasbourg , it’s best to concentrate on the classics tourist attractions that make up the city’s charm. Moreover, it’s very easy to visit Strasbourg on foot.

• Go for a walk in the Petite France district to discover the Strasbourg of postcards with its canals and half-timbered houses.
• Then head for the Vauban dam , whose roof offers a superb view of Strasbourg Covered Bridges.
• Go to Strasbourg cathedral 12:30 pm, it is the only moment in the day when the astronomical clock and its dozens of automatons come to life.
• Lunch break
• Visit the Rohan Palace and its 3 museums: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Archaeological Museum.
• To finish the day, visit the 2 most beautiful squares of the Strasbourg old town (in addition to the cathedral!), Gutenberg Square and Kleber Square . And if you want to go shopping, don’t miss the streets of the Grandes Arcades and the Franc-Bourgeois .
• And how about a flammekueche for dinner?

That’s a nice day in Strasbourg!

Are you looking for things to do in Strasbourg during a weekend? I have got a nice itinerary for you, allowing you to see all main points of interest.

In 2 days in Strasbourg , you will be able to do the first day of the itinerary presented above and add:

• In the morning, discover the city differently with a guided Strasbourg boat tour . This is one of the major attractions to do in Strasbourg! (Included in the Strasbourg Pass )
• In the afternoon, you should go to the European institutions . We advise you to go on foot, just follow the Ill river, you can’t go wrong. It also allows you to have a nice view of the very photogenic Saint-Paul church reflected in the river.
• End your day in the Orangerie park , located close to the European institutions, stroll and observe storks.
• As you will have walked quite a lot, you may wish to return by bus.
• Dinner in a typically Alsatian winstub.

If you can spend 3 days in Strasbourg , you can take the itinerary of the 2 previous days and visit the surroundings of Strasbourg:

If you have to leave by the north of Strasbourg to go to your next destination, make a loop of the castles of Alsace in the following order:

• Go to the south-east start with the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle , the must-see of the region
• Continue with Andlau Castle
• Then make a stop at the Monastery of Mont Sainte-Odile
• Then pass by the Château du Nideck and its waterfall
• End your day with the du Haut Barr Castle

If you are lucky enough to leave Strasbourg from the South to go to your next destination, I recommend you to do the following itinerary:

• Start by going to admire the view at the Convent of Mont Sainte-Odile
• Then go to the Andlau Castle
• Continue with the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle (Included in the Alsace Pass )
• Visit the villages of Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr , located on the Alsace wine road . Don’t miss Kaysersberg Castle either.
• Continue with the visit of Colmar , which can be done in about 2 hours.
• The last stage of this day full of discoveries, the superb village of Eguisheim , south of Colmar

If you prefer, you can also opt for half-day or full-day guided tours to discover the surroundings of Strasbourg .

Here are the best guided tours:

• Half-day guided tour to discover the wine route: The perfect trip if you don’t have much time!
• The best of Alsace in one day: The best choice to visit the Wine Route and Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle in one day.
• Full day guided excursion along the wine route with wine tasting and visits : This is the best day trip from Strasbourg if you want to discover the wineries and their different wines!
• Guided tour of the Alsatian villages: An excellent tour to discover the most beautiful villages around Strasbourg.
• Day trip to discover the Black Forest and Baden Baden (Germany): This excursion is ideal for you if you also want to cross the border!
• Discover the Christmas markets of Alsace: This tour allows you to visit 3 typical Alsatian villages and Christmas markets from Strasbourg. As you can imagine, this excursion is only available at Christmas time! (from the last weekend in November).

And if you have children (or a 4th day in Strasbourg), a visit to Europa Park is an excellent idea that will delight the whole family. You need to book your Skip-the-Line tickets by clicking here.

• Comfort Hotel Strasbourg – Montagne Verte : Located at a 20 minutes walk from the Petite France district, in a quiet location by the river. Modern and bright room from 39€ per night, breakfast at 10€. The strong points: free parking, breakfast with plenty of choice and even a candy bar. Do not leave without having eaten at least once in the restaurant of the hotel which have great Alsatian specialities. We tested the breaded camembert and spaetzles and had a great time! This is without a doubt the best value for money in Strasbourg.
• Hotel Victoria : Situated 10 minutes from the Cathedral, close to the train station, ideal if you arrive by train. Spacious and colourful room, quiet, from 60€ per night, buffet breakfast at 9€. The strong points: quiet location in a pedestrian street, very welcoming staff and very copious breakfast with quality products.
• Hotel Roses : Hotel ideally located 2 steps away from the Cathedral. Spacious room with carefully decorated decoration from 90€ per night, with a breakfast for an extra 9.90€. The best choice in the city centre and as a bonus, a great breakfast!
• Hôtel Régent Petite France & Spa: 5 stars hotel located in Petite-France district. Beautiful room with river or traditional half-timbered house view from 250€  per night, breakfast at 25€. Strong points: The location, the amazing view, the perfect breakfast. It’s my recommendation for a luxury stay in Strasbourg.

FAQ – I answer your questions about Strasbourg

If you are planning to visit Strasbourg with your children, I recommend the following activities:

• Visit the historical center of Strasbourg on foot
• See the astronomical clock in the Notre-Dame cathedral
• Discover the Alsatian museum of Strasbourg
• Take a walk in the Orangerie park and watch the storks
• Go on a boat trip on the canals of Strasbourg
• Visit the Petite France district with the small tourist train
• In December, taking them to the Christmas market remains the unmissable visit for the whole family in Strasbourg!
• Enjoy  a day at Europa Park.

If it’s unfortunately raining during your stay in Strasbourg, here are a few visits you can do while the weather improves:

• Visit Notre-Dame de Strasbourg cathedral and other churches in the city
• Visit the Rohan Palace and its 3 museums
• Taste a “three fish sauerkraut” at Kammerzell house, the emblematic restaurant of Strasbourg!
• Visit the other museums of Strasbourg: the MAMCS, the historical museum, the Alsatian museum
• A boat trip (covered!)
• A wine tasting in the wineries of the Alsace wine route.

