Strasbourg, France

Where is Strasbourg

Strasbourg is on the eastern side of France in the Alsace region, right on the German border. It therefore has a strong German influence, which extends to its architecture and food. In fact, it was once part of Germany, which explains the clash of cultures.

How to get there

We flew into Strasbourg’s airport and then caught a tram to our apartment. It was very easy to navigate and they come every 15 minutes or so. You can buy your tickets at the stop. We ended up choosing an Airbnb in the Quartier De La Cathedral, which was also overlooking one of the main canals and within a few minutes walking distance of the cathedral. But Petite France is also a great area to stay in and is probably more iconic if you're wanting to wake up among the colourful timber houses. But if you're tossing up between the two, the areas are right next to each other and you can essentially walk between them when you’re exploring.

How many days should I stay in Strasbourg

We stayed 3 nights, but honestly, it was probably a bit long. I thought we’d use it as a base to day trip into Germany a bit more, but we worked out a bit too late that anywhere we wanted to see was a good 5-6 hours by train away - and we were travel weary by this stage in our trip. I would recommend 1-2 nights maximum (and try to squeeze in a trip to Colmar and the Alsace wine route, if it’s not already booked on your itinerary).

Easy Fast Itinerary

Gives you enough of a taste of Strasbourg that you cover the basics.

Day 1 - Free walking tour that includes the history of Petite France district, stop in and explore the cathedral, before jumping on an afternoon boat trip down the river.

Day 2 - Day trip to Colmar (or day-trip through an Alsace Wine Tour)

Day 3 - Slow down and use the morning to find a cute pastry shop, or spot for delicious hot chocolate - or visit the Christmas markets if you're there in the right season.

Choosing between Strasbourg or Colmar

I used Strasbourg as a bit of a launch pad to get to Colmar, and I don’t regret it at all. If you're tight on time and have to pick one or the other, I would suggest Colmar - and the main reason is because it just has a certain quaint “feel” about it that Strasbourg’s bigger city-like atmosphere doesn’t give you.

In saying that, if religion and history is your thing, then perhaps Strasbourg will win out thanks to its huge cathedral. Hopefully you have enough time to day-trip to Colmar, which is absolutely doable, especially on a tight itinerary.

What to do

Cathedral

I was completely blown away by the cathedral, in fact, I’d even say it rivals the one in Barcelona, Spain. It was so cumbersome and grand. We loved the gothic-style layout and you can pay a small fee to climb the stairs to the top. It takes your breath away as you round the corner, and see this monstrosity looming over you.

Little France

Aesthetically, this part of town is known for its coloured wood houses, with beautiful canals running through it. The actual story behind the name is a lot more sinister than that. It used to be the poor part of town, as it used to be used as a ‘tanners area’ and often stank from all the dead carcasses hanging in the window. But moving right along a few hundred years… Today, it’s very ritzy and some of the most expensive hotels are based here, capitalising on its beauty. It’s well worth a visit just to stroll the streets, visit a bar or two and sit down to a nice lunch. You could easily spend half a day here.

Pastry Shops

This is a given in pretty much all of France, but don’t forget to stop in to the pastry shops and indulge in your body weight of sweets (I found myself loving the eclairs). They’re truly devine. Also, the French love their bread - it’s cliche, but lives up to its reputation.

Christmas Markets

The Christmas markets in Strasbourg are some of the best known in the world. If you're travelling around late November and throughout December - you will be blown away by the way the town transforms essentially into Santa's workshop. It's something to put on your bucket list - but make sure you book your accommodation well ahead of time.