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Strasbourg has been on our list of places to visit for a long time, and we finally made it!
Initially, we planned to visit during the festive season to explore Strasbourg’s famous Christmas market.
However, we ended up with a January visit, which offered a slightly quieter Strasbourg than you might expect in the summer or festive seasons.
Still, it was perfect for peaceful winter strolls and welcome visits to the numerous delicious bakeries.
The Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier said, “In Strasbourg, the eye is never bored.”
He would be correct.
Strasbourg is a travel photography dream.
Its vast array of architecture, ranging from the timber-framed medieval architecture of Petite France to the German Imperial architecture of the 19th century, when the city expanded beyond its 18th-century walls, is a delight to photograph.
If you’d like to see more photos, visit our post on Strasbourg for the ones that didn’t make it to this page.
There are countless streets to wander down, each with a unique character and something else to see.
Beyond the city’s aesthetics, there are many things to do in Strasbourg.
1 | Walk Around Petite France
Without a doubt, Petite France is the most famous attraction in Strasbourg.
If you’ve ever seen pictures of this wonderful city, they will have almost certainly been of Petite France.
Inscribed in 1988, Petite France was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical significance.
Interestingly, Petite France doesn’t derive from national pride or the romance of the district you see today but from a 16th-century hospital in the same location that treated syphilis, which was then commonly referred to as mal français, the “French disease”.
Back in the day, you’d find tanners, millers, and fishermen in Petite France utilising the River Ill as a water, power and food source.
If you look at some of the buildings near the lock, you will see they have open roofs.
This is where tanners would air-dry animal skins as part of the leather-making process.
📍 2b Rue de Molsheim, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
2 | Visit the Covered Bridges
Also in Petite France are the Covered Bridges, known locally as Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg.
As you will notice, they are no longer covered.
They were originally city fortifications, with wooden roofs protecting soldiers from enemy attacks, hence the name “Covered Bridges.”
Four towers remain, with the northernmost known as Executioner’s Tower.
Its name is a giveaway for its purpose, and it was where the city’s executioner lived and worked, conducting executions and torture and helping maintain order in the prison.
Aside from their history, the Covered Bridges offer great views of Petite France and the canals, and are a lovely place to take a stroll.
📍 Ponts Couverts, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
3 | Head through Vauban Dam and to the Viewing Terrace
The Vauban Dam is a 17th-century flood defence system designed by military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban.
It spans the River Ill and was historically used to control water levels and flood the southern plains to defend the city.
Inside, you’ll find a tunnel running the length of the dam, some historical displays, toilets and access to the terrace.
Access to the terrace via stairs is at each end of the dam, with a lift at the end with the toilets.
The terrace offers a lovely panoramic view of the Covered Bridges, Petite France and beyond.
Although the terrace isn’t particularly high, it’s worth visiting for the great view.
📍 Pl. du Qur Blanc, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
🕙 Daily, but varies per season
4 | Visit the Cathedral
Strasbourg Cathedral, better known locally as Cathedrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, is a Gothic architectural masterpiece that was the world’s tallest structure between 1647 and 1874, thanks to its spire, which rises to 142 meters.
The cathedral is free to enter and is worth a wander around.
It’s also where you’ll find the next two things on our list of things to do in Strasbourg.
📍 Pl. de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
🕙 Mon-Sat, 8.30 am to 11.15 am & 12.45 pm to 5.45 pm
🕙 Sunday 2 pm to 5.15 pm
5 | See the Astronomical Clock
The astronomical clock inside the cathedral blends Renaissance artistry with exceptional 19th-century engineering.
Completed in 1843 by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué, it replaced an earlier 16th-century version to become the third clock in the cathedral’s history.
The astronomical clock is a highly engineered piece of technology that you might not fully appreciate just by looking at it.
It was essentially six years in the making and features a planetary dial, perpetual calendar, computus (which calculates the date of Easter), the actual position of the sun and moon, and even solar and lunar eclipses.
Every day at 12:30 pm, the clock features an animated show in which mechanised figures of the Apostles parade before Christ.
There’s a small fee for the show, but you can see the clock for free whenever the cathedral is open.
📍 Inside Cathédrale Notre Dame
💷 Paid entry, up to 4 Euros
🕙 See the website above for specific timings
6 | Head up the Viewing Platform
If entry to the cathedral and the astronomical clock weren’t enough, the cathedral has one more trick up its sleeve.
You can head up to the viewing platform for the best views of Strasbourg.
Please note that there are no elevators; only steep spiral stone staircases.
Aside from the great views of the city, you’ll find some history of the cathedral, a massive winch used to hoist materials up to build the cathedral, and a rather impressive mechanical piece of equipment.