To buy your Strasbourg pass , it’s super easy: just click on the following link: Buy the Strasbourg Pass.

To park easily, you should go to one of the 10 park-and-ride in Strasbourg.

The Relay + Tram rate is only 4.10€ for the day and allows you to benefit from a round trip by tram/bus for all passengers in the vehicle (max 7 people).

This is for sure the best option for cheap parking in Strasbourg!

The closest park-and-ride to the city center of Strasbourg are:

• Rotunda – 5 min by tram
• Dukes of Alsace – 8 min by tram
• Kimmeri – 8 min by tram
• Rives de l’Ar – 10 min by tram
• Elsau – 10 min by tram.

France travel Guides

• Buy the Lonely Planet France guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk
• Buy the Rick Steves France guide on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk

Discover all our articles about France: All Voyage Tips articles about France are listed here.

• Annecy: 12 things to do and see
• Honfleur: Top 15 things to discover
• Nice: 15 things to do and see

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Creator of the Voyage Tips blog, travel and photography lover. I give you all my best tips to plan your next trip.

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Discussion 13 comments.

Vincent, Thank you for all the good photos and the brief commentaries on each area/site mentioned. This is just like a good travel guide…just enough, but not too much, information and very useful links. 1. I have several questions regarding the free boat ride that is included in the Strasbourg Pass: (a) If you have the Strasbourg Pass, do you still need to stand in line to get a ticket? Or can you avoid the ticket lines and go directly to the boat? (b) If you have to make a reservation for the boat, can the reservation be made a day in advance? (c) If reservations are needed for a specific date/time for a boat ride, is it okay to ask the hotel concierge to organize it for me? 2. Is there an app I can add to my smart phone that will include a lot of information above? It is difficult to read websites on a smart phone. 3. I hope you won’t mind a couple suggestions to improve the website: (a) change spelling from ‘theses’ to ‘these’ in the following item “You’re traveling in France? Theses articles will help you!” (b) Change ‘will’ to ‘with’ in the following item: “Tourist map will all the must-see attractions of Strasbourg”. Thanks again for an excellent article, Mary McDonald

Hello Mary,

I am glad my article is helping you to organize your trip to Strasbourg!

1. For the Strasbourg Pass, it acts as a skip the line tickets for most of the tourist attractions. However, for the boat, you need to first go to the ticket office, show your Strasbourg Pass, and they give you a boat ticket. You can’t make a reservation for the boat, you need to go there directly and grab the tickets.

2. I don’t know of an app (but I don’t think so), however the website is optimized for smartphones, and reads well (just, there is a lot of info, so you may have to scroll a bit! But it would be the same with a PDF guide for example). You can click the links in the summary menu to go faster to the section you are interested in, it’s more convenient on smartphone.

3. Thank you! I appreciate the help.

The “theses” is something I often mispell, as my french mind puts a “s” at everything plural and I don’t notice it! And now I noticed I have copied the same mistake on all articles. I will fix it! Thanks also for the “will”, I try to proofread, but it seems I missed some mistakes.

Thanks again, and if there is anything else you need to know for your stay in Strasbourg, let me know.

Hai Vincent, Love your page, one of the very best online travel blog i must say. Very informative, well written but not too overwhelmed, not to mention all the eye candy pictures. I’m goin to travel solo to Strasbourg, Riquewihr, Colmar, and Eguisheim for winter holiday. Should i rent a car to go around the city or public transportation will do just fine? would like to do castle hopping but no detail information how to get there or any public transportation provided. Thanks, keep on writing. Lenny

I am really happy you like my travel blog and it helps you to plan your trip to Strasbourg. It motivates me to translate more articles to English!

The best way is definitely to rent a car, else you will have to do things like Strasbourg >>> Colmar + Colmar >>> Riquewihr. Not very convenient and quite a waste of time. For castle hopping, renting a car is anyway 100% mandatory, as there is no transportation service between castles.

Enjoy your trip!

I never drive in Europe, a bit nervous as i’m not good with GPS 🙂 . Thank you so much Vincent for the tips.

Don’t worry too much, French people, especially in the north, are driving safely. And you can always rent an automatic car if it makes you feel more comfortable. If you have other questions about Strasbourg or France, don’t hesitate!

Have a great day 🙂

Hai Vincent, thank you so much for the useful tips, appreciate it. I have another questions. Do you know the easiest way to go to Mont Saint-Michel from Paris? Is it worthed to go there just for a day trip? Thanks and have a good day, Lenny

It’s worth to go to Mont Saint Michel for a day trip from Paris if you don’t plan coming back to France and really want to visit it. However, it’s quite a long trip!

You can’t really take the train as the schedules aren’t convenient for a day trip, so you’re best bet is to take a tour. You can book one here: Mont Saint Michel Day Trip from Paris Just be aware, it’s about 5 hours on site and 9-10 hours of bus during the day.

Have a nice day too 🙂

Thank you for the heads up Vincent

We are planning a trip to Strasbourg this Sunday and your blog was fabulous in helping to plan our day.

One question though- we will be driving from Mulhouse and according to my research parking is free on a Sunday. Would you advise driving to park in the centre or using the park and ride.

The prices of the park and ride are somewhat confusing as I don’t seem to be able to find out what the difference between a normal ticket and a rotonde ticket is – and is the €4.20 the total price for 7 persons or the price each?

Many thanks. We re looking forward to our visit. Lizzie L

Hi Elizabeth,

Yes, exactly, parking is free on Sunday in Strasbourg.

About Park and Ride:

Rotonde Ticket is only for the “Rotonde” park and ride. It’s a bit more expensive than the other park and ride parkings because it’s closer to the city center.

The total price is for one car, with up to 7 passengers. So you will just pay €4.20 for 7 people.

I would recommend you to park in a park and ride rather than in the city center, you’re 100% sure to get a parking space and you will not have to bother driving in the city center. The price is very reasonnable, so it’s worth it!

