3 Best Day Trips from Strasbourg

Undoubtedly the best things to do in Strasbourg have to do with getting to know its neighbourhoods full of medieval buildings as well as enjoying the public parks and its beautiful canals. However, another of the great attractions that go unnoticed in the tourism in this city are the excursions that take you to know other parts of Alsace.

One of the best options for an excursion from Strasbourg is to visit the nearby towns and villages, known for their Franco-German architecture. The first stop is usually Colmar, in the south of the metropolitan area, part of the Alsace wine route.

Another common stop is Eguisheim, famous for its architecture and for being the birthplace of Pope Leo IX. It is also common to visit some walled villages, but the main attraction on these tours of Alsace and the Rhine is the castle of Haut Koenigsbourg. This 12th century fortress, recently restored, stands on the top of a mountain.

This excursion is the ideal complement to the best tours of Strasbourg, as it gives you a better insight into the architecture of Alsace. It is a guided tour and the transfer is usually in small groups.

It is an ideal plan for the whole family, although food and drink are not included. However, there is the opportunity to have lunch at one of the stops.

• Price: around 170 euros per person. Reduced rates are available for children.
• Duration: about 9 hours, as it includes a town, several villages and a castle.
• Transport: usually by minibus or minivan, depending on the size of the group.

Alsace is a region of France known not only for its architecture and history with Germany, but also for its thriving wine industry. In fact, it has its own appellation of origin, so one of the best excursions from Strasbourg is a tour of vineyards and wineries.

These tours usually include stops in two or three towns that are key to the production of the region's famous white wine. They are also shorter, so you can choose between a morning or afternoon tour.

The tour is for small groups and includes driving along the Alsace wine route, with stops at at least two family-run wineries to taste their white wines.

There are no stops for lunch, so it is recommended that you start the tour after you have eaten. A specialised guide will accompany you, explaining both the history of the villages and the world of wine in Alsace. The meeting point is usually in the centre of Strasbourg, so there is no transfer to the hotel.

• Price: around 110 euros per person. There are no special rates, as this activity is recommended for adults only.
• Duration: approximately four hours.
• Transport: minibus or minivan, with a maximum of eight people.

Another highly recommended type of excursion from Strasbourg to the villages of Alsace is one that takes place at a very specific time of the year: Christmas. These tours take you to the region's Christmas markets, one of the most special traditions of this part of France.

Colmar is usually part of the itinerary, as it hosts the second largest Christmas fair in Alsace. Moreover, as it is a guided tour, you will not only learn about the history of these communities, but also about the origin and evolution of this tradition, which has been celebrated every December for centuries.

It is the perfect opportunity to sample the typical gastronomy of the season and enjoy the medieval architecture of the villages illuminated with festive decorations. Carols and shopping are also part of the experience, making it an ideal plan for families with young children.

This tour is one of the best things to do in Strasbourg over Christmas, although you should note that food and drink costs are not included. Neither are entrance fees to museums and attractions you may visit during the tour.

• Price: approximately 130 euros per person. Children under 12 usually pay less.
• Duration: about seven hours, although it can be extended depending on traffic and weather.
• Transport: minibus or minivan, as this is a small group tour.

There are different options when it comes to booking an excursion from Strasbourg, but my recommendation is to go for an online purchase of the service for several reasons. One of them has to do with the fact that there are almost always more competitive rates and that you can make your purchases from the comfort of your own home months in advance.

Another reason why this option is more convenient is the fact that you get to hear the opinions of other people who have already had the tour you are interested in experiencing. However, if this idea does not suit you, then you can choose to visit some of the tourist agencies that are located within the city of Strasbourg, but this alternative presents more challenges.

And that is that you will have to adjust to some prices that are not necessarily convenient for your tourist budget. At the same time, there is no guarantee that the excursions you are interested in will be available on the dates and at the times that are most convenient for you.

The average duration of most tours from Strasbourg varies between 5 and 8 hours. However, it is also possible that you may encounter slightly longer itineraries depending on traffic or the number of towns and cities visited. For this reason, it is quite important that you analyse very well your participation in this type of tours before buying the service, because if they last many hours they may not fit into the itinerary of a two-day visit to Strasbourg.

At the same time, if you do not have much time to spend in this city, but you are still interested in touring its surroundings, then you can opt for a guided tour of the city centre. Knowing that they shorten the tourist exploration so that you can dedicate the rest of your visit to an excursion that will also take you to sites of historical and cultural importance.

On this type of tour you're likely to encounter a wooded and slightly hilly landscape that closely resembles that of eastern Germany because the Alsace region stretches along the Rhine River, located just between the French border with neighbouring Germany . Similarly, the villages that are included in these types of itineraries are often characterised by medieval architecture that blends many German patterns, but under the French aesthetic and urban planning.

Similarly, if you are making a day trip to Strasbourg and are concerned that you will not be able to participate in these tours, then you should know that the Grand Isle area of Strasbourg and specifically the La Petite France neighbourhood closely resembles the aesthetics of the villages that are part of these tours.

The first recommendation I can give you to make the most of an excursion from Strasbourg is to choose an alternative that has to do with your interests. It doesn't make sense for you to take part in a wine tour if you don't like wine.

Another recommendation I can make is that although these plans are recommended in summer, it is better to opt for them at other times of the year. These types of excursions are among the best things to do in January in Strasbourg or even the best things to do in Strasbourg during the month of November for the simple fact that the tourist demand is quite low, which means that you will be able to enjoy the cities and villages that make up Alsace in a more relaxed way.

The price of an excursion from Strasbourg always varies between 100 and 180 euros and this has to do with the fact that these are exclusive experiences aimed at limited groups of people and include the accompaniment of a professional guide. So they definitely represent an economic investment, but at the same time they are an indisputable guarantee of enjoyment and comfort.

Moreover, the fact that they allow you to explore one of the most important cultural traditions in Europe such as the Christmas markets of the French northeast is a real privilege. So at the end of the day these prices translate into your participation in one of the best things to do in Strasbourg during the month of December.

One of the first reasons why it is advisable to opt for a tour when it comes to excursions around Strasbourg is the fact that you don't have to worry about any logistics. This is due to the fact that you are only paying a one-off amount that guarantees you transport, guided accompaniment and safety.

Another reason is the fact that you actually learn about the sites you are visiting, which is something that is not guaranteed when you have to deal with a visit on your own where there are language and even financial barriers. This knowing that sometimes you have to pay entrance fees for each of the monuments you visit in the villages and if you want an audio guide or the accompaniment of a specialist then you have to pay even more.

You should know that these criteria also apply to visiting other parts of Strasbourg. It is important to know how to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg in order to avoid making mistakes, and in this context, an excursion is the best alternative when it comes to investing your time and money wisely.