I would say spending one day in Strasbourg is enough to see all of the major sights. The small city is actually considered large in the Alsace region of France. There’s a beautiful mix of old with new as you wander from the old city to the more modern part. If you find yourself in the Alsace region Strasbourg is a must-see.
We visited Strasbourg on our way from Colmar and before arriving in Luxembourg city. It was a great in-between city although if I’m being honest I preferred Colmar. Although, I really did enjoy our time in Strasbourg.
I think part of the charm of Strasbourg is the blend of modern and old. The buildings, similar to Colmar, were designed with German influence. It took everything in me not to take pictures of every building!
Getting there:
Flying: You can fly directly into the Strasbourg airport from many places in Europe. Seeing as you can’t fly directly into Strasbourg from North America your best bet would be flying into Basel or Paris and taking a train.
Train: The main train station in Strasbourg is pretty centrally located. You can definitely walk from the station to the city. Because we were staying a little outside of the main streets we took a tram to our hotel from the station. It was really easy to navigate so don’t be afraid to save a little money and stay on the outskirts. I would strongly recommend taking the train as I find it the easiest way to travel throughout Europe.
What to do in Strasbourg:
If you arrive the night before
Walk around the Le Petite France
I mean really there’s no better way to spend your time in Strasbourg than walking around Le Petite France. I honestly felt like I was walking through a Disney theme park. The buildings are stuck in time in the most fantastic way.
It will take you a little while to walk around Le Petite France. Unless of course you hate taking pictures then you should breeze through Le Petite France much faster than us!
One of the best things we did was grab a glass of wine on one of the patios and enjoy the people watching. In the main square of Le Petite France you’ll find a number of patios to spend an hour or so.
Step inside Our Lady of Strasbourg
Blending together French and German Gothic styles, Our Lady of Strasbourg cathedral towers over the small town. It’s stunning exterior will have you in awe as you walk around the mass structure.
For some time the cathedral was actually the tallest in the world. It’s definitely the largest cathedral I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t even believe it as I came close to it.
If you plan on heading inside, take note of the opening hours. We didn’t realize that the cathedral closed for a couple hours over the lunch period and we just barely made it inside. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to head up to the viewing tower but if you plan ahead I’ve heard it’s a stunning view.
Take a Batorama Boat tour
One of the quickest ways to get around Strasbourg is by boat! They actually reminded me of the ones you can find in Amsterdam with windows everywhere.
We actually didn’t take a boat tour because we had just taken one the day before in Colmar. However, if you’re not visiting Colmar then you should definitely take a boat tour. I always find the views from the water especially beautiful in old towns.
Stroll through Grand Île
As you may have guessed by the name, the Grand Île is in fact an island. It’s unique because it lies in the historical section of Strasbourg. Here you will also find the Strasbourg cathedral.
The Grand Île is a UNESCO World Heritage site, for all of you collecting spots! Located right in the middle of the island you’ll find Place Kleber the
A little ways from the square you’ll also find the former homes of tanners, millers and fishermen.
Where to stay
There are so many cute hotels that you can stay at when you’re in Strasbourg but we’ve listed out a few of our favorites. The key when looking for a hotel is location and rating. I always make sure to look at what a hotel gets for ratings on TripAdvisor before booking it!
If you’re looking to stay a little out of town we stayed
Luxury stay: Hotel Cour du Corbeau | $300CAD / night
Best value: Hotel BOMA | $140CAD / night
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