Strasbourg and the Alsace region - underrated destination

[Jasper]

I recently had a very good four night break in Strasbourg.  If anyone would like to find out some more about the city as a holiday destination I am happy to share my thoughts.  It exceeded my expectations - medieval streets, half-timbered buildings, plenty of bridges (the centre is an island).  I spent one of my days in Colmar (30 mins south by train), from where I had a superb minibus tour of three villages and tasted some wine at a vineyard.

Jasper

 

[Lindsey2]

I agree!

Although I have not actually visited Strasbourg,  a few years back my husband and I spent some days in Colmar and the little wine village of Eguisheim, where we were swept up in some local festivities involving an open-air play, a mayoral reception at the local chateau, wine-tasting etc ... and were generally treated with more enthusiastic friendliness and generosity than I have ever experienced in any other area of France.

The villages are amazingly pretty, and beautifully maintained by their inhabitants who seem to have a real sense of pride in, and concern for their local environment (although I suppose it has to be conceded that to some tastes this may make them a little too 'chocolate-boxy').  But they are still working agricultural communities, and the stories the old people have to tell of their experiences of enforced nationality changes resulting from the two world wars are truly fascinating ............Highly recommended!

[Blanche Neige]

Wonderful area as OP and Lindsey2 have said. Strasbourg is perfect for a short break and the surrounding villages and countryside IMO are well worth visiting.

Lindsey said

"But they are still working agricultural communities, and the stories the old people have to tell of their experiences of enforced nationality changes resulting from the two world wars are truly fascinating ............Highly recommended!"

I had the same impression and experience as Lindsey

[Pierre ZFP]

I can second (or is it third) what the others have said with the exception that there are some grotty bits on the outskirts of Strasbourg.  Stay in the old town and its wonderful and the Catherdral has to be seen to be believed - visit just before noon if you can and watch the amazing astronomical clock do its thing. Go to the EU part and its bleak as are the Retail therapy units on the edge of town, but that is true for a lot of towns these days I think.  Strasbourg also has an extremly large Christmas Market centered around the Cathedral.  It claims to be the oldest one but other places claim that too, in any case it is big and for my taste, just too many people.  Colmer and some of the other villages on the Rhine have smaller but much nicer (IMHO) Chistmas Markets.  Worth planing a trip for December.