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What to Do in Strasbourg for 2 Days
Step-by-step itinerary for two days in Strasbourg, with suggestions of places to visit nearby for longer trips. You can jump directly to the itinerary here.
A visit to Strasbourg is a must for any trip to France. The historical and cultural capital of Alsace, now also the capital of the new region Grand Est, Strasbourg is a beautiful and charming city that I know well and really love.
Many people use Strasbourg as the starting point of the Alsace Wine Route or any other road trip in Alsace. Still, Strasbourg is also a destination by itself, easy to visit on a weekend getaway from Paris. The train ride from Paris to Strasbourg only takes two hours!
If you are planning to visit Strasbourg, you have come to the right place. Whether you prioritize sightseeing and ticking landmarks off of your bucket list or simply soaking in the atmosphere of a city, this 2 days in Strasbourg itinerary will help you discover this exceptional city.
Are you planning your Strasbourg trip last minute?
Below are some of the best Strasbourg tours, hotels, and more!
- Book your train tickets to Strasbourg.
Looking to travel around Strasbourg independently? Click here for the best rental car rates in Strasbourg.
Top Experiences and Tours in Strasbourg:
- Strasbourg Walking Tour with a Local Guide
- Strasbourg Food Walking Tour
- Highlights of Alsace Full-day Tour from Strasbourg
Top Places to Stay in Strasbourg:
- Hotel Cathédrale (with first-row views of the iconic Cathedral!)
- Pavillon Regent Petite France (located in the cutest neighborhood)
- Hotel Strasbourg Montagne Verte (the best choice for road-trippers!)
- Best hotels in Strasbourg
Don’t leave for Strasbourg without travel insurance!
SafetyWing Essential plan works well for long and short trips (from 5 days up). Can also cover electronics theft through their add-on.
How Many Days in Strasbourg?
I recommend spending at least two days in Strasbourg, a reasonable amount of time to cover most of the best things to do in Strasbourg, and for a couple of leisure strolls.
However, Strasbourg is an excellent base camp to explore other places around on day trips, with accommodation options to suit all budgets. Spend 3 days in Strasbourg or more to visit the best places near Strasbourg on day trips or guided tours.
MY BUDGET TRIP FOR STRASBOURG: The Strasbourg City Pass includes all the museums in Strasbourg, guided tours, and other top attractions like the Strasbourg Canal Cruise and the climb up to the Cathedral! You can purchase this pass for 1 to 5 days.
How to Visit Strasbourg in 2 Days – A Detailed 2 Days in Strasbourg Itinerary
What to do in Strasbourg in 2 days? Here’s a detailed itinerary for a weekend in Strasbourg. You can use this Strasbourg itinerary as it is or combine it with some of the best things to do in Strasbourg.
Strasbourg 2-Day Itinerary, Day 1
Find below what to do during the first day of this Strasbourg 2-day itinerary:
1. Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Strasbourg
This Strasbourg 2-day itinerary starts at the foot of the Cathedral. Emerging as an apparition between the half-timbered houses of the narrow rue Mercière, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Strasbourg rises to the sky, gigantic and aerial at the same time.
Notre Dame of Strasbourg was built between the 12th and the 15th centuries, and it is one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic architecture in France and the world.
Many architects succeeded in the construction of the Cathedral. The name to remember, however, is Erwin of Steinbach, who had the idea of moving the sculptures, arches, colonnades, and other ornamentation 30 cm from the facade, which gives this unique appearance of lightness.
The building is characterized by the walls in pink sandstone from the Vosges and the unique bell tower. If the weather is good and the sky is clear, don’t hesitate to climb up to the top of the bell tower for great views over the Black Forest in Germany!
Address: Place de la Cathédrale, Strasbourg; Opening times: Monday to Saturday, from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and from 12:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.; Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
2. Musée Historique de la Ville de Strasbourg
Close to the Cathedral, the Historical Museum of the City of Strasbourg is a kind of time machine. Set in the former Grande Boucherie (the city’s former slaughterhouse), Le Musée Historique helps to understand the unique history of Strasbourg since the Middle Ages and can be an excellent introduction to your next steps in the city.
The Musée Historique (and all the museums in Strasbourg) is included in the Strasbourg City Pass. You can purchase this pass for 1 to 5 days.
Address: 2 Rue du Vieux Marché-aux-Poissons, Strasbourg; Opening times: Tuesday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
3. Explore La Petite France Neighborhood
La Petite France is the most picturesque part of Old Strasbourg and one of the top places to visit during your 2 days in Strasbourg. Here, the Ill River is divided into five arms, which allowed the construction of mills and the installation of tanneries.
La Petite France is the former neighborhood of tanners, fishermen, and millers and still keeps its original and charming architecture reflected in the water.
Don’t miss rue du Bain-aux-Plantes, with its beautiful Renaissance half-timbered houses. Then, go from bridge to bridge, walk along the canals, get lost in the small cobbled streets, and let the charm operate.
La Petite France is also a very touristy neighborhood, and it is often crowded. I recommend visiting it very early in the morning or at night when the day-trippers are gone. Mornings are particularly bright there, and nights are incredibly romantic.
4. Ponts Couverts and Barrage Vauban
After your stroll around La Petite France, it’s time to explore Strasbourg’s covered bridges and the Vauban dam, located a few meters from each other.
