NOVEMBER 2021
I had no idea that Strasbourg & the Alsace were such a beautiful travel destination during fall, which is exactly why I am sharing this recommendation with you. I visited Strasbourg for four nights at the end of October and we were surprised by peak colors for the leaves. This region is particularly stunning when you go to the vineyards, which have all changed color as well. I already knew that the Alsace is gorgeous, but I didn’t know that Strasbourg is definitely worth a visit as well. You can read my recommendations for this area in this blog.
Practical information
Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parliament, therefore it is famous all through Europe and you will hear many different languages when you visit. You will find Strasbourg in the northeast of France, near the German border, making it a good hub for exploring the nearby area of Germany as well. It is also the capital of the Alsace region (Elzas). The Alsace is famous for its Riesling wine, so you will find many vineyards close to Strasbourg. Close to Strasbourg you can also find the National Park des Vosges, which is a good spot for hiking and enjoying nature. We stayed in nearby Illkirch-Graffenstaden for four days and used this as a hub to explore the French and German part of the Alsace. Below you will find my pictures of the canal near our hotel.
Things to do in Strasbourg
Petit France: One of the most beautiful areas in Strasbourg is Petit France, where you will find the quintessential Alsacian half-timbered houses. You will have gorgeous views walking around the canals. I found the fall colors in this area really lovely too, as you will spot many buildings covered in ivy and virginia creeper.
Strasbourg Cathedral: Another beautiful spot is the Strasbourg Cathedral. It lights up beautiful in the evenings, definitely worth a nightly stroll. I found that this area offered a good range of restaurants. Next to the Cathedral you will find Maison Kammerzell, which is a real institute with traditional food in Strasbourg, I have included some pictures of the beautiful building and decorated ceiling below. If you like to have typical Alsacian food in a historical surrounding, make sure to reserve timely. Another street with good food is nearby Rue du Maroquin and the surrounding streets. I found that restaurants in this area are better maintained and cleaner than in Petite France. We had dinner at Le Gruber, which doesn’t get the good reviews it deserves. We had a delicious dinner consisting of duck (magret de canard) and schweinehaxe, but they had plenty of veggie options as well, as they serve many dishes with local cheeses.
Quai des Bataliers: Historical Strasbourg is surrounded by canals and you will not only find them in Petit France. I loved the canalside area at Quai des Bataliers, you will find the more original shops in this area and it is a little less touristy. The views of Strasbourg cathedral were also very lovely!
Alsacian food: You cannot visit Strasbourg without having Alsacian food. I already wrote a blogpost about this, which you can find here.
Christmas markets: Strasbourg organises one of the most famous Christmas markets in France and I still didn’t get to visit. However I already got into the Christmas spirit by visiting the Christmas store, which definitely helped me get in the mood for winter.
Alsace
Near Strasbourg you will find many cute villages, surrounded by vineyards. We decided to revisit Eguisheim, as this is one of the cutest villages of the Alsace. I was super exited to visit the colorful vineyards, but had to do with a few quick shots out of the car window as it was super rainy when we visited. However, this doesn’t take away the original beauty of this area, but for now you will have to believe it from a few rainy shots and my old blogpost.
