I think I’ve already been to Strasbourg 5 times! What a beautiful city! I’m really in love with it! The entire historical centre of the city is a UNESCO world heritage site. Honestly!
Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace, the border region with Germany, which has a strong influence on the architecture of the houses, the food and so on.
In fact, this region was ruled at different times by the French and Germans before settling under permanent French rule after WWII. Strasbourg is also considered the European capital, along with Brussels.
As we live only an hour by car, to visit Strasbourg is very easy, so we are very lucky to be able to go whenever we miss it or when Christmas is close, or even when my hubby wants to have a Glühwein on the other side of the river Rhine. For those who live in France or Germany (especially the nearest cities such as Stuttgart or Frankfurt) they can go to Strasbourg on a day trip.
From Paris it takes 3 hours by TGV and you can buy tickets in the SNCF site. From Frankfurt it also takes 3 hours by Dbahn and from Stuttgart there are faster options, about 2 hours and you can read more information visiting the Dbahn website.
Tourist attractions of Strasbourg in the Alsace region, France
To visit this city is very easy, and to get lost wandering around the streets and appreciating the climate of Alsace is a pleasure. While walking around the streets we got to see the following places:
- Notre Dame Cathedral: one of the most fantastic churches I’ve seen in my life. Since my first visit to the city I was mesmerized by it. Of a gothic style, the construction began in 1015. Its exterior is richly decorated with sculptures made of pinkish stone that change colour throughout the day. It’s the fourth biggest Cathedral in Europe, with its tower of 142 metres. We went up… my hubby nearly had a heart attack! Poor thing! He was carrying our little one! But the view is stunning; it’s totally worth the effort!
The interior of the Cathedral is also very beautiful, and the cool thing is that they have an astronomical clock, the mechanism of which dates from 1842. The clock is turned on every day at 12:30, and to see up close it’s necessary to buy a ticket at the tourist office, which is located in the cathedral square, on the leftside as you face the front of the cathedral.
Tip: it’s free to see the clock on holidays.
- The Kammerzell house: considered the architectural jewel of Strasbourg, is next to the cathedral. It is impossible to miss it because it’s really beautiful. This house served as the sales area for the various merchants during the 15th century and is now a restaurant.
- Place Gutenberg: 2 minutes walking distance from the Cathedral. It’s a nice square that has a cute carousel for the kids, and good restaurants. I’ve been twice to Au Gutenberg restaurant. Its specialty is regional food and is super baby/kinder friendly.
Tip: From Gutenberg place you can take a very nice photo of the cathedral 😀 - Place Kléber: the largest square in Strasbourg where you can find the iconic French shops FNAC, Galeries Lafayette, Sephora and so on…At Christmas it is home to the famous, huge Christmas tree.
- La Petite France: the most picturesque and cute district of Strasbourg. Formerly fishermen, blacksmiths and tanners were part of the neighbourhood. This area has the highest concentration of timbered houses. Today the area is full of restaurants and cafes that are at the edge of the Rhine and I’ll rivers.
- The Covered Bridges: near the Petite France area. The covered bridges, which aren’t covered these days, can be identified by four towers dating from the 14th century.
- Barrage Vauban: located a few meters away from Covered Bridges, this was built around 1690 in order to protect the city by flooding the southern end of town, in case there was an invasion. Today inside the dam you can see several sculptures recovered over the years. From the terrace the view is very beautiful with the Notre Dame Cathedral at the back of the Covered Bridges.
- I’ll River: anywhere around the old center you can stroll along the banks of the river and enjoy the city’s architecture. The route I like starts off in the Cathedral Square to the Republic Square, passing several boat-restaurants, the Palais Rohan, see people walking on the Batorama esplanade, going past the Saint Paul Church.
- Place de République: after the French defeat in 1870, Germany planned to make Strasbourg the capital of Reichsland of the Alsácia-Lorena. This neighbourhood, known as the “new city”, represented a new form of urban planning, with wide streets, administrative and cultural buildings, monuments and luxurious private homes. Also there is the Rhine Palace, the University Library and the National Theatre. In the center of the square there is a war memorial by sculptor Drivier, dating from 1936. It features a woman with her two children, one who died for France and one for Germany, a dramatic situation that, unfortunately, was very real to the people of Alsace during the two world wars.
Sightseeing Tours & Attractions in Strasbourg in the Alsace region, France