France is not just a granduer and the feel Paris prides itself on or unforgettable French livieras: Just look at the hidden location, Alsace. I’ve spent a couple of days in its capital Strasbourg – as always on a shoestring.
Sitting on a German border, Alsace still offers the cuisine you can enjoy in Germany (i.e. Pretzel) and the architecture. Have you imagined you would encounter those stuff?
Let’s walk through my pictures taken straight away from Strasbourg.
First off, let’s start with this quientessential feel of Aula, which is also called Palais Universitaire (University Palace). I envy the students privileged to walk inside with their head high like the noble people once did when it was built..
Back then it was designed by German-style and built in the neo-Renaissance style modelled after Italian classical architecture, notably Villa Garzoni.
Just a 10-minutes walk from Aula is a therapeutical Botanical Garden also owned by the same university. It was a very sunny day but under a harsh heat wave. So the garden provided an oasis effect for visitors for that day.
Once your energy and stamina got charged back, let’s walk around the historical centre of Strasbourg. Don’t miss out the view at the top of Notre Dame Cathedral (entry – 10€). To be precise, you have to go to the top of the bell tower adjacent to the Cathedral.
Are you ready for 330 steps to climb and enjoy this top view?
As you climb to the top, you may wish to read up on the history the tower and Strasbourg lived through:
Enjoying reading up on Alsace? You may be interested in Colmar as well.
The tower has the exhibition on the engineering history that made this tower happen.
Once you accomplished your 330-step challenge, reward yourself more on the iconic streets of Strasbourg. Once you got out the Cathedral, those old-style buildings welcome you.
Those matchboxes are just a few minutes walk away from the Cathedral.
Take one of these Gingerbread Mans home if you like!
I left the historical centre to escape the heat wave and ended up in a beach space, still in the city. It’s amazing children play around here!
Strasbourg is also a seat of EU Parliament. Tourists like us won’t be able to sightsee, but the outlook speaks a volume. Walk along the canal next to the Parliament premise and it’s refreshing to be around the water.
Excursion from Strasbourg
To wrap up my visit in Alsace, I took a SNCF train to Selestat on my way to Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle.
Take a shuttle bus line 500 from the Selestat SNCF station directly to the Haut-Koenigsbourg. Once you arrive there, have this view all for yourself:
Keep your bus ticket and get the discounted admission €6 to enter the Castle as well 🙂 The inside is also interesting. Thank goodness we won’t fall into this well.
Here is an educational map on the castle upper ward.
And the Castle Kitchen .. Perhaps I should start a kitchen visit blog about the kitchens inside all the palaces and gorgeous apartments I had a privilege to visit.. I love to imagine how the food has been prepared back in the days when the castle was inhabited by the nobles.
I loved watching the wall frescoes, which brings you to the medieval time in no time. Well-preserved and just elegant.
Let’s not forget the Castle’s past as a defence line. If you love watching military stuff, visit the basement with full of cannons.
And here’s a wrap – select the best spot and snap your wonderful castle hill view!
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