Planning a visit to the Christmas Market in Strasbourg?

The Christmas Market in Strasbourg is one of the oldest and well known Christmas markets in all of Europe, dating back to when the Cathedral was built in 1570! However, thanks to TikTok, blogs, (guess I’m also guilty) and other social media, the market continues to draw international attention, bringing in approximately two MILLION visitors from all over the map each year.

My best friend and I visited the market this year (Dec. 15-16) and here are some useful tips.

Lodging

Book your hotel far in advance or you may have few options. I only booked about 6 weeks out, and while I still found options, it was incredibly pricey and options were slim. However, we lucked out and stayed at a magnificent hotel that was so perfectly situated right in the center of things, which made getting around (once we reached the hotel!) quite easy.

We stayed at the Regent Petite France – which is a hotel and spa, and I wish we’d had time to enjoy the spa. But the hotel itself was absolutely magnificent.

Getting Around in Strasbourg / Finding Parking

While there are many parking lots and garages in Strasbourg, it is a ZOO, especially if you’re arriving on a Saturday! If you can find a park and ride on the outskirts of the city, do it! Know and understand that the entire center section of the city is cordoned off for security reasons. If you’re staying in a hotel inside of this ring, parking is a little trickier and if you’re ubering or taking a taxi, they may have to drop you a 5-10 minute walk away from your hotel. We had a car, but after looking for a spot for over two hours, we finally drove to the edge of the city, parked in a Centre Commercial parking lot, walked 8 minutes, took a tram for 8-10 minutes, and then walked, through a VERY crowded centre ville, another 8-10 minutes to our hotel. That was a fun adventure. (Not really.)

Arrive as early in the day as possible or a week day is probably going to be easier than a weekend.

Where is the Christmas Market in Strasbourg Located?

You’ll find signs and directions all over the place, but if in doubt, head to Petite France and/or the Cathedrale. The market spreads all over Petite France, but the actual market is at the old Catholic Cathedrale. You might be confused when you arrive at the protestant church, and while there is a market around this one, it is not the original market. Take your time and walk all over Petite France and enjoy it all!

Important details to know:

There are hundreds of stalls across the area, featuring food, infamous Gluh Wein, Vin Chaud (hot spiced wine), and many other crafts and products. Be sure to carry a bag of some sort as you aren’t guaranteed to get bags from all vendors.

Most people speak English. But they sure do appreciate it when you make an attempt to at least say Thank You in French. Merci. Not too tough!

You can pay with credit cards almost everywhere now. Even if you have contactless payment, some US Cards still require a signature. The vendor will print your receipt and you can easily sign. There are still some places that do NOT take a card, so be sure to have some cash on hand. Especially for the food and beverage places.

The market is open all day and into the evening. Plan to try to enjoy both, because the lights at night in Strasbourg are simply magical. The really go above and beyond with the decorations in general, but also with the lights. It’s stunning.

Children are absolutely welcome and they have a giant carousel and other mini rides. However, it is VERY crowded, and prams / strollers are a challenge for everyone. It can get quite stressful when you’re wall to wall bodies in certain small areas and you’re trying to push a stroller through.

Food

Oh my goodness are you in for a treat. I love, love, love the cozy, filling comfort food that is Alsatian cuisine!  You must eat Alsacian food while in Strasbourg! It is a delight. The tarte flambée is a very flat “pizza” with different options for toppings, but the gratinée is my favorite – it’s a white sauce, onions, and lardons (a cross between ham bits / bacon) and is absolutely tasty! Also try to the other local dishes – Choucroute (sour kraut, sausage, potatoes) and Baeckeoffe – another tasty dish of potatoes, onions, and a variety of meats, cooked in the lovely Alsatian clay pots and just incredibly delicious. The foie gras is also incroyable.

 

Enjoy the small restaurants all throughout Strasbourg. Be sure to go down the side streets and experiment with smaller venues off the main streets.

Patience Required!

Bring your patience. It’s going to be crowded all day and all evening. Try to get out earlier in the day to avoid the crowds, but if you hate people, you might want to avoid the markets! Grab a nice cup of vin chaud (spiced wine) and stroll through the markets, taking in the delightful scenery.

1-2 days is more than enough time to spend in Strasbourg unless you really want to do a lot of eating and sight seeing. There are a ton of cool things to see and do in the area. If you’re able to rent a car, the route du vin (wine route), Colmar, and Basel, Switzerland, are all a short drive away. There is so much to see and do in this part of France, which is often overlooked by travelers.

A few pictures from the Christmas Market in Strasbourg.