There’s a fee to climb to the platform, and the entrance is in Place du Château, on the right side of the cathedral as you look at the front door.
📍 Entry on the southern side of the cathedral
💷 8 Euros for adults, reduced rate for youngsters, students and Culture Card holders
🕙 Varies between seasons; check website above
7 | Take a Boat Tour
A boat tour is a relaxing way to see the city, learn about Strasbourg, and take a break from your feet for an hour or so.
Batorama operates the tours, and there are several routes to choose from.
We opted for the Green Tour.
It lasted about 1 hour and 10 minutes and took us through the lock in Petite France to Vauban Dam, back, and then all the way to the European Parliament.
During the tour, you are provided with a headset to use so you can listen to the audio guide, which offers detailed information on Strasbourg’s history.
📍 Pl. du Marché aux Poissons, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Upto 16 Euros
🕙 Multiple trips daily; check website above
8 | Walk the Parks
There are several parks in Strasbourg worth a stroll; however, not all are open year-round. For example, the Botanical Gardens are closed for winter from Christmas Day to the 1st of March.
However, you’ll find plenty of open parks, including the wonderful Parc de l’Orangerie.
Below are some of the parks around the city worth visiting:
- Parc de l’Orangerie
- Jardin Botanique de l’université de Strasbourg
- Parc de la Citadelle
- Parc du Contades
If you visit the Parc de l’Orangerie, you may spot Strasbourg’s most famous bird, the stork.
Storks are considered a symbol of the Alsace region (where Strasbourg is), and you’ll find plenty of them nesting on top of trees around and in the park.
They are quite the sight, and although mute, they make noise by clapping their beaks.
Storks are migratory birds, migrating from Africa to Europe for the warmer months, but despite this, the habitat design in Parc de l’Orangerie means some of the storks remain all year round.
All the major parks are marked on the map at the bottom of this page, and more details about Parc de l’Orangerie are below (because that was our favourite).
📍 Parc de l’Orangerie, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
🕙 Daily, 7 am–8 pm
9 | Hit the Museums
Strasbourg offers plenty of museums, including one you might not expect: the Voodoo Museum, the world’s largest private collection of West African voodoo objects.
Beyond voodoo, the city has plenty of art and cultural museums to visit, with the main ones listed below:
- Voodoo Museum
- Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
- Alsatian Museum
- Historical Museum of the City of Strasbourg
- Museum of the Work of Notre-Dame
- Museum of Decorative Arts
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Archaeological Museum
- Zoological Museum
10 | Pick up Wine at the Hospital
The Historic Cellar of the Hospices of Strasbourg (Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg) is a historic wine cellar beneath Strasbourg Hospital, dating back to 1395.
For a room full of oak barrels containing that delicious red and white stuff that makes our heads go fuzzy, it’s surprisingly engaging.
When the cellar was created, it was used to fund hospital operations by selling wine from vineyards donated by patients and benefactors.
Today, it’s open to the public, showcasing impressive wine barrels and artefacts and hosting tastings.
The cellar houses the world’s oldest wine aged in a barrel, dating back to 1472, and features massive barrels, some holding over 26,000 litres.
The wine from the oldest barrel has only been served three times in over five hundred years, and you can still see it (it’s under lock and key, of course).
📍 1 Pl. de l’Hôpital, 67000 Strasbourg, France
💷 Free
🌍 vins-des-hospices-de-strasbourg.fr
🕙 Mon-Sat, 8:30 am to 12 pm & 1:30 to 5:30 pm
🕙 Closed Sundays
Map
To help navigate around Strasbourg, below is a map of things to do in the city.
As you will see, lots of the attractions are close to one another.
Is a weekend long enough in Strasbourg?
Yes, it is. There’s quite a lot to do in Strasbourg, including plenty of museums. Despite this, the city isn’t vast and doesn’t take long to get around, so you can pack a surprising amount into a weekend.
Is Strasbourg worth visiting?
Yes, Strasbourg is worth visiting. It’s a beautiful city with a rich history that spans centuries. There are plenty of things to do in Strasbourg to fill a weekend, and some pleasant strolls around admiring the city itself.
When is the best time to visit Strasbourg?
Strasbourg is a year-round destination, with plenty to do. If you’d prefer a quieter visit, January is a good option. If you like Christmas season festivities, Strasbourg is famous for its Christmas market. Or if you’d prefer warmer temperatures, summer is your best time to visit.
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Brilliant. It’s donkey’s years since I went to Strasbourg, which is almost on my doorstep. So I might have to go again one day.
Get yourself over there, Brian!