Here are all the park and ride in Strasbourg:

– Parking Relais-Tram Rotonde (Best choice to visit) – Parking Relais-Tram Baggersee – Parking Relais-Tram Ducs d’Alsace – Parking Relais-Tram Elsau – Parking Relais-Tram Espace Européen de l’Entreprise – Parking Relais-Tram Hoenheim Gare – Parking Relais-Tram Krimmeri – Parking Relais-Tram Poteries – Parking Relais-Tram Rives de l’Aar – Parking Relais-Tram Robertsau Boecklin.

Enjoy your trip to Strasbourg!

Thank you very much for your help.

The park and ride was fantastic and we had a lovely day in Strasbourg.

The river cruise was particularly good with a super commentary giving some of the cities history.

We were disappointed that the cathedral platform was closed until the end of July 2019 but it we enjoyed looking around the cathedral itself, and it saved our legs from walking up all those steps.

Keep up the excellent work

I am really glad you enjoy your trip to Strasbourg, and thanks a lot for taking the time to write your feedback.

Maybe see you soon on the blog for another destination,

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Strasbourg is the perfect overture to all that is idiosyncratic about Alsace – walking a fine tightrope between France and Germany and between a medieval past and a progressive future, it pulls off its act in inimitable Alsatian style.

Leave the planning to a local expert

Experience the real Strasbourg. Let a local expert handle the planning for you.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Nothing prepares you for your first glimpse of Strasbourg's Cathédrale Notre-Dame, completed in all its Gothic grandeur in 1439. The lace-fine facade…

Palais Rohan

Hailed as a ‘Versailles in miniature’, this opulent 18th-century residence is loaded with treasures. The basement Musée Archéologique takes you from the…

History seeps through the twisting lanes and cafe-rimmed plazas of Grande Île, Strasbourg's Unesco World Heritage–listed island bordered by the River Ill…

Petite France

Criss-crossed by narrow lanes, canals and locks, Petite France is where artisans plied their trades in the Middle Ages. The half-timbered houses,…

Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame

Occupying a cluster of sublime 14th- and 16th-century buildings, this museum harbours one of Europe’s premier collections of Romanesque, Gothic and…

Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain

This striking glass-and-steel cube showcases an outstanding fine-art, graphic-art and photography collection. Besides modern and contemporary works of the…

Grande Mosquée de Strasbourg

Designed by Italian architect Paolo Portoghesi and opened in September 2012, France's biggest mosque (accommodating 1500 worshippers) sits on a bend in…

Barrage Vauban

A triumph of 17th-century engineering, the Barrage Vauban bears the architectural imprint of the leading French military engineer of the age – Sébastien…

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The European capital and the capital of Alsace, Strasbourg exudes youthfulness and energy. If you love heritage, culture and the art of living, there's no doubt that you'll fall in love with this city!

• By plane 15 minutes from Strasbourg Airport
• By car Served by the A4 and the A35
• By train 1h 46 min from Paris and 3h 45 min from Lyon

Must-see attractions

The Cathedral Notre Dame de Strasbourg

The Petite France

The Neustadt District

The European Parliament

The Kammerzell House

Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Why visit strasbourg.

It’s multicultural, enriched by its influences, forming a perfect bridge between past and present.

People-oriented

Young, creative and trendy, it reflects the vitality of its inhabitants.

The seat of European institutions, it is the proud symbol of democratic values.

Experiences

Cruise along the waters of Strasbourg aboard an electric boat

4 not-to-be-missed festivals in Alsace

Microbreweries in Alsace: enjoy beer differently

A treasure trove of heritage

Marked by its history, profoundly bicultural, Strasbourg boasts an exceptional architectural heritage! In a subtle blend of tradition and modernity, historical monuments now stand alongside the most modern structures.

Strasbourg: Europe ' s beating heart

Europe makes its mark on the heart of Strasbourg! The seat of many institutions, Strasbourg, a key European city, can be discovered through numerous visits that will bring to life the values of peace, democracy and reconciliation between peoples.

There ' s a museum for everyone

Abounding in culture, Strasbourg and its museums await you! With their themed collections, unusual exhibitions, stunning artworks and historical treasures, these institutions are remarkable for their richness and diversity.

The most amazing cultural scenes

When it comes to live entertainment, Strasbourg is renowned for the cosmopolitan aura of its cultural institutions. The Alsatian capital is proud to offer entertainment that’s open to a broad range of creative audacities, repertoires and tastes!

Musica - Contemporary music festival

Strasbourg, capitale de Noël

Plan your stay.

Strasbourg City Card

Restaurants

Favourite places to stay

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Map of Strasbourg — Best attractions, restaurants, and transportation info

What’s on this map.

We’ve made the ultimate tourist map of Strasbourg, France for travelers! Check out Strasbourg’s top things to do, attractions, restaurants, and major transportation hubs all in one interactive map.

Visiting Strasbourg? See our Strasbourg Trip Planner.

How to use the map

Use this interactive map to plan your trip before and while in Strasbourg. Learn about each place by clicking it on the map or read more in the article below. Here’s more ways to perfect your trip using our Strasbourg map:

• Explore the best restaurants, shopping, and things to do in Strasbourg by categories
• Get directions in Google Maps to each place
• Export all places to save to your Google Maps
• Plan your travels by turning on metro and bus lines
• Create a Wanderlog trip plan (link to create a trip plan for the city) that keep all the places on the map in your phone
• Print a physical map to bring it on your trip

Top 19 attractions in Strasbourg

Cathédrale notre-dame-de-strasbourg, historical museum of the city of strasbourg.

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Barrage Vauban

Alsatian museum, palais du rhin.

Track your travel spending and split costs with friends

Plan your trip. Keep your budget organized. Split the cost between tripmates. Wanderlog does it all.

St. Thomas Church

Au palais rohan, petite-france, museum œuvre notre-dame, le vaisseau, grande-île de strasbourg, strasbourg museum of modern and contemporary art, hôtel mercure strasbourg centre.

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Stay organized with a to-do list, packing list, shopping list, any kind of list.

