10 Things to do in Strasbourg at Christmas

Many French cities are distinguished by having a large number of traditions that are unique to each of the seasons of the year. This means that the tourist could experience a totally different city depending on the month in which he visits it. This happens with the dates of Christmas and the best things to see and do in Strasbourg change a little during the days around Christmas Eve because the cultural and social agenda is reorganized according to these festivities.

So I advise you to read this compilation of activities that I have organized for you. These are the kind of plans that are repeated every year and that will always be at your disposal no matter when you decide to visit Strasbourg to enjoy the Christmas season.

Christmas markets in the Alsace region are a very important cultural celebration that has been taking place annually for a couple of centuries in most of the towns and cities of this part of northeastern France. For its part, the Strasbourg Christmas market is one of the oldest in the world and since the early sixteenth century occupies the main streets of the Great Island of Strasbourg and its surroundings.

So that year after year is the ideal activity for locals and tourists have the opportunity to buy food and handicrafts typical of this festive season.

The event is open from the beginning to the end of December and one of the best times to shop or visit the decorated spaces are the afternoons or evenings closest to December 24-25.

Access is totally free and what you want to spend is up to you. You also need to know that excursions are often organized for tourists to visit the other Christmas markets that are also centuries old in other towns and cities in Alsace. That's definitely a plan that fits nicely into the itinerary of a two-day visit to Strasbourg, especially if the first 24 hours are spent touring the city center.

One of the tallest Christmas trees in the world is usually installed year after year in the famous Kleber Square, located in the geographical center of the Grand Isle of Strasbourg.

The tree itself is a real spectacle, as it is almost always a pine tree chosen directly by the French forestry office in one of the forests of Alsace, all with the intention of finding one that exceeds 30 m in height. In fact, in some years the trunk has reached up to 120 m in diameter and for centuries it has played an important role in Strasbourg's Christmas traditions.

For decades, the city's most privileged people left gifts at the foot of this tree so that the poor could also take part in the Christmas Eve celebrations. Today the stalls that are in the Christmas market around this square raise money for charities including the Red Cross or Doctors without Borders.

It is definitely a place that you can enjoy during a one-day visit to the city of Strasbourg if you decide that your trip coincides with Christmas or the month of December. You also have to know that the surroundings of this square are full of stores of very exclusive brands that can be a good entertainment for the excellent decorations that are usually mounted on their exterior facades.

In the Place du Château is one of the most important buildings in Strasbourg. I'm talking about the Rohan Palace, which is a building built during the eighteenth century that is distinguished by the rococo decoration of its interiors, as well as for being the headquarters of the museum of archeology, the museum of fine arts and the museum of decorative arts of the city of Strasbourg.

At the same time there is the fact that visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Strasbourg during Christmas because it has a direct relationship with the history of these Catholic festivities. That's knowing that it was a former residence of princes, bishops and cardinals who were in charge of setting the social and cultural tone for Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Another reason that makes the museums of this palace a recommended plan for Christmas entertainment is that because it is such a tourist season the three cultural institutions usually have special exhibitions, which can be oriented both to the religious world of Christmas and other social and cultural aspects of these festivities.

If the exhibitions interest you, you should know that they are also one of the best things to do in Strasbourg during the month of November taking into account that in the middle of this month these temporary exhibitions are usually inaugurated. You should also keep in mind that it is possible that your visit coincides with some of the free admission dates, but if it is not the case, then you will pay 6.5 euros to enjoy the three museums.

The cathedral of Notre Dame de S trasbourg is a very important church for the history of Europe, as well as for tourism in France. In fact, it is the second most visited cathedral in the whole country and it is one of the most representative works of Gothic architecture during the medieval period in Western Europe.

For this reason, visiting the church is a recommended plan throughout the year, but specifically during Christmas time it becomes even more special. This knowing that you would have the opportunity to witness a Christmas Eve mass, although there will also be many others oriented to the meaning of this celebration during any of the days before or after this festivity.

Of this type of acts you have to know that they are definitely a religious event, but they can also be very interesting for those who want to understand a little more about the importance of Christmas for Christianity, as well as for the cultural identity of Strasbourg. In addition, the fact that these special masses are being celebrated throughout the month makes them one of the best things to do in Strasbourg during December.

If Christmas shopping is an important part of your personal traditions for this time of the year, then you have to know that the Neustadt area is a good place where you could go to combine sightseeing with a good afternoon of shopping. Of this part of the city you have to know that it is the area that was reformed after the Franco-Prussian war. Therefore, it has a totally different urbanistic pattern while it has really impressive buildings.