Les Ponts Couverts (covered bridges) are three bridges spanning the Ill River, dominated by three imposing square towers, vestiges of the 13th-century city walls. Wooden walkways covered by a large roof are at the origin of their name, but in the 19th century, they were replaced by stone bridges without a roof. A bit further, there’s a fourth tower nicknamed “the executioner’s tower,” where the prisoners were kept before trial.
A few meters further stands the Vauban dam. Strewn on 13 arches, it made it possible to flood an entire part of the city in the event of an enemy attack. Its panoramic terrace offers a superb view of the city and the covered bridges!
5. Take a Strasbourg River Cruise
A Strasbourg river cruise may sound cliché, but it is really worth it! Apart from admiring Strasbourg and its main sights from the water, this cruise allows visitors to discover other lesser-known neighborhoods that are more difficult to reach on foot from Old Strasbourg: the Neustadt (the Imperial neighborhood) and the European neighborhood.
Batorama offers different cruises, with interesting comments in four languages. The price depends on the circuit, and you have proposals starting from 16€. You will find Batorama’s docks (ticket sale and departures) at Place du Vieux Marché aux Poissons at the foot of Palais Rohan. Batorama’s boat tour is also included in the Strasbourg City Pass.
If you are visiting Strasbourg with a group or you want to surprise your other half, this private boat tour through the Ill River is a great alternative.
Strasbourg 2-Day Itinerary, Day 2
Here’s what to do during the second day of this 2 days in Strasbourg itinerary:
6. Join a Wine or Food Tour (Half-day)
Strasbourg is also a culinary capital, the perfect place to taste Alsatian specialties! From the traditional choucroute in a winstub (local eateries) to the city’s fanciest restaurants, come to Strasbourg to taste delicious food in Alsace and excellent wines, mostly whites.
The wines of Alsace are often dry white wines, sparkling sweet varieties, and roses. Just like in Germany, you can find delicious Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, and Pinot Gris.
A food or wine tour is a great way to learn more about local cuisine when you visit Strasbourg. The top-rated gourmet food walking tour explores the region’s rich culinary heritage by sampling an array of tasty cheeses, pretzels, gingerbread, and regional wines.
If you prefer to focus on wine, this half-day tour along the Alsace Wine Route will make you discover some of the best wines in the region.
7. Visit the European Neighborhood with its European Institutions
It’s impossible to reduce Strasbourg to a center of regional traditions. In 1948, the city was invested as the seat of the European Council because of its geographical position and particular history.
In 1949, Strasbourg welcomed the European Court of Human Rights; In 1952, the city welcomed the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Later, it was the turn of the Human Rights Institute, the European Youth Event (EYE), and in 1979, the European Parliament was chosen for the first time by Universal suffrage. With this background, nobody can deny that Strasbourg is a truly European capital!
For Europhiles, a visit to the European neighborhood will be one of the must things to do in Strasbourg. The European Parliament showcases a glass facade that follows the riverbank, dominated by a 60-meter tower that opens over the cathedral. This amazing building can be visited from Monday to Saturday, from 09:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 13:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. There’s no need to book in advance.
Not far from the European Parliament, there is the Le Palais de l’Europe, which is the headquarters of the European Council and its 47 state members.
The European neighborhood is a bit far from the Old Town, but you can rent a bike for the day to cover more ground (and burn the extra calories taken in the food tour) in a tireless, fun way.
Another fun way to explore this area is on this 2-hour Euro guided Segway tour, which visits the old and new landmarks in the city.
Spend 3 Days in Strasbourg (If you can…)
If you can add an extra day to your Strasbourg itinerary and spend 3 days in Strasbourg, there are many wonderful Strasbourg day trips to picturesque Alsatian villages, impressive castles, and other historic sites. For our Alsace road trips, we always add a couple of Alsace villages to the itinerary, and they are all lovely.
If you only have one day to visit the medieval villages, taking a guided tour is a good idea. This Alsace Villages Wine Route Day Trip from Strasbourg has excellent reviews, and it explores four villages on the Alsace wine route: Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg, and Eguisheim. There is also a stop at one of the region’s finest wineries.
Weekend in Strasbourg: Where to Eat?
The list of traditional Alsatian dishes include baeckeoffe, flammekueche, cordon bleu, Vol-au-vent, spaetzle, fleischnacka, and bretzel.
For your evenings out in Strasbourg, I recommend the neighborhoods of Krutenau and Finkwiller, both south of Old Strasbourg. They have many good addresses to eat or drink something.
MAISON KAMMERZEL: located at Place de la Cathédrale, in front of the Cathedral, the 15th-century Maison Kammerzell is considered the most beautiful house in Strasbourg and one of the most beautiful brasseries in the world. Maison Kammerzell is well known for its specialty: the 3-fishes choucroute. A must-try!
LA CUILLER À POT: located at 18 bis Finkwiller, this is a quiet and charming restaurant offering refined and creative cuisine made with fresh produce. There’s always great food, generous portions, and a warm welcome.
You can also try one of the popular (now trendy) winstubs – a type of traditional wine bar and restaurant specific to Alsace and a veritable Strasbourg institution. In principle, winstubs are inexpensive and rather popular, frequented by regulars, and coquettishly rustic, with a warm atmosphere and local food.
The list of best winstubs in Strasbourg includes Au coin de pucelles (12 Rue des Pucelles), Le Fink’stuebel (26 Rue Finkwiller), Winstub Le Clou (3 Rue du Chaudron) or Winstub Chez Yvonne (10 Rue du Sanglier).
And there you have it, a Strasbourg itinerary 2 days for a great weekend in Strasbourg. Bon voyage!