Strasbourg Travel Guide | My Life Trips

Strasbourg

Information

Strasbourg is the capital and largest city of Alsace in eastern France and is located on the west side of the river Rhine. It is a city that retains its historic center, with its main attractions, the Strasbourg Cathedral and the fairytale district of Petite-France. Strasbourg is a city which connects France and Germany, since it is very close to the two countries’ borders, while in Strasbourg both languages are spoken.

The city has a population of about 280,000 and the largest metropolitan area of 500,000. As it is known, Strasbourg is a very important European city and it is one of the three capitals of the European Union along with Brussels and Luxembourg.

What To See...

Petite-France

Petite-France is undoubtedly the most beautiful district of Strasbourg! The scenery here is like a fairytale, with its traditional houses, cobbled streets and the river. The most beautiful time to visit this place is Christmas as when the city is adorned then this place is truly unique!

Notre Dame Cathedral

The Strasbourg Cathedral dominates by the square and is definitely one of the city’s top attractions. Built in 1439 and at a height of 142 meters it is an imposing building that you must definitely visit. The Cathedral is open daily from 09:00-19:30 and the ticket costs 4.40 euros per person.

Grande Île

The “large island” as it is translated, is located in the heart of the city. It is named so because it is surrounded by two canals that cross Strasbourg and gives the impression that you are on a small island. From here you will take some of the most beautiful photos in Strasbourg, and it is an ideal place to walk and explore this beautiful, medieval part of the city.

Place Kléber

Place Kleber is the largest and most famous square in Strasbourg and is located in a very central spot of the city. Ideal for meetings but also for exploring the city. You will definitely spend some time here even if it is not in your schedule.

Parc de l'Orangerie

Parc de l’Orangerie is the city’s oldest park and in our opinion the most beautiful. Locals love this park, as it is really an ideal place to relax. Here you will find a farm, a small zoo and a lake, which are among the most beautiful spots of this park. Parc de l’Orangerie is outside the city center, but it is definitely worth visiting.

European Parliament Strasbourg

Since 1992, Strasbourg is also the official seat of the European Parliament. A very special building that definitely deserves to be visited, as it is possible to visit it also inside. It is advisable to visit the official website www.europarl.europa.eu to find out about opening hours, etc., because you can not visit the building individually.

Barrage Vauban

Vauban Dam is a 17th-century building located in the center of Strasbourg. From here you can see the beautiful view of the river but also visit the interior completely free of charge.

Nearby Excursions

We could not recommend something different for a one day excursion other than the magic villages of Alsace! The Alsace region is one of the most beautiful places we have ever visited in the world, and we suggest you to spend more than a day to see its beauties. We have detailed information about Alsace in an other article and it is a good idea to visit it and find out more details that will help you to see the most beautiful villages in the area. The distance to Colmar, is 73 km and is less than an hour drive by car. Do not look for another excursion, trust us Alsace will be truly unforgettable…

What To Eat

Although we are not fans of French cuisine, in Strasbourg we can say that we ate very well. Some of the specialties that are famous in Strasbourg are Tarte flambe, something like pizza but with a very thin crispy dough (we have not been impressed at all), Choucroute, a plate of sauerkraut, sausages and various kinds of meat, the Cordon blue , but also some of the tastiest veloute soups we have ever tried.

We visited several restaurants during our stay, but Winstub Meiselocker and Au vieux Strasbourg, which are very close to Strasbourg Cathedral were really amazing. In the first one we suggest you to try the extraordinary soups but also the awesome Cordon bleu and in the second one, the tasty Choucroute and the Tarte flambe.

How to move

If you have the opportunity to stay in the city center near Place Kleber, it is a very good starting point to see Strasbourg. Most of the attractions are close to each other, except for the Orangerie Park and the European Parliament building. For the last two, we suggest you to use the city’s metro to save time and effort.

On the main streets of Strasbourg, especially on weekdays, there is enough traffic and so if you rent a car, we would suggest you avoid to unnecessary drives in the city center…

Where to stay

Strasbourg is not a cheap city to stay in, especially if you want to stay somewhere in the city center. The average price for a double room in the city center is about 90-110 euros, maybe more depending on the hotel. Our suggestion is to stay just outside the center of Strasbourg, within a radius of 3-4 kilometers where prices drop dramatically, and within minutes you can be in the city center by just walking. You can do your research by clicking on the map below and making your reservations via Booking.com

Booking.com