Strasbourg Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Strasbourg tours, the soaring Gothic cathedral, the canals of Petite France, a boat cruise on the Ill, the famous Christmas markets, and day trips along the Alsace Wine Route to Colmar and the storybook villages of Riquewihr and Kaysersberg. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Strasbourg itinerary.
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Explore Strasbourg by interest
Whatever brings you to Strasbourg — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Alsace Wine Route
Vineyards and tastings.
ExploreColmar & villages
Alsace’s storybook towns.
ExploreOld Town & Petite France
Canals and timbered houses.
ExploreBoat cruises
The river Ill and EU quarter.
ExploreCathedral
A Gothic masterpiece.
ExploreFood & wine
Tarte flambée and Riesling.
ExploreChristmas markets
Europe’s Capital of Christmas.
ExploreDay trips
Alsace and the Black Forest.
ExploreTop attractions in Strasbourg
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Petite France
Canals and timbered houses.
Cathedral
A soaring Gothic masterpiece.
Colmar
Alsace’s “Little Venice”.
Alsace Wine Route
Vineyards and villages.
Christmas markets
Europe’s Capital of Christmas.
European Parliament
The EU quarter.
Riquewihr
A storybook wine village.
Alsatian food
Tarte flambée and choucroute.
Strasbourg in 1 day
- 1Cathedral & clock
- 2Petite France
- 3River Ill cruise
- 4Tarte flambée & wine
Strasbourg in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Cathedral & Petite France
- 2Day 2: Alsace Wine Route & Colmar
- 3Vineyards & villages
- 4Winstub evenings
Strasbourg in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Cathedral & Petite France
- 2Day 2: Wine Route & Colmar
- 3Day 3: Black Forest or castle
- 4Alsace & beyond
Strasbourg with kids
- 1Cathedral clock figures
- 2Petite France boats
- 3Storybook villages
- 4Bredele & treats
40 min awayColmar
Alsace’s “Little Venice”.
30 min awayAlsace Wine Route
Vineyards and tastings.
50 min awayRiquewihr & villages
Storybook wine villages.
40 min awayHaut-Koenigsbourg
A dramatic hilltop castle.
1.5 hrs awayBlack Forest
Triberg, Titisee and Freiburg.
1 hr awayBaden-Baden
A German spa town.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Strasbourg visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring and early autumn (May–June, September) bring warm days, green vineyards and thinner crowds — the best times for the city and the wine route.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Mild, blooming days ideal for Petite France, boat cruises and the wine route coming to life.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and lively, perfect for terraces, cruises and the wine route, though it can be busy and hot.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Golden vineyards and the grape harvest make autumn a wonderful time for the Alsace Wine Route.
Christmas (late Nov–Dec)
Strasbourg becomes the “Capital of Christmas”, with magical markets, lights and mulled wine — busy but unmissable.
Book early for Christmas
The Christmas markets draw huge crowds; book tours and especially accommodation far ahead.
One day
Enough for the cathedral, Petite France and a cruise.
Two days
Add the Alsace Wine Route and Colmar.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, the wine route, and the Black Forest or a castle.
Four to five days
Add more villages, Mulhouse and the German side.
A week or more
Use Strasbourg as a base to explore all of Alsace.
Travelling with kids
Mix the clock, a boat cruise and a village trip at a gentle pace.
On foot
Strasbourg’s Grande Île, cathedral and Petite France are compact and best explored on foot.
Trams
A modern, efficient tram network covers the wider city and reaches the station and suburbs cheaply.
By bike
Flat and very bike-friendly, Strasbourg has extensive cycle paths and Vélhop shared bikes.
Boat cruises
River cruises on the Ill offer a scenic way to see Petite France and the European quarter.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for the wine route, Colmar and the Black Forest; trains reach Colmar in 30 minutes.
From the airport
Strasbourg Airport links to the centre by a short shuttle-train in about 10 minutes.
Book day trips ahead
Popular Alsace Wine Route and Colmar day trips and Christmas-market tours sell out — book well ahead.
Currency & tipping
France uses the euro; service is included, so tipping is modest — rounding up for good service is enough.
Try tarte flambée
Sample Alsatian specialities — tarte flambée (flammekueche), choucroute and bretzels — in a traditional winstub with a glass of Riesling.
See the clock at noon
Visit the cathedral’s astronomical clock for the apostles’ procession at solar noon (around 12:30), and climb the platform for views.
Christmas crowds
During the Christmas markets the centre is very busy; visit on weekdays and book accommodation early.
Train to Colmar
A cheap 30-minute train reaches Colmar; it makes an easy independent day trip too.
Wine Route tours
Popular Alsace Wine Route and tasting tours fill up — book ahead.
Colmar & village tours
Colmar and village day trips sell out, especially in autumn — reserve early.
Christmas-market tours
Christmas-market tours and accommodation book out months ahead — plan early.
Boat cruises
River cruises are busy in summer and at Christmas — pre-book.
Food & wine tours
Small-group food and wine tours have limited places — reserve early.
Summer & December
Summer and the Christmas season are very busy — plan well ahead.
Wine Route tours
Around €60–110 for an Alsace Wine Route tour with tastings.
Colmar & villages
About €60–95 for a Colmar and villages day trip.
Walking tours
Around €15–40 for a guided old-town or cathedral tour.
Boat cruises
Roughly €15–20 for a river cruise on the Ill.
Black Forest tours
About €70–110 for a Black Forest day trip.
How to save
Walk the compact old town, enjoy the free cathedral, and take cheap trains to Colmar and the villages.
Strasbourg through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild days for Petite France and the wine route.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Vineyards green up; lovely and quieter.
- Best for
- Warm days for cruises and the wine route.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Busy and warm; book day trips ahead.
- Best for
- Golden vineyards and the grape harvest.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A wonderful time for the Alsace Wine Route.
- Best for
- The magical Capital of Christmas markets.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Very busy in December; book early.