How to Travel on a Budget to Strasbourg, France

Introduction

I visited Strasbourg on a road trip with some friends. I came away with so many more questions about this beautiful city. It is inspiring and it captures historical timepieces.

I invite you to read this article as I explain a brief overview of the city’s history. The passage then gives you specific places to visit, other tips, and helpful resources when planning your trip to the Alsace capital. This is the perfect guide for you when visiting Strasbourg on a budget!

A Brief History Lesson of Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a beautiful city rich in history. It began as a Celtic village but was soon under Roman control. In the 4^th century, the Franks, a Germanic tribe, took control of the city. About 300 years later, the Roman Empire gained control of Strasbourg again.

The city began developing some of its famous monuments from the 12^th to the 14^th centuries like Strasbourg Cathedral, Three Kings Clock, and St. Thomas’ Church. Later, in 1697, the French annexed the city from the Romans. After, it was seized by the German Empire in the Franco-Prussian War.

Strasbourg was soon given back to France during the Treaty of Versailles in 1918 after World War 1. Germany once again took control of the border city through Germany’s Nazi campaign of World War 2 in 1940. Finally, in 1944 France reclaimed Strasbourg, and today it is one of the most cultural and beautiful cities in France.

Strasbourg is full of history translated by amazing buildings. Most of those buildings were built under German occupation. Their government was using the occupied territory to show the greatness and richness of Germany. They injected a lot of time and money into Strasbourg to build remarkable buildings that represented the power of Germany. Nowadays Strasbourg’s greatest budlings represent German heritage.

You can read more about the timeline of Strasbourg.

You can read more into the details of events and a different perspective of the Alsace region of France.

As you can see, Strasbourg has a rich history of strategic importance to many groups of people. This is visible in the city as it contains many forms of architectural design. Due to recent history, the French city appears German.

Things to do in Strasbourg on a Budget

The following sections include some things to do in Strasbourg that I visited!

Check out the La Maison des Tanneurs (House of Tanners)

This house’s location was pivotal for developing leather. It is situated on a beautiful street with plenty of similar homes, but it is arguably the most beautiful of them all. It provides insight into how the homes in this region looked. You can also notice the steep roof (like others in Strasbourg) was once used for storing grain and leather. More information about La Maison des Tanneurs will help you dive deeper into its history.

Walk along Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg (Vauban Dam)

Ponts Couverts de Strasbourg is a famous structure that was built and used to protect the city from intruders. It did this by releasing water into the southern border of the town to make it harder for enemy ships to penetrate. The structure is accessible, and you can walk along the bottom and top floor of it. The top floor provides a gorgeous view of the city and the cathedral. You can dive more into information and history about Ponts Couvers de Strasbourg.

Ponder the newly constructed Gare de Strasbourg

Gare de Strasbourg is a gorgeous train station in Strasbourg that you will likely walk through if you travel to the city by train. The Gare de Strasbourg was constructed under German occupation from 1880 to 1890. The original train station was quite basic, made out “gré des vosges”, a typical stone from this part of France.

The glass roof was added in the summer of 2007, with the aim to modernize and extend the train station for the release of the high-speed train in Strasbourg during the year 2007. Although controversial, the huge glass bubble surrounding the train station is now the identity of the Gare de Strasbourg. The newly constructed glass roof is now the most iconic part of the structure.

Sit down at Gutenburg Square

Gutenberg Square is one of the most iconic squares in Strasbourg. The Strasbourg Cathedral towers over the bustling square, making it a perfect place to enjoy the view and people-watch. This is one of the most popular squares in Strasbourg, so I do not recommend sitting down for dinner here as prices tend to be above average.

Gaze at Maison Kammerzel

The Maison Kammerzel is the oldest building in the entire city of Strasbourg, dating back to 1467. It is beautifully conserved and well-positioned in the center of Strasbourg. Walk past this monument when strolling through the city center.

Feel the vibes at La Place du Marche Gayot

The Place du Marche Gayot is one of my favorite squares in Strasbourg. The square is full of the outdoor setting of bars and restaurants, and the vibe is amazing. It’s a good spot to grab a drink in summer and enjoy the many happy hours! Grab a seat at “the QG”, which has a wide selection of typical tap beers such as Kastel Rouge or Heineken.

