One day in Strasbourg

Two months ago, we drove down to the region of Alsace. After a year and a half without travel, it felt exhilarating to be on the road again. Even if the real reason was Grégory’s job interview, spending the night in another country felt surreal. By then, non-essential travel abroad had been allowed for two months, yet we never dared do it. Now we had the perfect excuse to stay the night and discover a bit of Alsace. And I got to spend one day in Strasbourg, the capital of this region.

We drove down south, all the way to a small town called Saverne, not far from Strasbourg. Escaping the stifling heat in Belgium only led us to even higher temperatures in Alsace! We arrived late in the evening but still took a walk around the practically deserted old town. Even here, I spotted all the familiar elements of Alsatian architecture. Half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and picturesque canals. That and more was what I found in Strasbourg!

The following morning, I walked down to the train station and got a one-way ticket to Strasbourg. While Grégory’s interview took place, I marveled at the beautiful city of the capital of Alsace. My plan was to walk alongside the many bridges that separate the old town from the rest of the city and finally, into the city center. Armed with sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, I photographed every single corner of Strasbourg.

While one day in Strasbourg is probably too little time to spend here, I still managed to have a great time. Normally, I would recommend at least two days for a more relaxed visit. However, when traveling alone in a hurry, nothing will bother me and I will gladly spend the entire day walking until my feet hurt and my heart is full of sights. That was exactly what I had done in those 8 hours.

I only made two short stops for food and refreshing drinks but aside from that, I walked relentlessly. Needless to say, considering the temperature was 34°, I enjoyed a lot of ice cream. On my own and together again with Grégory because why not have ice cream right before dinner?

I explored the streets of Strasbourg the way I explore all Belgian cities. On foot, alone, tirelessly sightseeing and marveling at everything. It often amazes me how motivating travel can be that I will forget to stop walking because the urge to explore is so strong. Nothing fills my heart with so much joy than discovering the streets of a town unknown to me.

Strasbourg cathedral

As a former art history student, I was very much looking forward to visiting the cathedral. Especially because the Strasbourg cathedral has always been considered to be one of utmost importance. And a sheer beauty, if I may add. From a completely non-religious point of view, romanesque and gothic cathedrals have always fascinated me with their design elements and unbelievable heights. And the Strasbourg cathedral is an exceptional example of a Gothic cathedral.

The architecture in Strasbourg was stunning but also diverse. While the typically Alsatian houses weren’t a surprise, the amount of Haussmann architecture amazed me. Basically, it’s the architecture style that Paris is known for, all those gorgeous buildings we all want to peek into. Strasbourg has so many of those that would fit right into the capital!

Tarte flambée (Flammekueche)

Eventually, Grégory joined me in the city center and after the aforementioned ice cream date, we walked over to Mama Bubbele for dinner. We got to enjoy some delicious flammkuchen or as it’s also known, tarte flambée. Grégory introduced me to this dish last year and I loved it straightaway! Simplified, it’s like pizza but with a thin crispy crust so if you ask me, it’s better than pizza. But then again, I have only eaten pizza 3 or 4 times in my life so it was never going to be a tough choice. Either way, flammkuchen is one of the most famous regional dishes in all of Alsace and you should definitely try it when visiting!

It was nearing 10 pm when we started our way back home, a 3 and a half-hour drive. We were both exhausted, for different reasons, and glad to be headed to our comfy bed. But I would’ve done it all over again, not slowing down the tempo. That one day in Strasbourg felt like a generous gift. Being able to travel abroad and discover a beautiful new city after all this time. I was so grateful for it and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. And I’m already itching for another one, somewhere else, somewhere new!

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