- Strasbourg
- (40)
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France
Arts et Collections d'Alsace, at 4 place du Marché aux Poissons, sells beautiful linens, pottery, glass and small pieces of furniture designed, painted and embroided copied from original pieces in Alsatian museums or private collections.
Tablecloths, napkins and lampshades are made from locally-woven linen with embroidered monograms reflecting traditional motifs. Red, white or écru throws and cushions in top quality cotton often feature heart shaped "relief" pattern embroiderery. Glassware and pottery is also attractively hand painted with local, traditional motifs. A souvenir shop for people who never buy souvenirs.
Paris may have gone cycle-mad this summer with Velib', but they are Jean-ny come lately compared with Strasbourg - officially France's first city of cycling.
After all that lolling about in comfort on the train anticipating a bit of stork-spotting and flammekueche-chomping (well-known top activities in Strasbourg), what better way to explore the city than from its 480km cycle network – and it’s flat! Plan your trip before you leave with the comprehensive help of www.velolocation.net - a bike-rental service managed by Vélo-Emploi and supported by Strasbourg city council. As their motto says, "Good bicycles for true jobs".
Une Fleur des Champs is an organic and vegetarian restaurant in Strasbourg providing daily menus using fresh produce from the local area.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is friendly and family orientated. Superb food at very appealing prices. 4 rue des Charpentiers, Strasbourg.
A visit to the sumptuous Etablissement de Bains, built to exacting German standards between 1904 & 1911, is a must.
Enjoy a Turkish bath, sauna, thermal bath or a swim in opulent surroundings unlike anything available in Britain all for a very reasonable entrance fee.
A perfect and affordable pick-up, particularly revitalising during the winter months.
The absolute must eat in Strasbourg, or anywhere in the Alcace region, is Tarte Flambe.
It's a kind of thin pizza like thing, but minus tomato and tadtionally made with a topping of cream, bacon and onions.
Go to the Volerie Des Aigles for an amazing experience with demonstrations of different birds of prey. Eagles, buzzards, owls, you name it, they've got it.
As well as seeing the usual sights, you must visit the Orangerie, a park or more accurately, pleasure garden just north east of the city centre.
There are beautiful gardens, stately buildings,a small zoo, an aviary,a boating lake, an unusual outdoor planetarium and a stylish cafe and restaurant.
A lovely place to spend an afternoon away from the busy city centre.
For the cheese lovers: La Cloche a Fromage, a restaurante specialised in chesses.
It has an entry in the Guiness Book of Records for the largest cheese board.
Strasbourg is set among waterways. Arrive on a canal boat.
Hire from just up the canal (Saverne or Lutzelbourg) and stay moored free just before the Rhine lock gates.
Five minutes from the centre by bike (hired with the boat) and you get to see the Alsatian countryside.
Try a night moored at Saverne, looking up at the Bishop's Palace where Cagliostro studied and Cardinal Rohan welcomed Marie Antoinette as she arrived to make a doomed marriage. Beats a static hotel room any day.
The best place to stay in Strasbourg for travellers on a shoe-string budget is Ciarus.
It offers clean, comfortable en-suite hostel accommodation, which is often booked up by MEPs.
For the best tarte flambees go to Les Trois Brasseurs at 22 Rue des Veaux. It often has special deals on tarteflambee and beers.
For great beers, go to Academie de la Biere on Rue Adolphe Seyboth. It is a great place to have a few drinks after wondering around beautiful Petite France.
Book your trip when Parliament is in session. Your MEP has an annual allocation each year to wine and dine his constituents which he must use for this purpose only.
Tell him/her you want to meet him/her in session in advance and you get a tour round the European Parliament, the debating chamber, listen to the MEPs argue in multi-lingual debate (pretty impressive), since you just can't just turn up to see the Parliament (for security reasons) most tourists miss out on what makes Strasbourg most famous.
You'll probably get a free lunch thrown in too!
Restuarant Gurtlerhoft, is situated directly opposite the Cathedral in the main square. The restaurant is a quieter, more relaxed alternative to the more popular terraced restaurants that are in abundance.
Passing through a passage opposite the Cathedral you will find the restaurant, situated in an immense arched cellar.
The ambiance in the restaurant is excellent - dimly, atmospherically lit, and decorated with dark wooden furniture. The restaurant offers all the local specialities, wonderfully cooked, and despite the excellent location the prices are reasonable.
Top restaurant to enjoy tarte flambee - Les Trois Brasseurs, 22 rue des Veaux
From the beginning of December Strasbourg has the best Christmas market in Europe, with hundreds of stalls selling reasonably priced presents, hot wine, Christmas decorations, Christmas trees and many other things.
It is beautiful to photograph and wonderful to visit.
Walk from Ribeauville to Kaysersberg and back - about an hour each way. Take a picnic and eat it in a field on the way back or eat in one of the restaurants in Kaysersberg.
This offers a nice gentle walk, it is well sign-posted and you can see the Rhine in the distance.
Try and avoid visiting in the one week in four when the European Parliament is sitting - it means there are hardly any hotel rooms available!
A bar you have to visit is L'Epicerie. Located in rue du Vieux Seigle, a narrow street in the centre of the city, its authentic fifties decor and ambience is worth a visit alone.
If you're recovering from the night before, try the vast breakfast, served with steaming bowls of hot chocolate/coffee.
Beware though - this place is extremely popular with the locals and its wooden benches fill up quickly.
On a sunny summer's day there is nothing better than tea on the terrace of the Orangerie restaurant with its views over the beautiful park and gardens.
The city is designed for public transport and biking. To get around you can rent them at Velocation. It is bike rental service managed by the community. Get a bike and get local.
Wander around Strasbourg and experience the local culture and cuisine.
August is the best time to visit for cultural events and street theatre.
As to getting familiar with the local cuisine, I came unstuck at trying their famous Alsace sauerkraut. They say you've got to try anything once, in the case of sauerkraut, once is enough in my lifetime no matter how many Michelin chefs prepare it.
Apart from that little hiccup I will recommend Strasbourg to anyone who'd like to experience the French/German melting pot.
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