Strasbourg, France Christmas Markets 2023

MARKET TIPS

Before you begin your own Christmas market adventures, there are definitely some things you’ll need to know! I scoured the internet before traveling to France because I like to be fully prepared and have a game plan when traveling, especially to countries I’ve never visited before, and these are the best tips that stuck with me and were the most useful during my trip.

• Christmas mugs and pfands: at most Christmas markets in Europe, each stall selling hot drinks will also sell festive Christmas mugs specific to the city you’re in. When you order your drink, the total will likely be higher than what’s written down as the price because there is a “pfand” added, or a small deposit for the mug (usually around 3 euros). You can return your mug to any drink stall and get your pfand back, or keep the mug as a souvenir since you’ve already paid for it!
• Bring cash: when they say cash is king at European Christmas markets, they mean it! Definitely be sure to have a good amount of cash on hand at each different market, especially if you want to take home some mugs or try as much local food as you can.
• Pay attention to currency: this seems obvious, but as a disclaimer, know what currency you’ll need in each country you visit! I had been traveling in Spain, Germany, and France for so long that I was used to always having euros on hand, and I forgot that when I took a day trip to Switzerland, they use francs and not euros. Not a huge deal if you’re able to just grab cash at an ATM upon arrival, but if you’re taking any money out in advance, be sure to have the correct currencies!
• Learn some French phrases: you’re certainly not expected to know the entire language of every country you visit, but if you’re going to France to experience the Christmas markets, it’s a good idea to learn at least the basics. Most people will speak a bit of German and English as well, and I rarely had any issues with the language barrier, but knowing the following words and phrases should help you out:
  • “Bonjour” - “hello”
  • “Merci” or “merci beaucoup” - “thank you/thank you very much”
  • “S’il vous plait” - “please”
  • “Pfand” - “deposit” (German word pronounced “fund”)
  • “Un vin chaud s’il vous plait"” - “one mulled wine please”
  • “Au revoir” - “goodbye”
  I didn’t need to use all of these as most people could clock that I was American by my accent, and immediately switched over to English – so even just saying “One vin chaud please” was enough to get me by pretty much everywhere!
• Wear proper shoes & pace yourself: this should go without saying, but if you’re going to spend hours and hours walking every day, it takes a toll on your feet! And even if you have good shoes, don’t push yourself too hard–I walked too much for too many days without stretching, taking care of my feet, or resting, and I ended up getting plantar fasciitis and had to lose a day of markets because I was in so much pain. Explore as much as you can, but don’t overdo it!

WHERE TO STAY

There are plenty of ways to plan out your Christmas market trips, most of which depend on your budget and your timeframe. Personally, I only had 4-5 days to explore as many markets as I could/was able to, so instead of getting a hotel or Airbnb in every different city I visited each day, I opted to stay in one central location for my whole trip and just take day trips to each new city. This was easier for me because I had two bags and had just come from two months of traveling, so instead of packing up my things and moving to a new accommodation every day, I was able to have one home base and take as many day trips as possible from there.

My base was Mannheim, Germany, and it turned out to be a really great location that I recommend highly! It was under 2.5 hours from France and Switzerland, plus many other major cities in Germany. If you want to stay directly in France and explore more of the Alsace region than anywhere else, I would recommend Strasbourg for your base–it has a very accessible train station and can get you to tons of cities in France, Germany, Switzerland, and more! Plus, you’ll be able to easily walk from your accommodations to some of the best Christmas markets in all of Europe - they don’t call Strasbourg the “capital of Christmas” for nothing!

MARKET LOCATIONS

The individual Christmas markets that I personally visited in Strasbourg were located at the following places:

• Place Kléber
• Place du Temple Neuf
• Place Broglie
• Place Gutenberg
• Cathédral Notre-Dame de Strasbourg
• Place du Chateau
• Place du Marché aux Poissons
• Terrasse du Palais Rohan

I believe there are more markets scattered around the city, but I split my day between Strasbourg and Colmar, so sadly I didn't have enough time to find more! There are also countless Christmas decorations lining shops and streets all over the city, so even just wandering around feels like you’re immersed in Christmastime vibes. Since I didn’t have a full day here, I’ve highlighted the biggest and best markets (in my opinion) that I was able to visit in Strasbourg below, plus some other must-visit spots in the city!

