1 Day in Strasbourg: The Perfect Strasbourg Itinerary

It may not be the first place you think of when planning a trip to France, but the city of Strasbourg is a perfect example of why you should visit the Alsace region. Thanks to its interesting blend of French and German culture, Strasbourg has plenty of history, food, and especially wine to tempt travelers – and despite being one of France’s largest cities, it doesn’t feel daunting or difficult to get around.

Because it sits near the border between France and Germany, Strasbourg is the ideal stop on your journey between the two European nations. What’s more, with all the best places to visit in Strasbourg being so close together and easy to see, you can get away with quite a short visit if needed. To make the most of your time in this underrated city, follow our Strasbourg itinerary, which will show you precisely what to do in Strasbourg in one day so you don’t miss out on anything.

Best Time to Visit Strasbourg

With just one day to see the city, you’ll want to time your trip to Strasbourg carefully. There’s nothing worse than arriving at a destination and being hit with awful weather or fighting your way through crowds. As such, the best time to visit Strasbourg is in the spring and autumn, when the weather is comfortable and tourist numbers are lower.

Summer is the high season in Strasbourg, with August typically being the busiest month. July is often hotter than August and almost as busy. Arriving a little earlier (April through early June) or waiting until September is best, as exploring the city will likely be a more pleasant and carefree experience then.

Another popular time to visit Strasbourg is around Christmas, as the city undeniably has one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. This huge market and its glittering lights make late November and December an enchanting time to go, but accommodations may be more expensive than usual.

How to Get Around Strasbourg

While the greater city of Strasbourg covers quite a large area, you’ll mostly stick to the lovely historic center with this itinerary. Most of the Old Town is on the Grande Île, the island between the Ill River and the Canal du Faux-Rempart. Other parts of the city you’re likely to visit include Petite France and the neighborhood of Neustadt on the other side of the river.

This means that the city is quite easy to get around on foot. You should be able to see Strasbourg in one day by just walking without much hassle. In case you prefer to explore on two wheels, though, the city has a bike-sharing service, Vélhop, with flexible rental periods.

Alternatively, you can use the city’s network of trams and buses, which is especially useful if you are going to or from the train station or outer spots like the Botanical Gardens of Strasbourg University. The shared bus and tram tickets start at €1.70 (about $1.82) for a single trip. You can buy tickets at stations, kiosks, and tourist offices – or on board, though these tickets are more expensive.

Where to Stay in Strasbourg

Given the city’s layout, which neatly clumps most of its attractions together, working out where to stay in Strasbourg isn’t too hard. The best places to stay in Strasbourg are on the Grande Île, from which all the main attractions are easily reachable. You could also consider somewhere across the canal or river but still convenient. For example, Quartier de la Gare isn’t the prettiest area, but it puts you close to the bus and train station.

You’ll struggle to find anywhere in town that matches the grandeur and quality of the Régent Petite France Hotel & Spa. This five-star hotel offers spacious and chic rooms inside a converted mill in the popular Petite France neighborhood.

To strike a balance between affordability and conveniences like cooking facilities, consider the Aparthotel Adagio Access in Petite France. This vacation residence gives you a comfortable and functional space for your stay, within walking distance of some of Strasbourg’s prettiest spots.

Unfortunately, Strasbourg doesn’t have a lot of good budget accommodation, with Ciarus Hostel being the rare exception. With this hostel’s clean facilities and friendly staff, you’ll feel like you’re treating yourself despite the low price.

We also suggest looking for places to stay on Airbnb. For recommendations, check out our list of the best Airbnbs in Strasbourg.

For more accommodation options in Strasbourg, check out Booking.com. This site consistently offers the best rates, and its customer service is on point.

The Perfect 1-Day Strasbourg Itinerary

A day in a destination always feels like a blur when it’s the only one you have there, but this particular city is easy enough to cover in a day if you follow our Strasbourg travel itinerary. We’ll show you the very best of Strasbourg so that you can make the most of your short time seeing the city. You’ll see not only the city’s charming historic center and scenic waterfront, but also pieces of other interesting neighborhoods.

With that ever-useful bit of advice covered, let’s look at the best things to do in Strasbourg. Following this guide, you can see all of them with just 24 hours in Strasbourg.

Strasbourg Cathedral

Start your visit in the Old Town to see the city’s most noticeable landmark by far – the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg. Finished in 1439 after around 400 years of construction, this Gothic masterpiece cuts a monumental figure with its elaborate sandstone exterior. Thanks to its 142-meter tower, it was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874.

A visit to the cathedral isn’t complete until you see the immense interior. As you walk the halls, you’ll be bathed in multicolored light, courtesy of the vibrant stained-glass windows that decorate every side of the building – including the magnificent rose window directly above the entrance. The other big find inside the cathedral is the astronomical clock, which masks its complex mechanics with its cute appearance. Oh, and don’t miss your chance to see the city from the top of the cathedral tower!

Grande Île

With the city all around you as you stand in the middle of the Grande Île, it only makes sense to go explore the island. Following whatever grabs your attention, set out along the winding streets and discover Strasbourg on your own terms. You could go in search of delightfully photogenic old houses like the Maison Kammerzell (now a restaurant), duck down moody alleyways, or take in the sights around squares like the Place Gutenberg.

This being Europe, there are more than a few historic churches to see as well, such as St. Thomas’ Church and the Church of St. Peter the Younger. Of course, you’re also on an island, so you simply have to take a stroll along the waterfront that circles the Grand Île.

