What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Strasbourg, France.
Photo: ZEBULON72 / Pixabay
Strasbourg is a French city of 293,771 people. Most visitors spend their time on Grande Île, the historic centre. Here you find the cathedral, Petite France, Palais Rohan and boat tours on the Ill, all close together. Architecture fans should also walk the Neustadt, the German Imperial Quarter. The European Quarter has the European Parliament and Parc de l'Orangerie. Krutenau is the area for nightlife. The best months to visit are June, July, August and September.
We have no set recommendation. Most main sights take 1–2 hours each, and Palais Rohan takes 2–3 hours. Many are on Grande Île, so they are easy to combine. Allow extra time for the Neustadt and the European Quarter.
Grande Île
This Gothic cathedral of pink sandstone dominates the old town. It is known for its astronomical clock and carved west front. You can climb to the viewing platform for a view over the rooftops, and on clear days toward the Black Forest.
Grande Île
The old tanners' and millers' quarter sits where the River Ill splits into canals. It has half-timbered houses, locks and small bridges. Walk on to the Covered Bridges (Ponts Couverts) and the Vauban Dam nearby. Go early in the morning, as it gets very crowded later in the day.
Grande Île
Sightseeing boats circle the old town island and pass through the locks of Petite France. Some tours continue to the European Quarter. It is an easy way to see the city if you are short on time or tired of walking.
Grande Île
This former bishops' palace stands next to the cathedral. It houses three museums: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Decorative Arts with the former state apartments, and the Archaeological Museum. Pick one or two if your time is limited.
Grande Île
This museum holds original statues and stained glass from the cathedral, along with medieval and Renaissance art from the Upper Rhine. Visit it after the cathedral to see its sculptures up close.
Neustadt
The city was extended in the late 19th century with wide avenues and large public buildings, centred on Place de la République. It is part of Strasbourg's UNESCO World Heritage listing. It is quieter than the old town and good for a walk.
European Quarter
Strasbourg is the official seat of the European Parliament. The visitor centre explains how the EU works. The nearby Council of Europe and Human Rights Building are worth seeing from outside. Check official access rules before you go, as they change during plenary sessions.
European Quarter
This is the city's oldest and best-known park, close to the European institutions. It has a lake with rowing boats, lawns and a small zoo. Storks nest here, and they are a symbol of Alsace. It is a good break for families.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C / 0°C | 15 days (86 mm) | 4.0 h/day | 1.1/10 |
| February | 9°C / 1°C | 12 days (68 mm) | 6.1 h/day | 2.3/10 |
| March | 12°C / 3°C | 12 days (70 mm) | 8.0 h/day | 4.6/10 |
| April | 16°C / 5°C | 12 days (70 mm) | 10.0 h/day | 6.6/10 |
| May | 20°C / 10°C | 13 days (88 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| Best month: June | 25°C / 15°C | 13 days (76 mm) | 11.9 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| Best month: July | 27°C / 16°C | 11 days (74 mm) | 12.6 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| Best month: August | 26°C / 16°C | 11 days (63 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 7.6/10 |
| Best month: September | 22°C / 12°C | 10 days (60 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 8.1/10 |
| October | 16°C / 8°C | 12 days (78 mm) | 6.8 h/day | 6.5/10 |
| November | 10°C / 4°C | 14 days (81 mm) | 4.9 h/day | 2.3/10 |
| December | 7°C / 2°C | 14 days (90 mm) | 3.8 h/day | 1.2/10 |
Avoid. The coldest month: highs of 5.6°C, lows of 0°C, 14.6 rain days and just 4 sun hours. It has the lowest score of the year, 1.1.
Avoid. Still cold, with highs of 8.6°C and lows of 1°C. There are 12.4 rain days and only 6.1 sun hours. Score 2.3.
OK, but mixed. Highs reach 11.9°C and nights fall to 2.5°C. Expect 12 rain days and 8 sun hours. Score 4.6.
Good. Highs of 15.8°C, 11.6 rain days and 10 sun hours. Nights are still cool at 5.3°C, so pack layers. Score 6.6.
Good. Warm days with highs of 19.7°C and 11 sun hours. It is fairly wet, with 13.2 rain days and 88 mm of rain. Score 7.4.
Best. Highs of 24.7°C and 11.9 sun hours make it good for walking. Expect 12.6 rain days, so carry an umbrella. Score 7.5.
Best. The warmest month, with highs of 26.5°C, 11.2 rain days and the most sun of the year at 12.6 hours. Score 7.5.
