Winter in Strasbourg offers a unique and enchanting experience, combining festive traditions, special food, historic charm, and a cozy atmosphere. There is no other place like Strasbourg during the colder months!
Winter in Strasbourg, our favorite places and activities:
1. Christmas Decorations
The entire city transforms into a winter wonderland during the Christmas season. Strasbourg’s medieval streets and squares are adorned with festive lights, creating a magical atmosphere:
2. Christmas Market
Strasbourg is home to the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, dating back to 1570. The market, known as “Christkindelsmärik,” offers a rich historical and cultural experience:
Erika, Sophia, and Andrew and the Place Kleber Christmas carousel:
3. Concert de Noel: Christmas concerts at the beautiful, hundreds of years old churches
During the Christmas season, many of Strasbourg’s historic churches, become venues for special Christmas concerts. The atmosphere there is inspiring, with its Gothic architecture, organs, and stained glass windows.
4. Strasbourg Cathedral and its huge Nativity scene
Almost 600 years old, Strasbourg Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral known for its stunning architecture. During the Christmas season, a 10 meters long Nativity scene is set up to celebrate the birth of Jesus:
5. Winter holidays in Strasbourg and its sweets
6th of December, Saint-Nicolas holiday:
Traditional sweets in Alsace to celebrate Saint-Nicolas is “Mannele”, a sweet brioche man. Kids eat it for breakfast or as a snack:
6th of January – Epiphany
Epiphany is the day when three wise men led by the star arrive at baby Jesus. Traditional sweets: Galette des Rois, an almond pastry shaped like a cake.
The secret: a porcelain figurine hidden inside the cake and a crown to wear:
February: Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday”
Mardi Gras Carnival is a celebration before the long Easter fast. Traditional carnival sweets: “bugnes”, similar to doughnuts.
6. Square Louise Weiss: creative workshops for children
The area around Square Louise Weiss is beautiful: situated on the island, surrounded by half-timbered houses and water. The nice wooden playground is located right across the Square Louise Weiss.
Check the schedule before you go – during weekdays it might be close to the public (and open for the school groups)
7. “Happy tour”: free tour over Strasbourg
For around 1.30 hours you can walk with passionate locals, who know and adore their city. Kids are welcome, tips are appreciated. Available year-round.
8. Oysters served in streets of Strasbourg before Christmas
If you are craving oysters, you can find several oyster stands during December at Strasbourg center: near Place d’Austerlitz, Quays des Bateliers, the Saint-Thomas bridge, and Cafe Atlantico.
9. Relaxing at Municipal Bain
During Strasbourg winter, Municipal Bain saunas and Nordic pool are an absolute must-visit. They’re unique, relaxing, and available for adults and kids 16 and over y.o.:
10. Rohan Palace
Palace Rohan is a beautiful building located aside from the Strasbourg Cathedral. Our children called it “The place where the kings and Napoleon stayed”.
11. Batorama: covered boat tour over the river
Exploring Strasbourg by covered boat is a convenient and relaxing experience. We liked it for the different perspective of seeing the medieval city: from the river and canals. Kids welcome!
12. Cave Historic
For more than 600 years, wine was made in the historic cellar of the oldest Strasbourg hospital. It proudly hosts the oldest white wine in the world.
13. Visiting European Parlament
The European Parliament in Strasbourg is open to visitors all year round. Visits are free and can be done with the help of an audio guide:
14. Trying local, Alsatian, cuisine at Winstubs
The word winstub is an Alsatian word composed of “win”, meaning “wine”, and “stub” which designates the room heated in winter in traditional houses.
Traditional dishes are served at winstubs: tart flambee, bæckeoffe, and choucroute:
During the Christmas season, winstubs are also beautifully decorated:
15. Visiting local museums
Strasbourg, Alsace has a distinctive history and culture. During cold, wet wintertime Museum of Alsace and the Historical Museum of the City are nice to visit with children:
16. Sipping wine at the barge on the river bank
There are several barges near Strasbourg’s city center transformed into bars/restaurants. On a sunny day, on the banks of the river Ill, with a good meal and a beautiful view: nothing more relaxing and welcoming:
17. Strolling at the Quai des Bateliers
Quai des Bateliers (“Boatmen’s Wharf”) is 530m. long and located at the liveliest and one of the oldest neighborhoods in Strasbourg. This is one of our favorite places in town.
During Christmas season, all the wharf transformed by yellow stars hung on the trees along the river:
18. Exploring Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle
40 minutes by car from Strasbourg, there is a place to experience Medieval times. Haut-Koenigsburg draws over 500,000 visitors annually and is one of the most interesting castles in France.
Good to visit any time of the year, with kids:
19. Winter in Strasbourg: Warming up at the traditional French cafe
Visit it for a coffee, hot chocolate, or a traditional breakfast: a coffee with a horizontally sliced baguette, covered in butter/jam or croissant.
Pictured below: our favorite French cafe in Strasbourg, Pâtisserie Sébastien:
20. Heading out of the city: Vosges mountains
Le Champ du Feu is a ski resort located 1,098 meters above sea level, 50 min by car from Strasbourg. In winter, the place is nice for cross-country and downhill skiing, sledding, and walking in the forest:
21. Visiting charming towns along the famous Alsatian Wine Route
The famous Alsace Wine Route starts a just few kilometers west of Strasbourg, in Marlenheim. During winter wine route is less crowded, but the same captivating. Our favorite stops:
- Colmar
- Kaysersberg
- Riquewihr:
Riquewihr is a wine-growing and fortified town with a double rampart dating back to the 13th century.
Don’t forget to try notable Alsacian wines: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Crémant.
22. Head up for Germany, Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden is a spa town located in the mountains of the Black Forest near the border with France. Its thermal baths made it famous in the 19th century.
Christmas markets or the thermal baths? You can do both in Baden Baden, just in 1-hour drive from Strasbourg:
23. Switzerland, Basel
Basel is a city located on the banks of the Rhine, in a 1.40 min drive from Strasbourg. Don’t miss it if you are around in February!
The biggest Carnival in Switzerland takes place every February in Basel before the Easter fast at 4 a.m. and lasts exactly 72 hours:
Thank you for reading, we are happy to have you here!
Make sure to check out fees, hours, and conditions before you go
