When you want to experience the most stunning, unique and equally adorable Christmas decoration on the balconies of the half-timbered houses lined up on the cobble stone streets in France, longing to see a winter wonderland of Christmas which seems so picture perfect, your camera shutter won't shut, so to experience the fairy tale wonder land of Christmas,you must pay a visit to Strasbourg - Capitale de Noël (The Christmas capital).
Location :
Strasbourg is located in the northern part of France which is known as Alsace region.It is located near the border area of Germany and France. Hence, this city has a cultural blend of both countries.
How to arrive :
Strasbourg is accessible from any part of Europe via bus, train, flight. It has an international airport which is located approximately 19 Km away from the city centre.
Weather during winter :
The temperature during winter really goes low to -3 degrees in the evenings. So winter wear is must to avoid cold. It rains often in winter months and snows some times, so carrying an umbrella is absolute necessary.
We started our day trip to Strasbourg from Metz, France which approximately at a distance of 166 Km by road. We booked our tickets in bus with Flixbus. The cost of tickets (including return journey) for two person was 68 euros.It took around 2 hours to reach the flixbus terminal of Strasbourg, near Parc de l'Étoile.
Tip:
* This bus station has the free toilet facility which actually made us happy as we have been to couple of cities in Europe and almost every places (including stations and bus stops) they charge 50-90 cents per person to use to the toilet. So its was relief for us to use the free toilet.
There is a shopping centre right opposite to the stop Rivetoile where many outlets of clothing brands are present for purchase.
This is one of the magnificent examples of Gothic Architecture in France built during 13th century.It is the 6th tallest cathedral in the world which holds a 16th century astronomical clock.Though we wanted see the astronomical clock and the stained glass from inside but the crowd on that day to get inside the cathedral was tremendous. So we did not opt to spend time by standing in queue, instead admired the intricate Gothic architecture from outside.The 360 degree panoramic view of the Strasbourg can be enjoyed from the cathedral viewing deck by climbing 300 stairs present inside the cathedral.
Palais Ronan is situated on the bank of river Ill , right opposite to the lateral side of the Starsbourg cathedral. It is the the former residence of the prince-bishops and cardinals of the House of Rohan, an ancient French noble family. From 19th century it is housing three museums of art and archaeology. History and Art lovers can get a peek inside and learn about history about Strasbourg. As we wanted to explore the other corners of the city, so we moved forward towards the Christmas market in Grande Île.
The Strasbourg tourist information centre is situated near the cathedral from where tourists can get the free map of the the city and information related to any festival of function going around the city. The staffs speak English, so its convenient for the English speakers.
Grande Île (Large Island) is the historical centre or old town of the city which is also listed under the UNESCO world heritage list. As the name defines the area is surrounded by river III and Canal du Faux-Rempart. The narrows streets are lined up with restaurants, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. This is indeed the most bustling area in the month of December due to the largest Christmas market being held in this region. There are few antique hotels located which are several years old. The decoration of the cafes and bars are so distinctive from one another that you will not stop looking at them.
Instead of wander around by foot, want to cruise across the river III, then book the river cruise near the cathedral and appreciate the beauty of the Strasbourg by overlooking at them from water. The website to book the boat tour is as following and they do provide audio guide in several languages including English.
https://www.batorama.com/en/circuits/strasbourg-20-centuries-history
Tip:
* Boat tours during winter are completely dependent on weather , so plan accordingly.
The most touristy destination of Strasbourg is this little region on the bank of river III called "Petite France". The reason of being so popular among the visitors is due to the; Cobblestone alleys lined up well-preserved half timbered houses and canals and the history behind them. This place looks like a fairy tale french village straight out a painting. This place is standing tall since 17th century. During that time people used the water of river III to drive the machinery. This place was filled with tanners who convert the skin into leather since middle age. There are many boards installed on the streets detailing the history of this place (written in French ,German and English). While wandering around ,you get to learn so many facts behind this charming place which is standing tall since 17th century.
Few of the half timbered houses have been transformed into fancy hotels, restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops to pick the perfect post card of Petite France.
Strasbourg welcomes thousands of visitors all over the world each year in the month of December to experience and rejoice one of the oldest and stunning Christmas market of Europe. The tradition of organising Christmas market around the cathedral dates back to 1570.
It truly gets crowded in the evening time as compare to the day. The stalls are opened throughout the day and you can buy wines, hot chocolates, chocolates, eatables, the famous vin chaud and lot more. It truly lives up to the title of being called Capitale de Noël (Christmas capital).
Tip:
* Before planning for a Christmas trip to Strasbourg, be mindful of the dates of commencement and end of Christmas market. We visited just after two days of Christmas and couple of markets were shut down . There are 6-7 areas around the city where the markets are held annually. The biggest one is near the cathedral.The details can be found in the tourism website or the exclusive Christmas om Strasbourg website, which pops up when you google Christmas market in Strasbourg. If you are in France during December, do not miss out experiencing true European Christmas vibe of Strasbourg - The Christmas Capital.
We had booked our return journey from Strasbourg to Metz at 8:45 pm on the same day, so we arrived at Parc de l'Étoile (same stop as morning) around 7:45 pm and waited for our bus to come. The bus arrived around 8:30 and we got into the bus and said bye to this wonderful city for making our year end trip so memorable.
Tip:
* The Parc de l'Étoile bus station of Strasbourg does get busy in the evening as majority of buses going to Germany, Switzerland, Chez Republic and Italy (The destinations we just saw on that day) pass by this stop ,So just look for your bus number which gets displayed at the front of the bus so that you will not miss your bus.
* The Free public toilet at this station closes at 8:00 pm.
Break down of total cost for the trip:
* Bus tickets for two persons (two way) : 68 €
* Hot Chocolate at Starbucks : 9.10€
* Souvenir : 5.40€
* Lunch : We packed sandwiches from home(Metz, France) as it was a day trip so did not want to spend on lunch outside.
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