Two Days in Strasbourg

Strasbourg is a charming city. Around every corner is a fragrant bakery, chic boutique, funky cafe, or medieval wonder. The city's cuisine, culture, and architecture are a wonderful fusion of French and German. While there has been cultural tension in Strasbourg's past, I found no hostility towards me when I used either English or German. The Notre Dame Dom and Dom plaza simply are wonders. No picture can do its towering majesty justice. The Dom's astrological clock, once one of the mechanical wonders of the world, may be viewed at any time while the cathedral is open, but there is a guided tour available around 12:15pm to acquaint you with the unique history and features of this clock.

Quick Tips:

Strasbourg is a city for chocolate lovers. Numerous pastry shops, bakeries, and cafes produce superb chocolates in-house. One shop stands out heads above the rest: Christian. Its location near the Dom, 10 rue Mercière, has a divine chocolate counter on the ground level, a kaffee salon in the back, and salon de the on the second floor. One can sample at least six different in-house hot chocolate blends, from a creamy, yet smoky and peppery, unforgettable Papouise to the slightly bitter Christian house blend of South American cocoa beans. Christian has one other location in the island part of Strasbourg: 12, rue de l'Outre.

Best Way To Get Around:

This is a city to enjoy on foot. However, if you have chosen to stay outside the inner city island for accommodations, the tram system is highly efficient, runs frequently, and is a good value for the money. A family pass, good for 24 hours for one to five people, is around five or six euros and allows you to travel as far, and as often, as you wish. You will need coins or a credit card to purchase all tram tickets. The automated ticket machines are quite simple to use and offer menus in English, German, French, and several other languages.

This is a standard Holiday Inn, with clean rooms, a standard atmosphere, and standard decor, but we had a cavernous bathroom in our room. The tram, labelled to Hoenheim Gare, if you are coming from the city, or Elsau (I believe), if you are going into the city, runs right by (get off at the Lycee stop), is frequent, and therefore this hotel is easily accessible from Strasbourg's island portion.

We stopped for breakfast at this hopping cafe. Easily accessible from the Broglie tram stop, the cafe sports an oyster and seafood booth out front. While the table turnover was quick, the waiters were surprisingly friendly and service-oriented. The croissants were just as a croissant should be, the espresso steaming hot and topped with the right "crema", and the baguette filled with ham, emmenthal, and cornichon superb.

Caveau Gurtlerhoft, 13 Place de la Cathedrale, was recommended to us by a local for typical Alsatian cuisine. My partner had the Poelles Forestiere, an Alsatian take on Rosti, which was laced with black forest mushrooms and an abundance of local Emmenthal- and Gruyere-type cheeses. I had the Coq au Riesling, which had the proper hearty, cooked-lovingly-by-Grand-Mere flavour.

The meal was of an excellent quality and superb flavour and the basic house Gewurztraminer and Riesling were highly drinkable, but the cosy atmosphere was marred by hasty service and tablecloth overlays made of white paper.

The Caveau was jam-packed with locals, either dining as romantic couples or as whole families with small children. Located down a steep flight of stairs, this restaurant is not wheelchair-accessible or stroller-friendly. Reservations are not necessary but recommended. Try to ask for a table near the back or on the "balcony" to avoid the heavy traffic in the front of this restaurant.

We returned to Christian several times during our trip, mainly for tea, hot chocolate, and pastries, but one may eat a light lunch in the Salon de The. The selections seemed to revolve around house-made puff pastry shells stuffed with braised chicken or country-style stews with green beans and frisee salad. Christian is also known for their in-house, high-end ice creams, and we hope to return to Strasbourg to sample them someday.

If you are a cheese fanatic, this is one of the many fine cheese shops Strasbourg has to offer. This one is a little outside the island portion of Strasbourg on 20 rue d'Austerlitz. The phone number is 0388 363415.

While picking up a lovely artisanal goat cheese rolled in ashes or a ripe Emmenthal, be sure to stop at the Vin and Biere shop across the way. I am sad to say that I did not jot down their address, as we found the owner to be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about his products.

If you happen to be in Strasbourg around Christmas, check out Hollbeer's Biere de Noel. Made with two malts, unfiltered and in small batches, this 7% alcohol microbrew has an unforgettable spicy aroma and remarkable flavour.