3 days in Strasbourg

Day by day

1. Day 1: Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber

   Strasbourg Cathedral, Place Kléber and Astronomical Clock, then Krutenau in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Strasbourg Cathedral

      Built from pink Vosges sandstone between the 12th and 15th centuries, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg has an intricately carved west façade and a single 142-metre spire, the tallest building in the world for over two centuries.

   2. Late morning

      Place Kléber

      Combine it with Place Gutenberg and the shopping streets of Rue des Grandes Arcades nearby.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Choucroute garnie

      Traditional winstubs and brasseries across the Grande Île.

   4. Afternoon

      Astronomical Clock

      The cathedral's astronomical clock, rebuilt in its current form in the 1840s by Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué, shows planetary positions, the date of Easter and the phases of the moon.

   5. Evening

      Krutenau

      Student bars and pubs around Rue de Zurich and Place de Zurich.

2. Day 2: Petite France and Ponts Couverts and Barrage Vauban

   Petite France, Ponts Couverts and Barrage Vauban and Cathedral platform, then Place du Marché Gayot in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Petite France

      Come early in the morning or after dinner, when the crowds have gone and the reflections in the canals are clearest.

   2. Late morning

      Ponts Couverts and Barrage Vauban

      The Ponts Couverts are a set of bridges and four medieval towers that once guarded the river entrance to the city.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Tarte flambée

      Winstubs and specialist flammekueche restaurants, often sold all-you-can-eat on some evenings.

   4. Afternoon

      Cathedral platform

      Go on a clear morning for the best visibility of the Black Forest and the Vosges.

   5. Evening

      Place du Marché Gayot

      A small square behind the cathedral lined with bar terraces.

3. Day 3: Batorama boat tour and Palais Rohan

   Batorama boat tour, Palais Rohan and Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame, then Quai des Pêcheurs in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Batorama boat tour

      Glass-roofed boats circle the Grande Île and pass through the locks of Petite France before heading to the Neustadt and the European Quarter.

   2. Late morning

      Palais Rohan

      Start with the princes' apartments, then choose fine arts or archaeology depending on your interest.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Baeckeoffe

      Traditional winstubs, often only on certain days or if ordered in advance.

   4. Afternoon

      Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame

      Next to the cathedral, this museum displays original sculptures from the cathedral's façade, including the figures of the Church and the Synagogue, medieval stained glass and Upper Rhine painting.

   5. Evening

      Quai des Pêcheurs

      Bars on moored barges and along the Ill, popular on summer evenings.

Before you go

• Batorama boat tour: Departures sell out at peak times; reserve online for summer and the Christmas season.

If it rains

• Swap in Musée Alsacien (Grande Île): Look out for the painted wooden furniture and the traditional Alsatian costumes with their large bow headdresses.
• Swap in European Parliament and the European Quarter (Orangerie and the European Quarter): Check the European Parliament site for visitor-centre access and whether a plenary session is taking place.
• Swap in Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Gare district): Visit after the Barrage Vauban; it is just across the water.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Grande Île keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Petite France ($$$) suits couples, first-timers and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–10 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.3 hours in December to 16.1 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Strasbourg
• 2 days in Strasbourg

Questions travellers ask