Strasbourg
CITY GUIDE
Gazing out across its medieval squares and
cobbled alleys, you would be forgiven for
forgetting that Strasbourg is the home of a
divisive European Parliament. Politics aside,
the city has year-round appeal – flower-
adorned café tables beckon passers-by in
summer, and Christmas markets bring festive
cheer in winter. Straddling the Franco-
German border, many agree it exudes the
best of both.
The Grande-Île is the city's showpiece; the
UNESCO-listed historic city centre is
surrounded by the Canal du Faux-Rempart
and River Ill. Little over one kilometre long
and wide, the island is packed full of culture
and architecture. Place Kléber is the main
square and home to the city's biggest
Christmas market, although most visitors
head straight to Cathédrale Notre-Dame to
admire its Gothic architecture, 12th-century
stained-glass windows and magnificent spire.
On the western edges of the island is Petite
France, home to the city's most historic and
picturesque houses where the tanners,
millers and fishermen of yesteryear lived.
For more historical intrigue, the Musée
Alsacien recreates homes and interiors
throughout two largely untouched 16th- and
17th-century houses, or hop on a Batorama
boat trip to the 19th-century German
Neustadt. For historical respite, the 26-acre
Parc de l'Orangerie is the city's best-loved
recreational space; shaded pathways lead to
secret waterfalls, and there's a free zoo.
Alsace's fairy-tale capital straddles France and Germany, weaving
between old and new to delight and surprise whatever the time of year.
Petite France,
home to the city's
most historic &
picturesque houses.
Strasbourg Christmas Market
Find festive cheer in the Alsatian city of Strasbourg
14 | Viking Explorer Society News