Take a cheap boat tour in Strasbourg

This is the cheapest tour we could find in the city. A boat tour in Strasbourg is perfect because you can truly feel the layers of history. The further you go out from the starting point of the tour, the newer the buildings get. You eventually reach the European Parliament building, which is cool to see from the water as well. The tour lasted about an hour and costs 12€. You can book your ticket online.

Eat Flammkuchen at Le Gruber

Flammkuchen is a traditional dish that originated form the Alsace region of France. It is basically a flatbread with sour cream, onions, bacon, and more. We found an affordable location to get a quick lunch at Le Gruber, where Flammkuchen was only 10€. It also has a unique atmosphere inside with decorations that highlight some distinctive features of the Alsace region.

Visit the Cathedral of Strasbourg.

The Cathedral of Strasbourg (Cathédral de Strasbourg), is a Gothic masterpiece located in the city of Strasbourg. The construction of the cathedral began in 1176 and took more than 250 years to complete. During this time, the cathedral underwent several architectural changes, with each generation of builders leaving their mark on the structure.

The cathedral’s most striking feature is its spire, which rises 142 meters high and was added in the 15th century. Initially, the cathedral was supposed to have 2 spires, but various reasons lead to this unique spire. During the construction period, Strasbourg was facing a plague epidemy, resulting in a lack of finance and workers for the 2^nd spine construction. Some rumors also say that the floor of Strasbourg, made from “Gré des Vosges” and is a crumbly type of stone, couldn’t handle the weight of the 2^nd spice.

Throughout its history, the cathedral has played a significant role in the religious and political life of the region. In 1518, the cathedral was the site of the famous “Dancing Plague,” a mysterious phenomenon where hundreds of people danced uncontrollably for days on end.

The cathedral also played a key role in the Protestant Reformation, with its iconic stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes and Protestant figures.

During the French Revolution, the cathedral suffered significant damage and was repurposed as a Temple of Reason. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the cathedral was restored to its former glory, thanks to the efforts of the architect, Viollet-le-Duc.

Today, the Cathédral de Strasbourg remains one of the most iconic buildings in France, attracting millions of visitors each year who come to marvel at its stunning architecture and rich history. It is possible to see the cathedral with 2 spires by looking into the glass reflection of the cathedral through the shop window located on 8^th street of Mercière 67000 Strasbourg.

The Cathédral de Strasbourg visit is free of charge. The inside decorations are gorgeous, a must-see is the “Astronomic Clock”, located on the front right of the church.  

Another must-see is the roof of the Cathedral, which you can climb for an additional 5-10€. The stairs are accessible on the right part of the church. There are more than 300 steps, that lead to the roof of the church. The roof platform offers a mind-blowing view of the city, and a small museum is located on the roof as well.

Have a drink near the river

Strasbourg is crossed by the Rhine, which is a big river. The city constructed a floatable dock called “Embarcadère Quais des bateliers”. On a summer evening, this spot is perfect for people to grab a drink and chill next to the river.

Check out Le parc de l’orangerie and the EU neighborhood

Le parc de l’orangerie is one of the biggest parks in the city, with more than 260,000 square meters. This parc is well known to be the favorite spot of storks, a typical bird of the region. The park is amazing to visit in the spring or summer when the sun lighted all the flowers.

The parc de l’orangerie is located next to the European District, where the European parliament is located. If you go to Parc de l’orangerie, do not forget to stop by this neighborhood!

How to Visit Strasbourg in 1 Day

The city of Strasbourg is not huge, so most of the city’s attractions can be seen in a single day. You should plan on stopping at one café and one restaurant to have a full experience.

Strasbourg is a well-connected city that you can easily walk in one day. The city incentivizes visitors who arrive by car to park on the outskirts of the city. Any public parking outside of the center is ticketed. Make sure to keep your parking ticket, as it also acts as a tram card!

The map below is the route that I took while exploring the city. It brushes over the main attractions (in red) in the town in an efficient fashion. The route (in white) can be followed roughly in either direction.

White line: Preferred Route (clockwise and counterclockwise)

Red cercle: attractions/recommendations

Conclusion

Overall, Strasbourg is a historic and picturesque city with loads to do. It is also an affordable location, as most sightseeing is free to the public. Strasbourg is one of the prettiest cities in all of France. If you are looking to explore this city on a budget and want to learn more, I invite you to follow this guide.