Place Kléber

Just like the city center, the Place Kléber – Strasbourg’s largest public square – is an unusual blend of historic and modern. This scenic plaza in the depths of the Grande Île gives you hints of Strasbourg’s many faces. With fountains bubbling away and plenty of people shopping or dining here, the Place Kléber is a hive of activity and a great opportunity to get a feel for the city.

Petite France

If there’s one part of Strasbourg that leaves visitors in complete awe, it’s Petite France. This is where you’ll find the majority of tourists, and you’ll understand why once you see what this neighborhood has going for it. Petite France is a winning combination of waterways and traditional houses that makes for one of the prettiest spots in France. For a classic Alsatian scene, there’s no better place to be in Strasbourg.

As you wander the district’s idyllic cobblestone streets, you’ll be overwhelmed by half-timbered houses, each a different pretty hue. Before you know it, you’ll reach another postcard-perfect waterfront. As you cross the charming Ponts Couverts, a series of three fortified medieval bridges, stop to admire the Barrage Vauban, a covered stone bridge over a weir in the river.

Alsatian Museum

On the far bank from the southern end of the Grande Île, you’ll find a set of three houses that hosts the Alsatian Museum. Looking at them from the street, you’d never guess that these fairly unassuming buildings were once grand Renaissance manors. But you’ll certainly believe it as you walk through them, across creaking floorboards and up narrow staircases, and see the wonderful courtyard that joins them.

The exhibits cover various aspects of daily life in the region during the 18th and 19th centuries. Even the houses’ rooms have been faithfully reconstructed in the style of that period, giving you a sense of what life was like once upon a time in Alsace.

Palais Rohan

We’re not done with Strasbourg’s museums just yet, thanks to the mighty Palais Rohan, an episcopal palace built in the 1720s. With its vast size and elegant Baroque design, you’ll have a hard time missing it. Take a moment to appreciate its facade, but the real reason for coming is inside. The palace is home to three museums – the Strasbourg Archaeological Museum in the basement, the Decorative Arts Museum full of ceramics and silverware on the ground floor, and the Museum of Fine Arts on the first and second floors. Pick one or see all three if you like, but we recommend purchasing the Museum Pass if you want to come here as well as the Alsatian Museum.

Botanical Gardens of Strasbourg University

Although it’s the farthest attraction from the city center, being over in the Neustadt area, we recommend seeing the Botanical Gardens of Strasbourg University. This historic garden has been around for 400 years and is home to 6,000 plant species – so it’s not only a peaceful place for a stroll, but also basically paradise if you have a green thumb. You’ll also find multiple greenhouses and an arboretum in the park.

Historic Wine Cellar

Alsace and wine go hand in hand, so why not head to some wine cellars to reward yourself after all that sightseeing? There’s no better choice than the Cave Historique des Hospices below the Strasbourg Civil Hospital, which has been in operation since 1395. You can visit on your own or take a guided tour to learn more about this historic wine cellar.

Once you’ve seen the gallery of barrels, you can browse a dazzling array of local and regional wines and pick a nice one for yourself. To cap it all off, find a spot by the river and toast to a successful day of sightseeing!

Have More Than 24 Hours in Strasbourg?

Even if you can see the highlights of Strasbourg in one day, there’s plenty more to see in this area. Strasbourg may be the main city of the historical Alsace region, but it’s certainly not alone in its jaw-dropping beauty. Here are some other superb Alsatian destinations that you can visit on a day trip from Strasbourg if you have time.

Option 1: Colmar

With its exceptional scenery and stunning half-timbered houses, few would dispute that Colmar is one of the best places to visit in Europe. It’s basically what you’d get if you scaled up Strasbourg’s Petite France neighborhood to the size of a town.

The medieval and Renaissance houses are at their most enchanting in Petite Venise by the Lauch River, but most places in Colmar will sweep you off your feet. If Colmar has one standout house you have to see, it’s the Maison Pfister, which dates back to 1537.

Option 2: Eguisheim

You can find more medieval goodness south of Colmar in the fairy-tale village of Eguisheim. Like Colmar, it has a wealth of dainty old timber-framed houses, but these houses form rings around the Château St. Léon in the village center. This 13th-century castle was mostly torn down to make way for the Chapelle St. Léon IX (an equally lovely church) in 1894, but what remains is still classically charming.

You’ll also find quite a few wineries, such as Domaine Joseph Gruss & Son, giving you another chance to sample some of Alsace’s best wine. Alternatively, venture a little outside the village to see the scenic Château du Hohlandsbourg or hunt down the ruins of the three castles of Husseren les Châteaux.

Option 3: Riquewihr

Another great stop on the Alsace Wine Route is the preserved medieval town of Riquewihr. Perhaps more so than Colmar and Eguisheim, Riquewihr is known for its wine, especially rieslings. But it also offers sparkling scenery with rows of half-timbered houses that essentially make it an open-air museum. In fact, you’ll find several impressive landmarks that have been converted into museums, such as the weapons museum in the Dolder Tower, the torture museum at the Tower of Thieves, and a walk-through exhibit on winemaking at the Maison des Vignerons (House of Winegrowers).

Want more suggestions? Check out our list of the best day trips from Strasbourg.

It’s fair to say that you can do plenty with one day in Strasbourg, particularly if you follow this itinerary. In a single day, this city will dramatically enhance your understanding of what France has to offer.