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Guide to Strasbourg, France
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Strasbourg
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StrasbourgThe city, for which one of France's most cherished dishes is known, is Strasbourg, the capital of the Alsace region. Pate de foie gras is served in nearly every restaurant in Alsace - in fact, it may even be served in over 50% of the world's restaurants! This goes to show that the French certainly know their ingredients, but Strasbourg has more to show for it than just its menus. The city also operates one of the nation's busiest ports. Nearly touching the Rhine itself, Strasbourg one stood as a German port city, but after the French won Alsace back, this center has been regarded as something of a miniature Paris, though a few reminders of the period of German rule still exist. This is both welcomed and not by certain peoples. A single street inside Strasbourg perfectly exemplifies the struggles between the two nations for Alsace, first dubbed Avenue Napoleon, which in turn was altered to Kaiser-Wilhelmstrasse, and after a few more alterations, it exists today as Avenue du General-de-Gaulle.The vast complex known as the University of Strasbourg highlights the city's push for the French spotlight. The student body stands at some 40,000, with alumni ranging from Pasteur to Goethe to Napoleon himself.If you're looking for a less intense experience than that provided by Paris, but don't wish to escape the busyness of a French city entirely, Strasbourg will suit your desires splendidly.
When to go:
From the get-go, Strasbourg was built with the central European climate in mind. Located on the same latitude as that of London, Strasbourg is mean to be seen from the outdoors. Photographs of the city rarely do it justice, and one can only gain knowledge of the full ensemble by walking the avenues and passing by the open doors of restaurants where the daily specials seem to entice even the most rushed passerby to take a few minutes of respite for an afternoon enjoyment. Rain comes regularly as it does for nearly every locale in the region, but not to get discouraged by the gray clouds - it's difficult to see the mix of asphalt and cobblestones spattered by water as nothing other than a perfect place to frolic.
Getting there and around:
Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport is a daily destination for many European capitals, including: London, Rome, Frankfurt, and, of course, Paris. On your arrival, you'll have places to shop and eat if such a need arises, but most travelers wish to motor into town as quickly as possible, and you've got trams and buses available to do just that. Both services offer regular city-center transport, running at intervals of 15 or 30 minutes, dependent on the time of day. Chances are you'll want to walk to and from the Strasbourg's main historic sites, but if you're looking to get back to your hotel and are without your own vehicle, you can usually find a bus far more quickly than you can a tram, though if patient, the latter can keep quite a few euros in your pockets.
Attractions:
Rivaling the University of Strasbourg's foot-traffic figures is a colossal wonder known as the Cathedrale Notre-Dame, a 12th-century marvel with touches of both the Romanesque and Gothic periods. The Cathedral's tower is easily spotted, and was put in place roughly two centuries after the building's completion. At 141m, the tower is the largest found atop a cathedral in Europe. Those of a Catholic faith will delight in knowing that Mass is still performed here. Another Strasbourg gem is the Palais de Rohan, an establishment serving numerous purposes, one of which is a museum. The palace's first floor is nearly entirely reserved for the city's Musee des Beaux-Arts, where wonderfully enough, works by world-renowned contemporaries can be found, including those from Rubens, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Monet. The museum is also home to a few historical items: the first astronomical clock used in the Cathedrale Notre-Dame, and numerous artifacts from regional excavations.
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