Strasbourg, France
We've been to Strasbourg a couple of times now, and we love it here. It's such a fun city to just walk around — the canals, the half-timbered houses, little streets, great food and wine... all of it.
And then there's Christmas. We LOVE Christmas markets, and Strasbourg at Christmas is pretty hard to beat. The whole city gets into it.
So this is a little mix of our visits — and the things we love about Strasbourg.
Strasbourg is such an easy city to wander around. We spent a lot of time in Petite France, walking along the canals, crossing the little bridges and getting lost in the streets with all those half-timbered houses.
We stopped for coffee, food and wine along the way and really didn't have much of a plan. That's usually when we have the most fun anyway.
You can walk from Petite France to the Cathedral and the main squares pretty easily, and there's always something to stop and look at along the way.
Okay, now the Christmas markets. This is really what brought us to Strasbourg the first time. We LOVE Christmas markets, and Strasbourg goes all out. They're everywhere — little wooden stalls, lights, decorations, food, mulled wine, music... the whole city feels like Christmas.
Food & Wine in Strasbourg
We definitely ate well in Strasbourg. Lots of wine, lots of very Alsatian food, and apparently we never met a pastry we didn't like.
One of the things we always order when we're here is tarte flambée — thin and crispy, usually covered with crème fraîche, onions and bacon. Add mushrooms and a glass of wine and we're happy.
We've eaten at Aux Trois Chevaliers and Chez Yvonne, both cozy, traditional places that are exactly what you want after walking around Strasbourg in the cold.
And then there were the pastries. Because coffee and something completely unreasonable for breakfast is basically required in France.
Where We Stayed
We've stayed at both Ibis Strasbourg Centre Halles and Mercure Strasbourg Centre Petite France.
Neither is a fancy hotel, but both were very clean, comfortable and well located, which is really what matters to us. When we're somewhere like Strasbourg, we'd rather spend our time out exploring — and our money on food and wine than on a fancy hotel room.
Both are part of ALL – Accor Live Limitless, so if you're a member, make sure you book with your account and get the points.
Both put us within easy walking distance of the places we wanted to go, and we'd stay at either one again.
When You Go
Walk everywhere. Strasbourg is really easy to explore on foot, especially Petite France, the Cathedral and the historic center.
Go at Christmas at least once. The markets are what first brought us here, and they're still one of our favorite things about Strasbourg. It gets crowded, but it's worth it.
Take a day trip to Colmar. If you're here during Christmas market season, definitely make time for Colmar. It's an easy day trip from Strasbourg and turns into its own little Christmas wonderland. The decorated buildings, lights and markets are beautiful, and it's fun to experience both cities on the same trip.
Eat the Alsatian food. Get the tarte flambée, try the local wine, and don't skip the pastries.
Book early for Christmas. Hotels fill up and prices go up quickly during the Christmas market season, so this is one trip we wouldn't leave until the last minute.
Don't rush it. Strasbourg is one of those places where half the fun is just walking around, stopping for coffee or wine and seeing where you end up.