Highlights
Giggle at the gargoyles atop Strasbourg's cathedral, and step into a Brothers Grimm fairytale in canal-crossed Petite France.
Gawp at blushing Notre-Dame of Strasbourg's skeletal cathedral spire, rising high above the Place de la Cathédrale. Glimpse the city's rooftops from the top and watch 12 apostles parade from the Astronomical Clock at 12.30pm. A few paces away, the intricate wood-carved Maison Kammerzell shelters vaulted ceilings and elaborate frescoes. Half-timbered houses and cafés line the pretty canals in Petite France, perfectly viewed from Vauban Dam. Peek behind the doors of the opulent Rohan Palace to find the Decorative Arts Museum, Fine Arts Museum and Archaeological Museum, housing fancy gold work and Goya originals. Spy the horse guarding the entrance of the glass-walled Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on the River Ill's banks, and the silver sweep of the European Parliament where politicians' brains buzz.
Invest in a three-day Strasbourg Pass from the tourist office for discounted entry to many of the city's key attractions, plus free ascent to the top of the cathedral, access to the cathedral's astronomical clock and one museum, a boat cruise and half a day's bike hire. All of Strasbourg's museums are free on the first Sunday of the month.
