Strasbourg, France: The Capital of Christmas

There’s a reason Strasbourg is ranked as one of the best Christmas markets in all of Europe. You can tell that after just a single visit with it’s beaming beauty around every corner. The food, music, lights, and ambiance come together to orchestrate a festive masterpiece that is both traditional and timeless.

As a Christmas market enthusiast, I felt that a trip to Strasbourg during the month of December was a necessary pilgrimage. And let me just say, I was not disappointed one bit.

In fact, I think the German markets may have some stiff competition for holding the title of the “best” country for Christmas markets in Europe (still love you Nuremberg and Munich… just saying).

On my recent trip to Strasbourg, I planned a weekend to hit some of the best towns in the Alsace region of France. I also went to Strasbourg’s more cute and quaint cousin, Colmar as well.

While the Christmas markets in Colmar were beautiful for their own reasons, Strasbourg was definitely more impressive when it came to its size.

What to Do at the Strasbourg Christmas Markets

If I could give you one recommendation before visiting the Christmas markets in Strasbourg it would be this, come hungry!

Yes, the best thing to do at these markets is to eat, drink, and be merry – the perfect recipe for a festive Christmas weekend. Here you can try traditional German sausages, a wide assortment of nougat and candies, crepes, waffles, and the fan favorite, mulled wine.

Once you’ve satisfied your sweet tooth, walk around the markets and check out all the local gifts and handmade goods. Here you can find Christmas decorations as well as local products like candles, scented oils, jewelry, scarfs, ornaments and even toys for the little ones.

While I only went for a day because I was limited to a weekend, I thought it was just enough time to see everything I wanted to. However, if time isn’t an issue, you can definitely make this trip an overnighter or a full weekend as well.

My one complaint about Strasbourg was its crowds. Now I know this is unavoidable, however, these markets had significantly more people compared to other Christmas towns I’ve visited in the past, which made it difficult to even walk throughout the more popular areas.

Part of the beauty of traveling to these winter wonderlands is to stop and enjoy your surroundings. So for me, the huge masses of people were a bit difficult to deal with. But at the same time, this city is so crowded during this time of year because it’s absolutely beautiful. So I guess it’s just something you’ll have to deal with regardless.

Visiting Strasbourg, France

Once you’ve eaten your way through all the markets, try exploring the city itself. All the main attractions are within the boundaries of the river, so once you’re inside the city center, just go wandering throughout.

The Petite France area of Strasbourg was my favorite area to go exploring. Here you can find worn and colorful timbered homes tightly pushed together with welcoming shops lining the stone streets. To me, this small neighborhood is the epitome of a European fairytale town. And if that wasn’t enough, this area is fully lit up from head to toe in festive lights and stalls during the month of December.

All in all, this was a great trip and another check off the bucket list. For me, Christmas markets are something special because they offer a completely unique experience that you normally can’t find when visiting these cities throughout the year.

For more Christmas market inspiration, here are some photos from my recent trip to Strasbourg!