Throughout the area you will find many institutional buildings and also large commercial stores, which will allow you to complement the shopping that you could already do in the north of the Great Island of Strasbourg, as well as in the neighboring neighborhood of Poincarré.

Anyway, you have to know that the area is a recommended place to enjoy Christmas without having to spend money, due to the fact that it is also usually decorated with Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve lights. So it is a very special place where you can see a slightly different side of the Strasbourg Christmas scene.

In several cities around the world, Christmas is also synonymous with major cultural events in the main theaters of that place. This is also the case in Strasbourg, since the Opéra national du Rhin usually organizes throughout the month of December different classical music concerts oriented to Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The building is located at the northeast end of the Great Island of Strasbourg just before crossing the bridge that leads to the Place de la République.

From the cultural agenda of the month of December you have to know that it is quite common to organize operas or traditional Christmas theater events such as The Nutcracker. Although it is also possible that it is a classical music concert organized by the symphony orchestra of the city or by another musical institution of importance for the community of Strasbourg.

It should also be kept in mind that this is a plan for which you will have to dress with some elegance and that it is something that will definitely happen during the evening regardless of the exact date of the event. Similarly, the opera is an important building for the architecture of the city on its own merit and, therefore, enjoying one of the events of its Christmas cultural schedule is a real privilege that you should not miss.

The wine industry and, specifically, the production of white wine is something that has a lot to do with the history and culture of the Alsace region. For this reason, the Christmas tastings organized at the Cave Historique des Hospices de Strasbourg are an event you should not miss if you are looking for a chance to learn a little more about what distinguishes the wines of this part of France.

This site is a vaulted cellar that dates back to 1395 and has been home to wine tastings for centuries. For its part, the theme of the Christmas tastings has to do with the fact that there is a musical and decorative accompaniment so that the atmosphere is in tune with these festivities. Everything to make the experience a little more fun.

You should know that access to this site is free, but if you want to enjoy some of the tastings, especially those oriented to Christmas celebrations, you will have to pay fees ranging from five to 10 euros per person. You should also keep in mind that if you want to learn a bit more about the history of wine, then you could take part in some of those excursions that take you around the main wine villages in this part of France.

Taking a gastronomic tour to sample Christmas food is quite interesting in most parts of the world during this time of year, as you learn about the flavors that have captivated the local population for centuries. At least when it comes to celebrating the arrival of the new year, as well as commemorating Christmas Eve.

In the case of Strasbourg you have to know that there are two representative dishes that are the perfect example of how Germany and France have been mixing cultures for centuries to create a fairly homogeneous community in this city. One of them is the Baekeoffe and consists of a casserole stuffed with meat, cheese and potatoes. It became a Christmas meal because it satiates the appetite effectively and at the same time it is quite hot. Something ideal to calm people's cold.

To this dish is added the Chocruote, which is basically a smoked meat recipe accompanied with sausages and served on a bed of sauerkraut, the typical German preparation of marinated and fermented cabbage.

To these recipes are added other representative aspects of French gastronomy such as the famous snails and the typical Alsatian cheeses. In fact, some of the best tours of Strasbourg are those that focus on local gastronomy and during Christmas time this is a good idea to get to know the typical dishes and desserts of this time of the year.

The European Quarter is the area of the city of Strasbourg where the institutional buildings of the European Union are located. This city is the seat of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights. At the same time there is the fact that these three buildings usually organize temporary exhibitions on the traditions of the continent and on the collective cultural identity in the XXI century.

For this reason, it is important that you familiarize yourself with how to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg regardless of the exact date of Christmas when you visit the city. Throughout the month, there are usually special activities geared towards a diverse and family-oriented audience at these three sites. In addition, the best thing about the whole thing is that they are almost always totally free events or exhibitions.

You should also keep in mind that these buildings are right next to one of the most beautiful urban parks in the city. So a tour of the area at Christmas time can be the perfect thing to do to enjoy the cold and even a nice snowfall.

The Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle is one of the most visited places during the Christmas season in Alsace because it is a fortification that allows visitors to understand how the great residences of the nobility functioned during medieval times. Added to that is the fact that in a cold and snowy landscape like this time of the year it creates a landscape that for some is a visual spectacle.

You should also keep in mind that as the visits to the site are guided, then the schedule changes a little in December. And that's because the guides at the site themselves are in charge of showing visitors what the social dynamics were like during the Christmas festivities, which means you'll learn about the preparations that were made by the servants to make the season special for the noble families that occupied the castle.

At the same time, the fact that this visit is combined with a stroll through some of the other Christmas market towns in the region makes it one of the best day trips from Strasbourg. Especially around Christmas time.