What to see in Strasbourg. The city is home to multiple European institutions, including the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the European Parliament. The city is the capital of the Bas-Rhin department , in the Alsace region of France, and has a very particular charm that we will discover together today.
It is worth spending at least two days in this city, and if you have a few more days, as we always say, even better. In this tour we will see some of the things to do in the city.
Indice:
Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg and the astronomical clock
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg was built between 1015 and 1439, has a single bell tower and was declared a historical monument of France in 1862.
The visit to the interior is free and well worth it, but the visit to the Strasbourg astronomical clock does cost money.
The astronomical clock dates back to the 16th century and has been listed as a French historical monument since 1987. It is a masterpiece of the Renaissance, the product of a collaboration between artists, mathematicians and technicians, Swiss watchmakers, sculptors and painters working as a team. The current mechanism dates back to 1842.
You can get the tickets:
- From 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.: in the stalls of the Notre-Dame Cathedral;
- From 11:30 a.m.: entrance to Place Saint-Michel, access from Place du Château. They are not booked in advance.
The documentary begins at 12 noon and the mechanism is activated at 12.30 pm. The cost of admission is €3.
We went in, and the clock is really impressive, although the documentary was a bit long.
The astronomical clock can be seen for free when it is not in operation, during the opening hours of the cathedral. ►Information on the website of the tourist office
Kammerzell House
We continue to enjoy this cathedral square and we will see the most famous house in Strasbourg, the Kammerzzell house.
The construction of the Kammerzzell house dates back to 1427, undergoing transformations in 1467 and 1589 . The ground floor is made of stone and the upper floors of half-timbered work; the sculptures on the beams depict sacred and profane scenes. The interior of the building was decorated with frescoes by the Alsatian painter Léo Schnug.
Gutenberg Square
Very close to the Cathedral we find Gutenberg Square. In the middle of it we find the statue of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the modern printing press, and a beautiful carousel that tempted us to go on.
In Strasbourg, as we do in all cities, we started with a free tour to be able to do the tour with a guide, we were lucky enough to do it through Javier who gave us a wonderful tour accompanied by information and music, it was an excellent tour.
►Book your free tour of Strasbourg
La Petite France
Our steps now take us to one of the most beautiful places in the city, about ten minutes walk takes us to La Petite France.
Arriving in this area is entering a story, we saw it when we were in Colmar or in the rest of the towns of Alsace and the same thing happens in this area of the city.
►A tour of the villages of Alsace is a must to do
The River Ill, bridges and half-timbered houses are the ideal setting for this dream tour.
But it was not always like this, but this area before the second half of the twentieth century was one of the poorest areas of the city.
Fishermen, millers and tanners lived and worked in this part of the city where the streets have been built at the level of the waterways.
The magnificent half-timbered houses date from the 16th and 17th centuries and their sloping roofs open onto lofts where hides were once dried.
The origin of the name Petite France is due to the fact that during the middle of the 16th century, in the Middle Ages, there was an increase in cases of syphilis in the city, which at that time was a free town within the Holy Roman Empire, known as “the French disease”. To combat the disease, the Strasbourg authorities created a hospice in this area and sent the sick here. The quay next to the hospital took the name of Petite France and over time it ended up spreading to the entire area.
This area dresses up for Christmas and visiting it must be wonderful. There are numerous restaurants and cafes where you can eat and have a drink.
Vauban Dam and Covered Bridges
We continue the hike from the Petite France area and arrive at the Covered Bridges.
These have kept their name even though they lost their roofs in the 18th century. They are dominated by four towers dating from the 14th century, which are the remains of the old walls that once guaranteed the independence of the former Republic of Strasbourg.
Immediately after the absorption of Strasbourg by France in 1681, Vauban built a new ring of fortifications here
The bridges and the dam were used as a defensive system, since the arches could be closed to cause flooding of the area of influence and thus block the advance of enemy troops. In addition, the towers also served as a prison or as an area of forty for the sick.
A few meters from the Covered Bridges, the Vauban Dam or Great Lock, was built around 1690. At the top of the building there is a panoramic terrace, from where we can admire the layout of the city and its network of canals.
I recommend you go up to this viewpoint of the dam, you will get a beautiful view of the bridges and you will see the cathedral in the background, undoubtedly a postcard of Strasbourg. The increase has no cost.
Embark on the Batorama
In this tour of what to see in Strasbourg I would include the boat tour.
You can admire all the beauty of Strasbourg from the water, as well as going to the European Parliament area, Neustad, the German quarter, the imperial area of the city, and passing through two of the canal locks.
The tour lasts about 60/70 minutes, leaving from the pier at Place du Marché aux Poissons, about 150 metres from the cathedral, and costs €14.50.
For up-to-date information , visit the official Batorama website
European Parliament
After the Second World War the city was chosen as a symbol of reconciliation to host the nascent European institutions. In 1949, it became the seat of the Council of Europe and then, in 1958, of the European parliamentary assembly (which was renamed the European Parliament in 1962).
The European Parliament can be visited but you must coordinate the visit, we leave you the website for more information.
►More information about the visit on their website
La Neustad, the German Quarter
The Neustadt, “new city”, also known as the German Quarter or Imperial Quarter , is the extension of the city of Strasbourg made by the German authorities during the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine.
If you want to tour the German Quarter and the parliament area you have a free tour that does it. ►Free tour of the German Quarter and the parliament area
Eglise Saint Thomas
We continue to choose what to see in Strasbourg and we are now going to visit the Saint Thomas church.
The church of Saint Thomas, consecrated to Protestant worship, is an example of Alsatian Gothic art dating from the seventeenth century and has been a historical monument of France since 1862.
Inside we find the pipe organ built in 1741 on which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played in 1778.
Place Kléber
Kleber Square is the largest square in the city centre and the heart of the shopping district. It also houses the statue of Kléber. At Christmas time, you will find a large decorated tree adorning the square.
What else to see in Strasbourg?
To this tour you can add the visit to the Palazzo Rohan Museum, or the Alsatian Museum, it will depend a little on the time you have in the city.
The imposing Saint-Paul Lutheran church and the Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune church are two buildings that stand out in the city and are worth a visit.
Visit Germany
We told you in the previous videos that in this area we are very close to the border with Germany, so much so that from Strasbourg taking one of the trams in the city centre you can reach the German city of Khel in just a few minutes.
You can get your ticket from the machines at the stop. They have a Spanish option, but it is very easy to do anyway. Just remember to validate it before getting on, you will find where to do it at the stop itself.
So we made the journey to Khel, although there is not much to see, we walked a bit and returned again by public transport to Strasbourg.
Another option to do in Strasbourg if you feel like it.
As in all charming cities, and Strasbourg does not escape that list, walking and discovering as we do is one of the ways to get to know it and perhaps one of the most beautiful ways.
Where do we stay in Strasbourg?
The hotel we chose was the Beaucour, very close to the pier where we took the Batorama and a few blocks from the cathedral, the magnificent place. It has a parking lot in front of the hotel where you can leave your car, which is always good when you go with it.
►Choosing the best hotel option in Strasbourg for my stay
Where do we have dinner?
The walk along the canal in this tour of what to see in Strasbourg takes us to the place we chose for dinner, the first night, Au Brasseur, a craft brewery with good food, the truth is that it turned out to be a success, and the price was good.
The second night we went to La Petite France in search of Le Baeckeoffe d’Alsace, the place is very nice, the food is very good, the service was not so good, maybe they were overflowing with people.
Map, plan, and video of Strasbourg
►Download the map of Strasbourg from the tourist office
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
