One Day In
Strasbourg,
France:
My Favorite Rhine River Cruise Stop
One Day In Strasbourg, France: My Favorite Rhine River Cruise Stop
Published July 29, 2022
A Rhine River cruise between Switzerland and the Netherlands is one of the most enchanting ways to explore a large section of Western Europe. The cities and towns along the Rhine are all so quaint, with rich histories shaped by the river. You can tell that many of these cities were centers of cultural exchange, influenced by military struggles to control the strategic waterway.
All of these things are especially true of Strasbourg, a French city with a German-sounding name. Strasbourg sits almost on the border of the two countries in the region of Alsace. Today, it is one of the Europe’s most important cities. That’s because many European governmental institutions are based in Strasbourg.
I recently went on a Viking Rhine River Cruise, and we docked in many beautiful places in France and Germany. However, Strasbourg was probably my favorite stop. If you’re planning on spending a day in this fascinating city, this post will explain what you’ll have time to see and do! Below is a list of the different attractions I found noteworthy.
Petite France
This beautiful district is the perfect place to start exploring Strasbourg in the morning. It’s quieter than the area surrounding the Notre Dame Cathedral, but it’s just as quaint. Petite France is known for its idyllic canals and half-timbered buildings. That’s the name for the distinctive German architectural style that has wooden support beams on the exterior of buildings, as shown in the photos below.
We were briefly introduced to Petite France during our walking tour of Strasbourg led by Viking Cruises. However, I’m glad I came back later in the day to spend a bit more time here. The waterways and the colorful homes make Petite France such a picturesque area!
On the west end of Petite France, you’ll encounter the Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg, a series of old brick towers and bridges that cross the canals. This happened to be where our guided tour of the city began.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg
Strasbourg’s Notre-Dame Cathedral is the city’s most famous landmark. Like the majority of things featured in this post, this massive church is located on Grande Île, an island that comprises the historic center of town. As you can see on the map below, various bridges connect Grande Île to the rest of the city.
The massive Notre-Dame Cathedral dominates the city’s skyline. That’s because at 466 feet tall (142 meters), it is one of the tallest churches in the world. That height may not sound extremely impressive compared to today’s modern skyscrapers, but the following facts from the church’s Wikipedia page give a better sense of just how exceptional it is.
- This was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874 (over 200 years).
- It is the sixth-tallest church in the world at the time of writing.
- The Strasbourg Cathedral took over 400 years to be built, and was completed in 1439.
- It is the tallest still-standing structure built entirely during the Middle Ages.
Pictures of the cathedral don’t do it justice, either. In person, its intricate brown sandstone exterior and somewhat asymmetric design (with only one spire that’s not centered) make it one of the most memorable churches I’ve ever visited.
If you’re visiting Strasbourg on a guided tour organized by a cruise, they will probably bring you inside the church. The interior is absolutely worth seeing, especially the astronomical clock that can be found towards the front of the sanctuary.
Finally, I highly recommend climbing the spiral staircase to see the surrounding cityscape from the top of the church. This was not included on our Viking River Cruise excursion, but I’m glad I did it on my own.
A long winding staircase can be a little disorienting and tiring, but there are little platforms to step to the side and catch your breath if you need to. At the very least, this cathedral had one-way foot traffic on two separate staircases (one for going up, one for coming down). That isn’t always the case!
On a nice sunny day, the view from up above really is spectacular. Strasbourg is a beautiful city, including its rooftops!
Neustadt
Located directly northeast of Grande Île, this neighborhood has a German name that means “New Town.” As that name suggests, the architecture here does generally look newer than in the historic center, but it’s still impressive. The Jardin de la Place de la République is a nice area to walk around, and the Église réformée Saint-Paul is another beautiful church to see on the Ill River.
Krutenau
Krutenau is the lively area southeast of Grande Île. I only had a brief walk through, but the riverfront walk is quaint. It offers views of the Palais Rohan and the Église réformée Saint-Paul in Neustadt.
Food in Strasbourg
The most famous dish in Strasbourg is sauerkraut, so some family members and I definitely wanted to try it. After some browsing, we ended up at Aux Armes de Strasbourg, a local restaurant on Gutenberg Square. We got two appetizers: escargot, plus a plate that had shredded veggies, a small salad, and a breaded cold meat item that I don’t know the name of. I liked the escargot, and the fresh veggies were fine, but that bread and meat thing was a little odd to me.
For my main dish, I got “choucroute des Armes 6 garnitures, pommes nature” which was translated into English as “sauerkraut with 6 trimmings, steamed potatoes.” I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but I think the word ‘garnitures’ made me think of ‘garnishes.’ I was probably expecting the dish to come with sauerkraut and six small sides, maybe some veggies, maybe some small meat portions. Instead, it came with a mountain of meat! There was so much that it completely covered the sauerkraut, and it just ended up being a ton of food. However, all those sausages, potatoes, and other bits didn’t have a ton of flavor.
If I’m being honest, this wasn’t my favorite meal during our time in France and Germany. I’m glad we tried to find local food and didn’t just settle for a burger or pizza in Strasbourg, but the sauerkraut plate wasn’t amazing. You might want to research food options a little more in depth before arriving. Or if you’re coming in on a cruise, ask the program director for lunch recommendations in town!
Make the Most of a Day in Strasbourg!
Other than our underwhelming lunch, Strasbourg really impressed me. I wish I had more time to explore, but short visits are what you get when you’re traveling by cruise!
If you’re about to embark on a day trip to Strasbourg, I hope this blog post has been helpful for planning purposes! Are you headed that way soon? Will you be visiting as part of a Rhine River cruise? Leave a comment below and let me know! Thanks for reading, and enjoy your time in this historic city!
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This post was published on July 29, 2022
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Where I’ve Been
I will take the Viking cruise in April. I really enjoy your article about Strasbourg.
You wrote “We were briefly introduced to Petite France during our walking tour of Strasbourg led by Viking Cruises. However, I’m glad I came back later in the day to spend a bit more time here. ..” How do you came back? by bus, taxi or walk from the port?
If I remember correctly, the Viking walking tour of Strasbourg ended at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, and Petite-France is only about a fifteen minute walk away. We were given a few hours in the afternoon to explore Strasbourg on our own without a guide.
Would it be possible to walk from the ship’s port to the city center of Strasbourg?
I think it is about an hour, so technically possible. However, I don’t think it’s particularly picturesque. The walk would be through some industrial areas on the western side of the city along the Rhine.
Thanks you so much.