Église Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune

Parc de l'orangerie, ponts couverts de strasbourg, cave historique des hospices de strasbourg, top 10 restaurants in strasbourg, la corde à linge, fink stuebel, restaurant les chauvins père & fils, le tire-bouchon, aedaen place, le banquet des sophistes, la casserole, les sales gosses, la cloche à fromage, chez yvonne, transportation in strasbourg, nearby airports, strasbourg airport (sxb), saarbrücken airport, ramstein air base, karlsruhe / baden baden (fkb) airport - terminal, highways and major roads.

• Route des Vosges (D100)
• Route de Mittelhausbergen (D21)
• Rue de la Plaine des Bouchers (D1091)
• Boulevard de la Victoire (D392)
• Route de Colmar (D1083)
• Route des Romains (D1004)
• Rue de la Division Leclerc (D468)
• Rue du Faubourg de Pierre (D222)
• Rue du Général de Gaulle (D222)
• Route du Polygone (D400)

Top searches in Strasbourg

Popular road trips from strasbourg, what's the weather like in strasbourg.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Strasbourg for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Strasbourg in January
• Weather in Strasbourg in February
• Weather in Strasbourg in March
• Weather in Strasbourg in April
• Weather in Strasbourg in May
• Weather in Strasbourg in June
• Weather in Strasbourg in July
• Weather in Strasbourg in August
• Weather in Strasbourg in September
• Weather in Strasbourg in October
• Weather in Strasbourg in November
• Weather in Strasbourg in December

All road trips from Strasbourg

• Strasbourg to Paris drive
• Strasbourg to London drive
• Strasbourg to Rome drive
• Strasbourg to Amsterdam drive
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• Strasbourg to Prague drive
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• Strasbourg to Milan drive
• Strasbourg to Florence drive
• Strasbourg to Munich drive
• Strasbourg to Vienna drive
• Strasbourg to Venice drive
• Strasbourg to Brussels drive
• Strasbourg to Budapest drive
• Strasbourg to Madrid drive
• Strasbourg to Turin drive
• Strasbourg to Edinburgh drive
• Strasbourg to Dublin drive
• Strasbourg to Frankfurt drive
• Strasbourg to Zurich drive
• Strasbourg to Lisbon drive
• Strasbourg to Copenhagen drive
• Strasbourg to Bruges drive
• Strasbourg to Cologne drive
• Strasbourg to Lucerne drive
• Strasbourg to Stuttgart drive
• Strasbourg to Istanbul drive
• Strasbourg to Lyon drive
• Strasbourg to Naples drive

Explore nearby places

• Schiltigheim
• Eckbolsheim
• Lingolsheim
• Illkirch-Graffenstaden
• La Wantzenau
• Geispolsheim
• Pfettisheim
• Truchtersheim
• Schutterwald

All related maps of Strasbourg

• Map of Schiltigheim
• Map of Kehl
• Map of Eckbolsheim
• Map of Ostwald
• Map of Lingolsheim
• Map of Wolfisheim
• Map of Illkirch-Graffenstaden
• Map of Reichstett
• Map of La Wantzenau
• Map of Honau
• Map of Vendenheim
• Map of Entzheim
• Map of Eschau
• Map of Geispolsheim
• Map of Fegersheim
• Map of Pfettisheim
• Map of Kilstett
• Map of Hoerdt
• Map of Kolbsheim
• Map of Plobsheim
• Map of Wiwersheim
• Map of Neuried
• Map of Altenheim
• Map of Truchtersheim
• Map of Gambsheim
• Map of Osthoffen
• Map of Rheinau
• Map of Appenweier
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Because it is a walking bird and walking is what we do.

Strasbourg Walking Tour

Home » Europe » France » Strasbourg Walking Tour

By Vicky · Published Mar. 23rd, 2023 · Updated Apr. 3rd, 2024

When you buy through links highlighted with an asterisk (*) on this site, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no cost to you.

On this self-guided walking tour of Strasbourg explore the town’s narrow, winding lanes, cute wooden buildings, and visit the top museums. The first walk explores the city centre, while the second follows canals to the EU buildings, parks and more.

Page Contents:

Both walking tours start from Saint Peter’s Catholic Church , about 300 metres from Strasbourg train station. It’s the first building you reach on Strasbourg’s Grande Île after crossing the river.

Strasbourg Walking Tour Map

Get the route by downloading the .gpx or .kml file below. For navigation with Maps.me on your mobile phone, simply download the .kml file and open to add it to the Maps.me bookmarks.

Tips for Strasbourg Walking Tour

• At the tourist office (open daily 9 am–1pm and 2–5 pm), you can get a Strasbourg City Card for discounts on museums and attractions, valid for 7 days. It’s only €5/3 for adults/kids and if you go up the cathedral tower plus visit a museum it’s already worth it.
• You can find a list of museum opening times here . Note that most are closed over lunch (1-2pm) and some are closed Tue & Thu, while others are closed Mon & Wed.
• Some museums have a free audioguide but they are not widely advertised so ask at the front desk.
• Many museums are free on the first Sunday of each month.
•  Winstubs, or taverns, serve traditional food and drink such as choucroute (sauerkraut) and tarte flambée
• For more walking tours and hikes, see our France Hiking Page .

Top Sights in Strasbourg

On these self-guided walking tours you’ll see the main sights and attractions of Strasbourg. You can see everything in a rush over one day, but two days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Strasbourg .

• St Peter’s Catholic Church
• Petite France
• Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain
• Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg
• Alsatian Museum
• Historical Museum
• Cathedral Notre Dame
• Palais Rohan
• Strasbourg Canals
• EU buildings
• Parc de l’Organgerie
• University Campus
• Strasbourg Opera House
• St Peter’s Protestant Church

Apart from a walking tour, one of the best things to do in Strasbourg is to take a sightseeing boat tour (45 minutes from €14.90/8.25, small reductions with the Strasbourg City Card). There’s a commentary in several different languages of the sights that you pass. You can buy tickets and get on the boat by the river near the cathedral.FCave

Strasbourg Walking Tour Route 1: City Centre

This walking tour starts from St Peter’s Catholic Church.