PLACE KLÉBER

This market was definitely the highlight of Strasbourg’s Christmas markets for me! It’s a pretty straight shot from the train station if you just walk down Rue du Maire Kuss, cross the bridge, and continue down Rue du 22 Novembre. This market is home to a huge decorated Christmas tree and rows of festive stalls selling all your typical Christmas market fare: vin chaud, tarte flambée, gingerbread, churros, beignets, and so much more! This is also the only market in the entirety of Strasbourg that I found the souvenir mugs being sold - and only one stall was selling them. France mostly uses plastic reusable cups instead of the ceramic holiday mugs at their markets, but luckily I did my research beforehand and was able to find the one stall on the north side of the market selling mugs. There’s also a carousel here, and you’re in a great place for normal shopping as well, since there are tons of retail stores and great restaurants right in the area around Place Kléber.

PLACE BROGLIE

Since I got to Strasbourg earlier in the morning, this market wasn’t open yet when I walked by–however, I realized later that Place Broglie is home to Chrìstkìndelsmärik, the original Christmas market in Strasbourg (yes, the one that was founded in 1570!). Though it looked pretty barren when I walked through the area, once the sun goes down and the lights and crowds come out, I’m sure this market is absolutely stunning–I’ve seen enough photos to know that’s true! It’s located right off of the main road, so the market was more of a long column of stalls that lined the road, making it really easy to walk through in one go. The surroundings are still festive, though, and the area is stunning even without any decorations!

CATHÉDRAL AND PLACE DU CHATEAU

You’ll find small markets all around the Cathédral Notre-Dame - with the cathedral in the background, these markets have a particularly beautiful backdrop! Again, most of these markets were sadly closed since I only had the morning to explore Strasbourg, but I still got all the festive feels walking around as all the stalls were being set up for the afternoon. This seemed to be a big market for handmade crafts like candles, ornaments, decorations, and of course hot drinks and food. You can even climb the steps to the cathedral to get a panoramic view of the markets! I didn’t venture up there, but you can still get a great view of the cathedral tower and it’s surroundings from the ground.

RUE DU MAROQUIN

This wasn’t exactly a Christmas market, but if you walk down Rue du Maroquin from the cathedral, you’ll come upon Au Vieux Strasbourg and Le Tire-Bouchon which are two very famous restaurants decked out in amazing Christmas decor! When you search “Christmas in Strasbourg” online, you very likely see photos of a tall building covered in teddy bears–this is where you’ll find it! Keep walking down the street toward the small courtyard and you’ll find Maison du Savetier and a great view of the festive street. Definitely one of the best spots in Strasbourg at Christmastime!

PALAIS & TERRASSE ROHAN

This area felt like a lovely little break from the busy streets of Strasbourg, even with its markets nearby. The courtyard in front of the palace held a few stalls and Christmas decorations, which undoubtedly bring in a crowd once the sun goes down, but the walk next to the river on Terrasse Rohan was so calming and serene–I definitely recommend it for a nice scenic walk by the water!

PETITE-FRANCE

You can’t come to Strasbourg without visiting the iconic area of Petite-France. The cobblestone streets and quaint canals have so much charm, and if you come in the morning like I did, you’ll have them almost to yourself! You’ll find iconic half-timbered houses in front of the water, famous restaurants and photo spots, and quiet streets to wander down. I honestly could have spent hours just wandering these streets and finding new houses and buildings to admire.

FOOD AND DRINK OVERVIEW

The only hard part of the Strasbourg Christmas markets was trying to decide what to eat! There were definitely some unique options available for both food and drinks, but there are some staple items that you’ll find at pretty much every single market in France:

• Vin chaud: hot mulled wine (red and white options)
• Chocolat chaud: hot chocolate (you can add shots of alcohol!)
• Bretzel: pretzels (with cheese, meat, etc.)
• Crepes: so many different topping options!
• Tarte Flambée: Alsace “pizza” made from dough, cheese, and toppings
• Beignets: fried donuts with powdered sugar

I usually go for savory foods, but there were plenty of sweet treats as well, including chocolate covered fruits, gingerbread cookies, candied nuts, churros, and more. Some stalls will sell more elevated foods like fois gras, but those are usually found in specialty food markets (Colmar has a great one!). Overall there were plenty of options at every single market in the city, so you’ll have no trouble finding something you enjoy.