Best. Almost as warm as July, with highs of 26.2°C and lows of 16.1°C. There are 11.4 rain days and 11.1 sun hours. Score 7.6.
Best, and the top-scoring month at 8.1. Highs are a comfortable 21.8°C, with the fewest rain days of the year, 9.7.
Good. Highs drop to 16.3°C and sun falls to 6.8 hours. There are 11.9 rain days and 78 mm of rain. Score 6.5.
Avoid. Grey and damp, with highs of 9.7°C, 14.1 rain days and only 4.9 sun hours. Score 2.3.
Avoid for weather. Highs of 7°C, 13.6 rain days, the most rain of the year at 90 mm and the least sun, 3.8 hours. Score 1.2.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit France →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, sightseeing
The river island around the cathedral is where most of the main sights are, and you can walk to nearly everything. It is the easiest base for a short first visit. The drawback: it gets very crowded, especially during the December Christmas market, and some streets stay noisy late.
Good for couples, photographers
This corner of the Grande Île has canals, half-timbered houses and covered bridges, and it is prettiest early in the morning before the tour groups arrive. You are a short walk from the cathedral and the station. The drawback: in the daytime it is one of the busiest spots in the city, and many restaurants are aimed at tourists.
Good for nightlife, younger travellers
Just across the river from the centre, this former fishermen's district is now a student area with bars, cafés and cheaper places to eat. It feels more local than the centre but is still a short walk to the cathedral. The drawback: weekend nights can be loud near the bars.
Good for architecture fans, quieter stays
Built when Strasbourg was part of Germany, this area has wide avenues, large stone buildings and a calmer, residential feel. It is on the tram line and within walking distance of the centre. The drawback: there is less going on in the evening, so you will walk back to the old town for most restaurants.
Good for short stays, day trips
Staying near the main station makes sense if you arrive late, leave early or plan day trips around Alsace by train. Trams run from here to the centre, and the old town is walkable. The drawback: the streets right around the station are less attractive and can feel rough at night.
Good for families, quiet
This leafy area around the Orangerie park and the European institutions is calm, green and good for children. Trams connect it to the centre. The drawback: it is too far out to walk to the old town comfortably, and it can feel empty at weekends and in the evening.
Sauerkraut cooked slowly with white wine and served with sausages, smoked pork and potatoes. It is a filling winter dish, eaten in traditional Alsatian wine taverns called winstubs.
A very thin bread base topped with cream, onions and bacon, baked quickly in a hot oven. Locals share several at the table, often in the evening with friends and a beer.
A stew of potatoes, onions and several meats marinated in Alsatian white wine, then baked for hours in a sealed clay dish. Look for it on winstub menus, mostly in the colder months.
A tall, ring-shaped brioche with raisins and almonds, baked in a fluted clay mould. Bakeries sell it every day, and families often eat it at weekend breakfast or with coffee.
Small butter biscuits in many shapes and flavours, such as aniseed, cinnamon and almond. Families bake them before Christmas, and you will find them at the city's Christmas market stalls.
Strasbourg has a long tradition of making goose and duck foie gras, often served as a pâté. Locals eat it mainly at festive meals, usually with bread and a sweet white wine.
September is the best month to visit Strasbourg. It has the highest score of the year (8.1), mild highs of 21.8°C and the fewest rain days (9.7). June, July and August also rate as best months, with highs between 24.7°C and 26.5°C and 11 to 12.6 hours of sun a day.
Yes, August is one of the best months for Strasbourg, with a score of 7.6. Days are warm, with highs of 26.2°C and lows of 16.1°C. You get about 11.1 hours of sun a day. Rain is moderate, with 63 mm over about 11 rain days.
For weather, no. December and January are the weakest months, and both have an avoid verdict. December scores 1.2, with highs of 7°C, 90 mm of rain and only 3.8 hours of sun a day. January scores 1.1, with highs of 5.6°C and lows of 0°C. November and February also rate avoid.
Late spring is good, but early spring is only average. April scores 6.6, with highs of 15.8°C. May scores 7.4, with highs of 19.7°C, but it is wetter, with 88 mm of rain over about 13 rain days. March is only ok (4.6), with highs of 11.9°C and lows of 2.5°C.
Most main sights take 1–2 hours each. Palais Rohan takes longer, at 2–3 hours. The cathedral, Petite France, the boat tour on the Ill and the Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame are all in the Grande Île area. The Neustadt, the European Parliament and Parc de l'Orangerie are in other parts of the city.
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