1. St Peter’s Catholic Church

St Peter’s Catholic Church *, or St Peter the Elder’s Church (free entry, open 9am-7pm), is actually made up of two churches joined to each other. One section is for Catholics to worship and one is for Protestants, and the two bell towers represent the different faiths. The oldest parts of the church date back to the 13th century, and the newest ones to just after the Second World War, when many stained glass windows had to be replaced).

Inside it’s slightly plain but there’s a nice organ and paintings relating to the Passion of Christ. These date back to around 1480.

Directions: Walk around the church and left down the pedestrianised street (Grande Rue). Take the third street on the right (though second or fourth is also ok) then left at the T-junction.

2. Petite France

Petite France * is the name of the area on the western side of the Grande Île. This picturesque neighbourhood is known for its charming 16th-century half-timbered houses, canals, and quaint bridges. It’s the perfect place to take some photos and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s definitely not to miss on a walking tour of Strasbourg. A stroll through this area in the early mornings before the crowds arrive when it’s peaceful and quiet is a good idea. Sunset from the bridges and evenings are also nice. The Barrage Vauban and the Ponts Couverts are definitely worth walking across.

Directions: Walk along the street closest to the river then turn right at the square across the Pont Rue du Saint Martin. head straight onwards until a main road and turn right to the Barrage Vauban.

Barrage Vauban

The Barrage Vauban * (free, open daily 9am-7:30pm) is one of Strasbourg’s historical landmarks. It was built in the late 1600s as both a covered bridge and a defensive fortification. Today there’s a gallery inside and you can walk across its roof for panoramic views of the city and the Ponts Couverts. It’s a lovely place at sunset.

Directions: On the other side of the bridge, walk through the square and turn right ( Stop 3 is on your left ). Take another right and cross the Pont de l’Abattoir before heading right to the Ponts Couverts.

Ponts Couverts

The Ponts Couverts * (Covered Bridges) are a group of three bridges and four towers constructed in the 13th century, making them some of the oldest structures in Strasbourg. Take a leisurely stroll across the bridges and enjoy views of the Barrage Vauban across the still water. Historic buildings line the canals on the other side. As their name suggests, the bridges used to be covered by a wooden roof to serve as protection for defenders who occupied the bridge in times of war. The roofs were removed way back in 1784 but the name has remained since.

Directions: Return towards the start of the bridge and walk right down the side of a pretty waterway. Turn right at the end, then left back across the Pont Rue du Saint Martin. Turn right to walk along the river’s edge.

At the next bridge you’ll see Église Saint Thomas on your left, a protestant church with parts dating back to the 1100s. Inside there’s a large nave, a marble mausoleum of the Count of Saxony and a huge organ at the back.

Directions: Cross the bridge and turn left on the other side, then right heading away from the river. Make your way through the hospital buildings, heading left, right, then left, right again. Look out for the Wine Cellar, Stop 4, as it’s slightly hidden. You’ll see an unlikely-looking staircase with an old sign above leading down to the entrance.

3. Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain

Key Information: Open Tue & Thu-Sun, 10am-13pm & 14-18pm. Tickets are €7.50/3.50. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) is in a unique building, made of glass and steel in cube shapes. The museum is not very large and takes about 1-2 hours to visit. The collection includes fine art, photography, modern art and some great temporary exhibitions. There are works by Picasso, Monet, Kandinsky and more, along with local artists. The lovely Art Cafe overlooks the river from the first floor and serves great food. One drawback is that the labels are mainly only in French, not English, so you can’t fully engage with the pieces.

4. Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg

Key Information: Cellar and shop open weekdays 8:30-12:00 & 13:30-17:30, open Sat 9-12:30, closed Sun. Free, but for 3€ you get an informative audioguide in En/Fr/De.

The Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) is a cellar founded in 1395 full of wine barrels. Wine used to be considered a medicine for all ailments, which is why the hospital stored so much wine. It currently still stores several locally produced wines such as rieslings and muscats. It’s also home to one of the oldest wines in the world! The wines themselves are good but inexpensive, and the proceeds all go to the hospital above.

Directions: Head left after leaving the cellar and left again through the grand old hospital gate. Follow the road as it bends slightly right and you reach the river. Turn right and the museum is just before the bridge.

5. Alsatian Museum (Musée Alsascien)

Key Information: Open 10-13 & 14-18. Tickets are €7.50/free, or €3.50/free with the Strasbourg City Card. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Alsatian Museum ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) occupies a couple of old, 15th-century houses with creaky floors and low-timbered ceilings. The museum covers the historic culture and life in the Strasbourg region over the ages. Most of the rooms are centred on a beautiful inner courtyard which is very photogenic. The labels are in English too, and it takes about 1 hour to visit.

Directions: Cross the bridge and the museum is on your right.

6. Historical Museum (Musée Historique)

Key Information: Open 10-13 & 14-18. Tickets are €7.50/free, or €3.50/free with the Strasbourg City Card. An audio guide is available in En/Fr/De. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The Historical Museum ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) covers the history of Strasbourg from its beginning as a Roman military camp. You can find out, for example, that part of the city is built on wooden stilts embedded in the ground due to the marshy terrain. There’s a lot of information here with mostly labels in English. Allow about 1 hour to visit, though you could spend a lot longer.

Directions: Walk up the road away from the river. Turn right on the nice street where you have a great view of the front of the Cathedral.

7. Cathedral Notre Dame

Key Information: Open every day 8:30-11:15 & 12:45-17:45 Mon-Sat and only 14-17:15 Sun. Free to enter. Viewing platform open daily 9:30-13 & 13:30-20 Apr-Sep, 10-13 & 13:30-18 Oct-Mar, tickets €8/5 or half-price with the Strasbourg City Card.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) is a Gothic cathedral and one of the most famous landmarks in town. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Admire the intricate outside details such as all the sculptures around the huge doors and make sure to check out the stained glass windows inside. One noticeable feature is the missing tower, since one was never finished, making the cathedral outline distinctly symmetrical. Despite only having one tower, it was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874.

