Today we welcome you to one of our favorite destinations: Strasbourg! Located along the border of Germany and France, Strasbourg has some of the best offerings of both countries' and cultures. This must-visit city that can be easily made a day-trip or a few day getaway! With so many sites to see, and the mix of historic and modern architecture, Strasbourg will have you feeling like you are in a story book and will surely be a place you'd like to visit again.
Strasbourg is easily walkable and for the few nights that we were there we found that we never once needed to return to our rental car. We stayed in a little walk-up AirBnB apartment located in the center of town, an absolutely perfect pick that we highly recommend surrounded by boutiques, restaurants, bars, museums, and more (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2078367). Strolling along the river that goes through town you can soak in the Bavarian charm and architecture. It’s everything you would expect from the region, and it doesn’t stop there, the food is incredible! We had some of the most memorable meals of all of our travels in this city.
So let's start with our top five recommendations for Strasbourg, all of which can be done in the same day or seen as you please.
1. Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg; this sandstone, 15th century church, is enormous and simple stunning. Walking through town you are bound to see the height of the cathedral, and once you approach the entrance be prepared for it to take your breath away! The cathedral also boasts an incredible medieval astronomical clock inside which at the time it was build was a masterpiece for its technological leap. Climb the 468 foot spire to see beautiful views of the city and really explore this amazing site.
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2. Walk the Grande Île; a little island that is located in the center of the city and surrounded by a number of canals, historic cookie-cutter buildings, and a handful of centuries-old churches, including the cathedral. Here you'll stumble upon bars, boutiques, museums, galleries, and the like. We suggest stopping at Le Goût du Terroir, Fromages et saucissons, for some cheese to take home for a snack!
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3. La Petite France; located on the Grande Île, this couple-block neighborhood blends the old-world French and German aesthetic perfectly. Covered bridges, half-timbered homes, and unique historical buildings.
4. Discover the FOOD; Strasbourg's cuisine is a reflection of the city's past influences, history, and mixing cultures. No matter what you must try their most traditional dish which is sauerkraut served with sausages and mashed potatoes, which is known as choucroute garnie. Spaetzel accompanies many dishes as well as gravies and mustards, pickles too! As cliché as it may seem, this really is the way to eat when visiting Strasbourg. Whether or not you've experienced your own version of choucroute garnie you MUST sit down for at least one meal while visiting - the best!
Two restaurants really stood out to us: Sandkischt and Pont du Corbeau, both small mom-and-pop shops with a delectable traditional take on the cuisine...
Sandkischt is located about a ten to twelve minute uber outside of the city of Strasbourgh, in to a little residential town in France. Here you are surrounded by locals only in a very rustic and quaint setting. We asked our waitress, who was the owner, to serve up their most authentic dishes and that paired with the atmosphere made this dinner one of our favorites from our trip.
Pont du Corbeau, a traditional winstub that is centrally located on the water, and if you don't keep an eye out you will miss it! We didn't realize at the time, but Pont du Corbeau is Michelin rated, and the owners and staff along with the impeccable wine and food truly make your experience one to remember.
We also recommend that after a long day of walking and exploring this beautiful city, stopping at Mi Casa es tu Casa for a simple charcuterie plate and delicious craft cocktails and beers. A great outdoor dining area, friendly and energetic atmosphere makes this the easy escape from the traditional fares. https://www.facebook.com/micasaestucasa.tapas/
5. And lastly, we recommend checking out the Carousel located in Gutenberg Square! Surrounded by renaissance buildings and both locals and tourists, this little gem will take you back in time. Make note of the statue of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the movable-type printing press.
Whether you are road-tripping through the region or planning a city-by-city vacation, we promise Strasbourg will deliver on every level. After visiting many towns and cities throughout Germany and France we added Strasbourg to a road trip itinerary last year at the last minute, and wow are we glad we did. The rich histories and culture that built this beautiful city have made it unique and one of a kind. Charm, beauty, history and food, we were stunned at how quickly this town became one of our favorites in Europe.
Have you traveled or are planning to travel Strasbourg? Share you experiences, itineraries, recommendations, and the like with us in our comment section!