Time out in Strasbourg
The City of Strasbourg is located in the historic region of Alsace, right next to the river Rhine, which marks the German-French border.
Strasbourg is one of the capitals of the European Union since it hosts a number of European institutions such as the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the Eurocorps.
The historic city center of Strasbourg is a marvel of history by itself. This section, which is called the Grande île is the first city center to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety. The Petite France district is known for its medieval look with its timber-framed buildings. There are many medieval streets worth seeing, such as the Rue des Juifs which is a very long street full of interesting shops, it’s right between the fine arts museum Musée Tomi Ungerer and the famous Strasbourg Cathedral, whose construction was completed in 1439. Standing tall at 142 meters, the cathedral used to be the tallest building in the world for 227 years from 1647 to 1874. The cathedral itself can be visited free of charge the first Sunday of every month.
One of the many activities to do once you’re in Strasbourg is to take the boat tour. The boats are equipped with headphones which explain the very rich history of the city and the many important buildings and the districts on the tour’s path. From the old medieval districts to the European Institutions, the tour itself is like a voyage in time.
Across from the European Institutions is the Parc de l’Orangerie, the park takes its name from the 140 Orange trees gifted to the city during the revolution. It has lots of green fields, a large lake and even a mini zoo for the children.
As for the European Institutions, the European Parliament can be visited except for the Sundays of the official holidays. You might need to book ahead of your visit if you’re a part of a large group, any groups of less than 10 people are considered as “individual” visits.
On this website you can find out more about the most unmissable and exciting things to do and see in Strasbourg.
Link to: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/the-top-10-things-to-do-and-see-in-strasbourg/
The Esplanade Campus of the University of Strasbourg has a number of great restaurants in proximity. “La Victoire” is an Alsatian restaurant with many great examples of the local cuisine. “La Patrie” is a Portuguese restaurant just next to the campus with great fish-based dishes. “Chez mon ex”, located between the Esplanade campus and the “Palais Universitaire”, has a cute décor with a number of options varying from burgers to brunches (they even have vegan or vegetarian options for their brunches). “Café Brandt”, close to the Palais Universitaire enjoys a great and a historical location.
As for the evening, “Au Dauphin” or “Winstub Chez Yvonne” at the center might be what you’re looking for. With their traditional Alsatian dishes and their location, they are great restaurants for a dinner at the city center. That’s also the reason why they’re usually all reserved and you have to make your reservations in advance before going there.
As for the hotels, Strasbourg is a popular tourist destination and you have to make your reservations as soon as possible. It would also be a good idea to choose a hotel at the city center since it would be easier in terms of transportation and you would also enjoy pleasant evenings thanks to the beautiful scenery. You will find a selection of hotels that should meet your expectations for a short stay in Strasbourg in our Accomodation page.