The entrance to the viewing platform is around the side of the cathedral. During busy periods there can be a long wait, so aim to get there a few minutes before it opens or towards closing time. Only climb up if you have a head for heights! The views over the city from the top are worth it, but you don’t get to the top of the tower, only the flat deck below. Make sure to check out the gargoyles on the way up.

Astronomical Clock

Key Information: Film starts at noon followed by the clock itself at 12:30pm. Entrance is from 11:35am on the side of the cathedral. Tickets €4/2. No film on Sundays.

The Astronomical Clock in Strasbourg is very famous and dates from 1843. It’s incredibly intricate and does all kinds of calculations entirely mechanically. There is a limit on the number of people, so don’t arrive too late. Once you’ve got your ticket, you enter a small section of the cathedral and watch a film about the clock (starting at noon). The clock then starts its movements at 12:30pm. It’s much more interesting seeing the clock move after having watched the video since you understand what’s going on. Bear in mind there’s no seating, so you have to stand up for at least 40 minutes.

Directions: The Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame is on the edge of the cathedral square in the pale triangular-roofed buildings.

Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame

Key Information: Open 10-13 & 14-18. Tickets are €7.50/free, or €3.50/free with the Strasbourg City Card. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) contains many sculptures. It’s a great place to visit after the cathedral itself since you can see a collection of artworks from Medieval times when the cathedral was being built. The collection is well-organised and there’s a lot of information, about the art and about the history of the cathedral. One of the highlights is the virtual reality experience of climbing up the cathedral’s tower – you might even feel dizzy! There’s also a medieval garden out the back.

Directions: The Palais Rohan is just next door.

Explore Further:

• Best Villages in Alsace
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• Alsace Wine Route
• Alsace Travel Guide

8. Palais Rohan

Key Information: Open Fri-Mon and Wed, 10-13 & 14-18. Per museum tickets are €7.50/free, or €3.50/free with the Strasbourg City Card. Discounts for multiple museums. Closed Tuesdays and Thursdays. Ask for an audioguide at the counter.

Palais Rohan * is is an over-the-top residence from the 18th century and today contains three museums. In the basement is the Archeological Museum (Musée Archeologique), with exhibits from the Paleolithic until roughly 800 AD, a fun museum. On the ground floor is a Decorative Arts Museum , showing the decorated rooms of the palace and some ceramics. Finally, on the first floor is the Musée des Beaux-Arts , with paintings from El Greco, Botticelli and more. Get an audio guide or pick up a leaflet at the entrance to the museums highlighting the most important works in the collections.

Directions: Walk a loop around the back of the cathedral, visiting a cute square full of restaurants on the way. Pass the tourist information and turn right at the Maison Kammerzell.

9. Grande Île

The Grande Île is the name given to the large island where the historic centre of Strasbourg lies. Although by now you’ve already walked through some of it, you can now explore it further. There are winding lanes, large squares and historic buildings. Don’t miss the Maison Kammerzell , next to the cathedral. This 15th-century building is covered in frescoes and carvings, amazing to look at. It currently houses a restaurant.

Directions: Turn left at the T-junction to the square.

Place Gutenberg is named after Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press. Here you’ll find a statue of Gutenberg and a lovely fountain in the centre.

Directions: Head right at the square along the pedestrianised street leading to Place Kléber.

Continue your walk to Place Kléber, the largest square of Strasbourg. It’s named after General Jean-Baptiste Kleber, a revolutionary French general born in Strasbourg in 1753. His statue occupies the middle of the square. It’s the centre of the city’s shopping district and this is where you’ll find the city’s Christmas market during the holiday season.

Directions: Leave the square via the left corner and walk along the Rue du 22 Novembre back to where this walking tour of Strasbourg started.

Strasbourg Walking Tour Route 2: Canals, EU & Parks

This walk heads along some lovely canals to the EU buildings, via the grand Neustadt, then back through the lovely Parc de L’Orangerie and Grand Île.

Directions: Walk along the Fosse du Faux Rempart Canal. Cross the first bridge to reach a walking path by the water.

10. Strasbourg Canals

Most of the canals in Strasbourg have footpaths running along either side next to the water. They are generally clean, with a few large trees and quite a bit of birdlife.

Directions: At the Pont du Théatre, leave the riverside path to walk left into Neustadt.

11. Neustadt

Neustadt * (New City) is the name of the area northeast of the Grande Île. There are many grand buildings built by the Germans when they occupied this region in 1871–1918. Instead of the historic city with its crooked building and winding lanes, the Germans wanted monumental boulevards lined by impressive residences. The centre of the area is the Place de la Republique, a grassy roundabout surrounded by the Théâtre National de Strasbourg, the Palais du Rhin and the National University Library of Strasbourg.

Directions: Head down the grand road towards the river.

Cross the river and you’ll see the Église Saint-Paul . It has a great position at the meeting of two rivers and a delightful profile. It’s fairly modern, from 1892, but has nice stained glass windows inside and Neo-Gothic twin towers.

Directions: Turn left after the bridge and a pleasant stroll by the riverside takes you to the EU buildings.

12. EU Buildings

There are several buildings in the EU area of town, all along the edge of the river. The European Parliament ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) is the huge glassy building with a circular sticking-up bit in the middle on the opposite side of the river. There are good views of the outside from this bank of the river, but to visit inside you have to cross the previous bridge (the bridge right by the European Parliament is only accessible to people who work in the building).

In the European Parliament, you can watch debates on weekdays. Often they might be boring, but occasionally they are interesting (check the schedule here ).

The Conseil de l’Europe (or Palais de l’Europe) is in a curved glass building on the opposite side of the river to the Parliament but set slightly back from the water’s edge. On weekdays you might be able to join a guided tour if enough other people have already signed up ( check here for details). Just across the next bridge is the Palais des Droits de l’Homme (the European Court of Human Rights). This is housed in a distinctive building designed by the British architect Richard Rogers.

