8 Things to Do in Strasbourg

La Petite France © Claudia Meyer

Located by the river Seine on the border to Germany in the Alsace region of France, Strasbourg offers many sights for visitors.

1. Stay at Hotel Le 21 at 21-23 rue du Fossé des Tanneurs. This small 2-star budget hotel is situated in the heart of the city near Place Kleber, an ideal location for sightseeing, shopping, and Strasbourg’s annual Christmas market. All rooms have shower, WC, internet access, and a small television. Breakfast is available for an additional fee. The ground floor level has a public Internet café and bar. The facilities and the service aren’t perfect, but I doubt you can find a better located hotel to a lower price than Hotel Le 21′s average rate of €51 per night.

2. Rent a bike. A great way to discover Strasbourg is from the saddle of a bicycle. The city has over 400 km of cycle tracks. In terms of friendly and helpful staff, the cycle shop at 10 rue des Bouchers near the train station is a good choice.

3. See Strasbourg from the Ill River. Boats depart regularly from the Palais de Rohan and a 75-minute cruise includes a recorded commentary in six languages.

4. Take a walk in Le Petite France. A charming part of Strasbourg is Le Petite France, an island surrounded by canals, pedestrian bridges, and old timbered houses.

5. Shop at La Place des Halles. This two floor shopping mall offers everything from grocery stores to fashion from Mango, ZARA, and H&M.

6. Go bar hopping. Some of the best bars in Strasbourg are located around Place de la Cathedrale, rue des Soeurs, rue des Freres and rue de la Croix.

7. Admire Modern Art. Musee d’Art Moderne at 1 place Jean-Heans Arp, in the middle of La Petite France, displays a great collection of modern art from the 1870s.

8. Pick up a free map at Office de Tourisme de Strasbourg at 17 place de la Cathedrale.