Strasbourg travel guide: Must-see sights for your itinerary

DW (English)

Strasbourg is a historic city in northeast France that is famous for its postcard-perfect views. But what is a must-see? Here are some crucial stops for your itinerary.

Transcript

00:00Most cities look great on Instagram the French city of Strasbourg is no

00:04exception but what's it really look like? Time for a reality check. Whether it's

00:11the old town, the Minster or local specialities it all looks so good but is

00:20it really? Strasbourg is in the far east of France on the border with Germany. In

00:25case you're thinking of going there's a whole lot to discover in the city of

00:29300,000. We check out Strasbourg's most popular Instagram motifs for you in real

00:34life. The city's top motif is probably the Cathedral because it only has one

00:43lateral spire it looks slightly asymmetrical. This is due to the

00:47structural design of the building. François Muller is an expert on the

00:53Cathedral built from the 12th to the 15th century. If you visit the Minster

00:57take a close look at the centuries-old lead glass windows. On one side they

01:04depict old kings and emperors. And on the other side there's a sort of comic

01:10strip we call it the Bible of the poor. Many people at the time couldn't read or

01:14write so the Bible was explained to them using pictures like these. We can see

01:19them here and it's fantastic because even today we may not remember

01:22everything that's reported in the Gospels. And these little pictures show

01:27us that with so much charm and beauty. Another highlight the astronomical clock

01:35also hundreds of years old.

01:40It's just so beautiful. If you're in Strasbourg you simply must see this

01:44clock which dates back to the 13th century. The calendar is right at the

01:48bottom and each year it calculates the date of Easter for us. A little further

01:52up a skeleton. That's death striking the hour. And every quarter of an hour he's

01:58passed by an angel of life. Further up Jesus. Every day at 12 midday the 12

02:04apostles pass Jesus and he blesses every one of them. In short even if churches

02:11aren't usually your thing there's plenty of cool stuff here. The La Petite France

02:17neighborhood with its picturesque half-timbered houses is Strasbourg's

02:21second Instagram highlight. Régine Baumgartner knows the district like the

02:26back of her hand. She accompanies us to the Barrage Vauban, a lock bridge from

02:32the 17th century. This viewing terrace has been here since 1966 giving us a

02:41lovely view of the neighborhood and allowing us to imagine how life would

02:45have been here in the past. Nowadays I love the terraces in summer first and

02:49foremost. It's a wonderful place for a walk. You can have picnics here too and

02:54it'll soon be the start of the electric boat season. You can hire them. A must on

03:01any visit to La Petite France a photo on the Pont Couvert or covered bridges.

03:06Although today they're open to the elements. An area that invites you to

03:12meander at leisure. As you do so you're very likely to come across one of the

03:18main landmarks of La Petite France. The Maison de Tanner or Tanner's house. Today

03:23it's home to a restaurant. La Petite France was once a workers district. Now

03:28it's a tourist magnet but there's more to it than that.

03:34The district was included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list in 1988.

03:43This boosted interest in the old timber framed houses and UNESCO also funded

03:49renovation work. There are many stores and restaurants here today but local

03:56people actually live in the upper floors. To sum up La Petite France may be

04:03touristy but it's also very scenic. You may already know about Strasbourg's

04:10final highlight even if you've never been there. Flammkuchen. Flammkuchen is

04:16popular all over the world but this is where it was first made and it's still

04:20baked in wood-fired ovens in restaurants like Le Tigre. The fire gives the

04:27Flammkuchen its smoky taste and the lovely golden crust. If we used a gas or

04:34electric oven it would never turn out so golden. Flammkuchen is made using

04:40thinly rolled out dough. The classic topping is made with sour cream along

04:49with onions and bacon. The Flammkuchen only needs a minute in the oven then

04:56it's ready to be devoured with friends. Everyone helps themselves and there's no

05:01need for cutlery. I love the cream and the bacon and it's a very sociable thing

05:10to do. It's simply a very popular dish in Alsace. It's really convivial with

05:17friends or the family. Simple and nice. Conclusion, a genuine Flammkuchen is a

05:24very good thing but make sure you find a restaurant with a wood-fired oven and if

05:32you're thinking about visiting Strasbourg because the city looks so

05:35good on Instagram then the reality most likely won't fail to disappoint.

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