Things to do in Strasbourg: the must-sees, from the cathedral to Petite France

Strasbourg Cathedral (Notre-Dame) is one of the great masterpieces of Gothic art. An earlier cathedral stood here around 1015; the present Gothic building was begun in 1176, and its 142-metre spire was completed in 1439 by Jean Hültz. That spire made it the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874, and it remains the second-tallest cathedral in France after Rouen.

The pink Vosges-sandstone façade is covered with hundreds of carvings and tympana depicting biblical scenes. Inside, the highlights are the Gothic vaults, the Pillar of Angels and, above all, the astronomical clock, whose procession of apostles comes to life every day at 12:30pm.

The cathedral sits at the heart of the Grande-Île, the historic centre inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 (extended to the Neustadt in 2017). It is the symbol of Strasbourg and the natural starting point for any visit.

At the western tip of the Grande-Île, where the Ill splits into several channels, Petite France was the district of tanners, millers and fishermen. Its 16th- and 17th-century half-timbered houses, with open lofts where hides were once dried, line the canals and locks, like the Maison des Tanneurs on rue du Bain-aux-Plantes.

The district is part of the Grande-Île inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. You explore it on foot, from the Covered Bridges and the Vauban Dam to place Benjamin-Zix, or by boat on the Ill, which passes through the district's lock.

Dating from 1570, the Christkindelsmärik, the "market of the Christ Child", is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe. Its historic site is place Broglie; today the chalets are spread over several squares of the Grande-Île, including place de la Cathédrale, and a huge Christmas tree stands on place Kléber.

The market runs from late November to 24 December. It sells Christmas decorations, wooden crafts and Alsatian specialities: mulled wine, bredele (Christmas biscuits), gingerbread and pretzels. The exact dates of each edition are published by the City in the autumn.

The European Parliament, whose official seat is in Strasbourg, is one of the European Union's main institutions. Since the June 2024 election it has 720 directly elected Members, who gather in Strasbourg for twelve plenary sessions a year to debate and vote on EU legislation and the budget.

Strasbourg was chosen as the seat for its symbolic value: the city embodies Franco-German reconciliation after the Second World War. The Louise Weiss building, with its deliberately unfinished tower suggesting a work permanently under construction, is a striking example of contemporary architecture, next to the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights in the European Quarter.

The Ponts Couverts are an iconic group of three bridges and four watchtowers, remnants of Strasbourg's medieval fortifications. Built in the 13th century to defend the city, they span the branches of the Ill at the entrance to Petite France. The wooden roofing that gave them their name is long gone, but the square sandstone towers remain and give the ensemble its distinctive outline.

Today the site is one of the most photographed in Strasbourg, especially from the neighbouring Vauban Dam terrace, which offers the best overall view. It is a natural gateway to the lanes and canals of Petite France.

The Vauban Dam is a fortified weir built from 1686 to 1690 to plans by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, at the entrance to Petite France. Made of pink Vosges sandstone, 120 metres long and pierced by thirteen arches, in case of attack it could close its sluices to flood the land to the south and block an enemy advance.

A listed historic monument, it now houses a freely accessible panoramic terrace that offers one of the finest views in the city, over the Ponts Couverts and the rooftops of Petite France.

The Parc de l'Orangerie, Strasbourg's oldest public park, was laid out from 1692 and redesigned in the 19th century. Over 26 hectares it combines a French formal garden and English-style landscaping, with a lake where you can hire a rowing boat, shaded paths and the Joséphine pavilion, which hosts exhibitions.

It is also the city's great family park, with its stork enclosure, the bird that symbolises Alsace, and its playgrounds. Next to the European Quarter, it is easily reached by tram from the centre.

The boat trips on the Ill, run by Batorama, leave from the landing stage by the Palais Rohan, behind the cathedral. The commented route runs along the Grande-Île, goes through the Petite France lock and reaches the European Quarter, with an audioguide in several languages.

It is the most restful way to see the old town and the Neustadt in a single trip, handy with children or at the end of the day, when the light turns the façades golden.

The Alsatian Museum, at 23-25 quai Saint-Nicolas along the Ill, was founded in 1902 and opened in 1907. It occupies several half-timbered houses linked by wooden galleries and staircases, a setting that is itself a showcase of the region's traditional architecture.

Its collections tell the story of everyday life in Alsace from the 18th to the 20th century: costumes, painted furniture, toys, religious objects, tools, ceramics and reconstructed farmhouse interiors. The museum is closed for works until 2028.