If you want to cut the walking tour short, there’s a tram stop just outside the European Court of Human Rights that will take you back to the centre of Strasbourg.

Directions: Opposite the Palais des Droits de l’Homme, take the road to the right and then head left into the park.

13. Parc de l’Orangerie

The Parc de l’Orangerie * was designed by Le Nôtre, who also designed the gardens at Versailles. There are lakes, grand buildings, cafes and more in the formal park. One of the highlights is the many red-billed storks living in the trees in the park, it’s super cool to see.

Directions: Walk through the park, around the first lake and leave via the car park onto Rue de Verdun. In this area of Strasbourg, it’s rather quiet, with wide streets and embassies from many different countries. Continue down the road until the little park, head to the right corner and cross over the road onto the edge of the university campus.

14. University Campus

On the University Campus, you can see the Botanic Gardens * as well as several grand buildings. The Botanic Gardens (open Mar-Dec, 2pm-sunset, free entry) is full of flowers and trees, including many exotic varieties. There’s a fun tropical house and lots of little winding paths. The signs are in French (and Latin).

Directions: Walk through the campus and back to the bridge by Église Saint-Paul. Cross over and head left to walk along the edge of the canals. Once you reach Pont du Théatre, this time cross the bridge to the opera house.

15. Strasbourg Opera House

The Strasbourg Opera House * is a grand building at the end of the long open plaza just beyond the canal crossing. A neoclassical rotunda and the front with its six Ionic columns are highlights. The building was actually first built in 1821, destroyed in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war, and faithfully reconstructed in 1873.

Directions: Walk along the long plaza and turn right at the end towards the old church.

16. St Peter’s Protestant Church

St Peter’s Protestant Church ( Website , Tripadvisor Reviews *) is one of the oldest churches in Strasbourg. Built in 1031 on the site of a former Merovingian chapel, this Gothic church has an amazing character and is perhaps the best church to visit in Strasbourg. Parts of the building still date to the 11th century, including some columns in the cloister and the porch. Amazing colourful paintings, including frescoes from the 14th century, cover the walls inside. You can pick up a leaflet about the church near the entrance.

Directions: Leave the church and head right to return to where you started and the end of this Strasbourg Walking Tour.

Best Places to Stay in Strasbourg

There are many great hotels and places to stay in Strasbourg. Check out the best below:

• Hotel des Tonneliers *: A good-value hotel in the very centre of Strasbourg. There are clean and comfortable rooms with friendly staff and all the sights of Strasbourg on your doorstep. In terms of value and location, it’s a very hard hotel to beat.
• Villa Kleber *: Cosy apartments with a fridge, kettle and microwave (but no stove). It has a great location between the train station and the centre of town, yet it’s always very quiet. Check-in hours are very flexible and there’s a tram stop just outside the apartments.

Guidebooks & Maps for Exploring Alsace

If you enjoyed this Strasbourg Walking Tour, check out more walking tours and hikes on our France Hiking Page .

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Tourist Map of Strasbourg

Take note of this city, jewel of the Alsace region. It is home to famous buildings such as the Palais des Droits de l’Homme and the Parliament; majestic and iconic buildings that we will show you on this Strasbourg tourist map, along with other places of interest. A tour of this city corresponds to a few days escape in which you can dive into its ancient Roman quarters, now dotted with beautiful architecture of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These corners await more surprises to see, marked by its famous festivals, especially at Christmas and the welcome of its urban centers scattered along the banks of the river Ill. We accompany you on this trip with the best advice to undertake a fantastic tour of the Petite France.

• 1 Tourist Map of Strasbourg
• 2 Strasbourg Tourist Guide
• 3 What to see in Strasbourg
• 4 Map of hotels in Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the historical centre of the Alsace region and is also considered the capital of Europe. It is a highly densely populated city, with more than one million people living together in the entire metropolitan area, whose surface area is only 79.26 square kilometres. In addition to its Roman origins dating back to the 12th century BC, Strasbourg has a mythical origin associated with Trebeta, its founder. Given its location on the border with Germany, it has allowed it to absorb the influence of German culture, adopting its Teutonic customs and traditions in its Gallic style. An example of this can be seen in the gastronomic offer and especially in places where it is common to see German beer being served along with exquisite French wines. At present the city has a relevant institutional position, being equated with Geneva and the Alsatian culture is promoted through its culture.

The striking aspect of this city is reflected in its architectural monuments, bearing in mind the Gothic of its Strassburg cathedral. Its height was long admired by the European people. Nearby is also the majestic Rogan Palace, which now serves as a museum. Its old city, taken as a UNESCO heritage site, has multidirectional alleys full of buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, where the trade of souvenirs and handicrafts gives travelers the pleasure of shopping in a place full of history. An excursion to the European quarter, especially during the Decembrine period, gives a sweet atmosphere, coming from its finest pastries and melodies that ignite with exact joy the crowds that pass by during that period.

Strasbourg Tourist Guide

As the capital of Europe, its historical and cultural fabric requires detailed information that you can easily obtain at the Strasbourg tourist office or consult in our Strasbourg tourist guide; we have prepared complete information on its main tourist stops. You will see that one day will not be enough to tour it, that is why we have also prepared our recommendations regarding accommodation, so that you can have a complete menu and thus plan an unforgettable evening in the city. Strasbourg has a lot to offer, in reference to festivities the summer and autumn seasons are appropriate to coincide with international musical events. Christmas vibrates in its markets with its decorations and lights under a friendly treatment of its inhabitants; so you will have a lot to choose from at the time you want to go.

What to see in Strasbourg

Strasbourg cathedral.

In Strasbourg there are legends of Germanic culture that are mythified in its medieval constructions. A clear example of this is the Gothic that composes this cathedral, whose origin dates from the 11th century. The details on its façade have been the inspiration of personalities such as Victor Hugo, evoking much of the memory of medieval times. Its artistic details not only embrace its facade, the finish of its spire can be admired from afar. Its tower with a height of 142 meters I place it as the construction of the highest Christian faith until the 19th century. An interesting place in it is the museum of the Cathedral, with sculptures and stained glass windows as well as the interpretative data of the origins of the building. Around it, a huge square surrounds it and like neighbouring buildings, beautiful buildings from the 13th century, which house cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops, accompany it.

