Strasbourg: The Venice of Alsace

European capital, Christmas capital, City of Art and History, UNESCO-listed historic centre, Strasbourg is undeniably a city of history and culture, looking to the future. If the cliché of tradition versus modernity is too often used, it's hard not to attribute this expression to the capital of Alsace.

With its rich history and extraordinary heritage, largely inherited from the Middle Ages, the city is situated at the crossroads of Europe, and Strasbourg has long succeeded in bridging the gap between different cultures and different eras. It has managed to preserve and enhance the best of both, as demonstrated by the interest shown in protecting its architectural heritage. From and its cathedral to the European Parliament, the city of Strasbourg is like an open book on the History of France, but above all on the History of Europe, of which it has become the best ambassador.

Strasbourg's rich cultural heritage can be seen everywhere. Notre-Dame Cathedral, Petite France, Grande Île, Maison Kammerzell... but when it comes to Strasbourg's heritage, Alsatian culture is never far away, reminding visitors that respect for tradition is just as important as an open mind. With its Michelin-starred chefs, typical recipes found nowhere else and top-quality regional produce (beer, sausages, etc.), Strasbourg is the place to be for gourmets and bon vivants. With its world-renowned wines, oenologists are not to be outdone.

And as if it wasn't famous enough, come winter, the city becomes a favourite destination for Christmas lovers, who wouldn't miss Europe's biggest and oldest Christmas market for the world. Whether you're planning a short break as a couple, a week with the family or an Alsatian road trip with friends, Strasbourg is a sure bet. It's got it all!

Museums, discovery areas, parks and gardens - Strasbourg has no shortage of cultural venues and places to relax. Among these, the Palais Rohan is as elegant as it is full of attractions. This former residence of the prince-bishops, built between 1732 and 1742, houses the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Decorative Arts. It's hard to believe that a place like this can satisfy the curiosity of so many visitors.

Another monument is the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame, which since 1931 has been housed in buildings dating from the 14th and 16th centuries. Inside, visitors can admire masterpieces of sculpture from the Middle Ages, most of which come from Notre-Dame cathedral, works of 15th-century Rhenish art and some very fine stained-glass windows. The museum also houses decorative art objects from Strasbourg and a collection of still lifes by Sébastien Stoskopff.

At the Musée Alsacien in Strasbourg, you can discover the very essence of the region's folk art through painted furniture, costumes, folk ceramics, toys and religious and secular imagery. The museum is housed in old Strasbourg houses, with some rooms featuring reconstructions of typical Alsatian interiors.

The Vaisseau is a centre where children can discover science through 6 worlds made up of 130 interactive elements that they can test, handle and explore in the company of their parents. Construction, the human body, water, the animal world... all these subjects will no longer hold any secrets for them.

Strasbourg has plenty of green spaces. For a bucolic break, the Jardin Botanique, located in the heart of the city one kilometre east of the cathedral, with its 3.5 hectares is the green lung of the centre, where you can discover more than 6,600 species of plants installed either in the tropical greenhouse, in the 207 m² cold greenhouse or outside. The Jardin des Deux Rives is located on either side of the Rhine and symbolises the friendship between France and Germany. Plant exhibitions, concerts, events and shows (circus, dance) take place here throughout the year.

There's almost everything to see in the capital of Alsace. The historic centre of the Grande Île, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been designated a Town of Art and History. It is home to a rich architectural heritage spanning from the Middle Ages to the present day. Our two eyes are not enough to contemplate it all.

Even so, if you had to make a selection of sites, places or monuments not to be missed during a stay in Strasbourg, the cathedral would obviously top the list. A masterpiece of Gothic art, Strasbourg's Notre-Dame cathedral is all lightness and elegance. From its façade, a giant picture book set off by hundreds of sculptures, to its pink colour, which changes constantly with the light, its stained glass windows from the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries and its astronomical clock dating from the Renaissance, everything is awe-inspiring.

A visit to the Maison Kammerzell kills three birds with one stone: you get to see the most beautiful house in Strasbourg, have a bite to eat in its restaurant and get information from the Tourist Office right next door. The main attraction of the visit, however, is the house itself, whose carved half-timbering on the upper floors dates back to 1589. In the 15th century, shops were housed in the arcades of its ashlar ground floor.