General Sightseeing and Orientation in Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace and one of France's major ports, 2 miles west of the Rhine. The city is also home to the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, convening at the Palais de l'Europe.
The old city centre of Strasbourg is on the island formed by the river's two branches. In front of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the Place de la Cathédrale is the home of typical half-timbered houses including the 1268 Pharmacie du Cerf - the oldest pharmacy in France and the Maison Kammerzell which is also a popular restaurant.

Places to Visit in Strasbourg

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg
Place de la Cathédrale

The cathedral is an outstanding Gothic building. Construction began in 1176 with the Pyramidal tower in rose-coloured stone completed in 1439. Tourists can visit the tower during the summer, tours are organised through the Office de Tourisme.
The astronomical clock was built between 1547 and 1574, each day at 12:30pm crowds gather to see its symbolic figures. The body of the clock has a planetarium based on the theories of Copernicus.

Palais Rohan
2 place du Château
tel: 03 88 52 50 00.
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1800.

The Rohan Palace was built between 1732 and 1742 as a residence for the city's French bishops. The chateau is home to 3 museums and a gallery, the basement being home to the Archeological Museum, the ground floor housing the decorative arts collection and the luxurious apartments of the cardinals. The first floor displays European paintings from the Middle Ages to 1870.

Musée Alsacien
23 quai St-Nicolas
tel: 03 88 52 50 00
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1800.

The Alsace museum shows the history and traditions of Alsatian life. The museum is housed in three 16th and 17th Century houses. The collection includes furniture, toys and an 18th century toy synagogue.

Parc de l'Orangerie
Avenue de l'Europe

The Parc de l'Orangerie is opposite the Palais de l'Europe and is the largest and oldest park in the city. The pavilion was constructed in 1804, the lake allows boating in the summer. The park also has a mini farm and stork enclosure.

The Strasbourg area is also home to several world-renowned beers and you can visit the breweries if you book in advance:

Heineken
4 rue Saint Charles
67300 Schiltigheim.
Tel 00 33 3 88 19 57 50.
Entry - free of charge.

Kronenbourg
68 route d'Oberhausbergen
67200 Strasbourg.
Tel 00 33 3 88 27 41 59.
Entry - free of charge.

Schutzenberger
8 rue de la Patrie
BP 182 - 67304 Schiltigheim Cedex.
Tel 00 33 3 88 33 14 67.
€6 per person for groups from 10 to 20 people. Visits on Tuesday and Thursday.