Kébler Square

It is the most important square in the city, in terms of size and location, and it represents the heart of the historical centre. Its proximity to the cathedral makes it a good starting point for historical and heritage tourism. In its center lie the remains of the revolutionary leader Jean Baptiste Kebler just above is his equestrian statue. One of the surrounding buildings is a commercial establishment where you can enter and observe important shops such as Zara and the Apple Store. In addition to this shopping center there are other separate establishments that you can visit such as supermarkets, bakeries and more. During the Christmas season, this square is the center of beautiful decorative settings; extremely free shows that attract a large number of visitors.  .

Orangerie Park

This park is perfect for taking the whole family. This park has a lot of attractions and treasures from its time. It was designed in the 17th century by Le Notre, a renowned landscape architect. Beautiful floral corners next to architectural works, fountains and relevant statues from all over the European Union are scattered in its 26 hectares; especially a space destined for intimate social events such as the Joséphine pavilion. The contact with nature is complemented by the fauna that lives in its spaces, such as goats and storks. Anyway the park has a mini zoo which you can take to your children. It also has a restaurant with a billiard and bowling room so that you can have a pleasant afternoon full of entertainment while you refresh yourself with a good beer at its bar.

Ponts Couverts

The Covered Bridges is a symbolism of what its wooden roofs once represented, dismantled in the 18th century. This group of bridges that connect the city through three points of the Ill river are vestiges of the medieval fortifications of the Pertite France. These bridges occupy what used to be galleries that guarded the sky against invasions. They are located next to 4 watchtowers, and their image is a symbol of the entrance to the city. You will always recognize this identity in postcards but we invite you to see it with your own eyes. Once when passing to the domains of France in 1.681 new structures of defense were adapted leaving obsolete. This point faces the other side of the Ill, where the Vauban Dam served as a method of defense against a possible invasion flooding Strasbourg.

Rohan Palace

The palace once the residence of Louis XV, Marie Antoinette and other personalities. It was commissioned by the Bishop of the city in the 18th century. Its beauty lies in the complexity of its exterior facade, its windows and halls. It is located just in front of the Cathedral of Strasbourg. Apart from its history interpreted by the guides, it represents even more a must, because in its floors it houses the Museum of Fine Arts, on the upper level, with exclusive exhibitions by Boticelli and Piero di Cosimo; the Museum of Decorative Arts with the best baroque, precious metal and porcelain gadgets, on the lower floor; and the Archaeological Museum covering from prehistory to vestiges of Rome, located in the basement. Each of these museums has a separate entrance and is open every day of the week except Tuesdays.

It is part of the city’s defensive complex in medieval times. Conceived at the end of the 17th century to flood the city from its entrance in case of enemy invasions. It is still standing after so many centuries in Strasbourg, specifically in the southeast wing. Its original design by Jacques Tarade was a commission from the military vision of engineer Vauban. The Vauban Dam, or Barrage Vauban, consists of a fortified dyke. Today, there is no trip to Strasbourg that resists to let it pass by. Its roofed dyke is the target of cameras to immortalize the image of the entrance to the city. At sunrise and sunset people come to this site to feed on the contrasts provided by the dam together with the other buildings, towers and bridges that surround it.

European Quarter

It represents the institutional and political epicentre of Europe. Several institutions come to life, such as the European Parliament at the head, and also the European Council. On this site, as on all others, it is accessible to the public. Through guided tours you will get to know their history and the functions they perform. In addition, there are various artistic options through exhibitions on the history and social and political events of the old continent. Among its pieces you will be able to appreciate vestiges of the Berlin Wall. The sessions held at the Parlement Européen are open to the public and are held four times a month. The European Council is located in the enormous Palais Europe which has exhibitions dedicated to poverty and famine, as well as a memorial to the victims of Auschwitz, among other works related to Human Rights.

Museum of the Secrets of Chocolate

The Alsace region is famous for its gastronomy, especially for the high quality chocolate; an area that Strasbourg has been able to take advantage of. Above and beyond the wine industry, chocolate is a strong economic driver, so much so that almost a quarter of all jobs are in this important sector. Les Secrets du Chocolat, in Spanish means the Museum of the Secrets of Chocolate. It is an invitation to those who visit the city to discover everything related to the elaboration of this black gold, including the methods of production since the end of the 19th century, as well as the opportunity to taste its samples and the wine derived from it. The venue has live performances of the machines and is open to give workshops to the general public.

Voodoo Museum

It’s a good place to break the African taboo culture. The Voodoo Museum is a place, although bizarre for some, super interesting that we recommend you to visit. It is a private collection of Marc Arbogast who spent much of his life traveling around Africa and has accumulated a variety of pieces related to this ritual. What was once a 19th century water tank houses visual and representative and original material that arouses curiosity and research by ethnologists and occultists. The rituals shown on its plants encompass the mystery of African culture. Alcohol, rope and cloth are displayed at the entrance, part of a ritual, a somber moment that the spectators will be able to appreciate. Amulets and paraphernalia are also on display, and their interpretations help to understand a little about the “art of the afterlife”.

Map of hotels in Strasbourg

A city full of bridges and picturesque places has to have a wide variety of accommodations, distributed in every corner. Each one with something unique that leaves the visitor undecided with the excellent quality it offers in its services. If you are in the city or if you want to go on your next trip out of the routine, don’t waste time surfing through so much information; our map of hotels in Strasbourg summarizes it for you, each place and its reviews will make you discover the perfect place to sleep and witness beautiful sunrises in La Petite france. Best Western Hotel de France Strasbourg is located just a few steps from the Place Kléber and the Cathedral. It is an ideal place to stay and consume all the options that the center of Strasbourg has to offer. It has balconies, Satellite TV and Wifi, as well as a mini bar and excellent lighting.

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