Strasbourg’s festivities are on a whole other level – it’s like Christmas on steroids! The city hosts a staggering 15 official Christmas market areas meaning it’s the perfect place for a longer festive break, where every day is different.
I visited Strasbourg’s epic festive wonderland as part of my Christmas Market Crawl, where I explored and rated Budapest, Vienna, Kraków, Berlin, Cologne and Basel’s Christmas markets.
In this article, I’m dropping all the important info on everything Strasbourg Christmas Markets have to offer, including activities, food, drinks and prices.
Everything You Need To Know About The Strasbourg Christmas Markets
Strasbourg really knows how to do Christmas right! I mean, they’ve got Christmas markets popping up all over the place, and we’re not talking about just a couple – they’ve got a whopping 15 of them!
These markets are grouped together in clusters of three or four making it super easy to visit quite a few because they’re so close together.
What Christmas Markets Are There in Strasbourg?
Make your first stop at one of Strasbourg’s oldest markets, Christkindelsmärik, held at Place Broglie. Here, you can discover the finest decorations for your Christmas tree and table.
Next, make your way to the cathedral where you’ll find a cluster of four Christmas markets. Check out the Place de la Cathédrale market for gingerbread and other sweets, and Place du Château, Rue des Hallebardes and Rue Gutenberg for more festive stalls selling traditional Christmas goods like candles, mulled wine and artisanal gifts.
Strasbourg’s Great Christmas Tree (le Grand Sapin) is an iconic city landmark during the festive season. It sits on Place Kléber which also hosts three Christmas markets and is the perfect place to score some pre-loved gifts. Here, the Village du Partage (the sharing village) hosts 90 charities that offer the chance to purchase responsibly, donate to charity and take part in community events. While the other stalls in Place Kléber and L’Aubette are great for antiques, secondhand items and hand-crafted gifts.
The Carré D’Or Market is held on Place du Temple Neuf and is filled with stalls selling the usual Christmas goodies. However, it’s the streets that line the market that make it so special. Here you’ll find famous boutiques, artisan pastry-makers, cheese-makers, chocolate-makers, restaurateurs, bakers and more.
Pop over to La Petite France for foodie stalls on Place Benjamin Zix and Place Saint-Thomas.
The OFF Market on Place Grimmeissen is the perfect spot for scoring vintage furniture, second hand toys and organic food. They also have a programme jammed pack with events, citizen talks and activities.
If you fancy some local French produce visit Les Irréductibles Petits Producteurs d’Alsace on Square Louise Weiss. Here you’ll find farmers and artisans selling produce that is 100% made in Alsace; we’re talking jams, condiments, wine and cheeses.
It’s a lot to take in, I know! But every year, the city creates a huge guide to take you through it all – here’s the guide for 2023.
When do Strasbourg Christmas Markets Open in 2023?
Strasbourg Christmas Markets tend to open in late November and close on Christmas Eve. However, the farmer’s market on Square Louise Weiss stays open until early January.
Is Strasbourg a Good Destination for Christmas Markets?
Strasbourg is a fantastic destination for Christmas market hopping. The city undergoes a magical transformation during the festive season, offering lots of activities, events and Christmas markets. You could easily spend several days immersing yourself in the festive activities and still not experience everything!
How Expensive are Strasbourg Christmas Markets?
If you’re into tasty yet budget-friendly mulled wine, Strasbourg is your go-to spot. They had the cheapest mulled wine out of all the Christmas markets I visited.
However, food prices will vary from square to square. Also, bear in mind that there will be pricier stalls in the more commercial squares; it’s a good idea to scout around for some pocket-friendly options.
Overall, Strasbourg is an affordable Christmas Market.
The Best Strasbourg Christmas Market Hotels
Suggested Hotels
My Review of Strasbourg Christmas Markets
Strasbourg Christmas Market Opening Dates and Times
Opening dates
Friday 24 November 2023 – Sunday 24 December 2023
(Times may vary on Christmas Eve)
Times
Monday – Sunday: 11:30am–9pm
As there are so many Christmas markets dotted around the city it’s worth double checking the times of the markets you want to visit. You can find more detailed information here.
My First Impressions
Armed with my 32 page digital guide, I did feel a little overwhelmed at the sheer size of the Strasbourg Christmas Markets! Where should you even begin?
Since I was filming my whole trip for Instagram, I decided to start somewhere with an impressive view and so off to Place Kléber and its 94-foot tree I went.
As I walked there, I could tell that Strasbourg is a city that takes Christmas seriously. There were glistening lights strung all over the place, and a general buzz in the air as people swarmed towards the 15 areas (!!) that promised festive cheer.
On arriving in Place Kléber, I was a little disconcerted by how many people were there. It was teeming! However, I’d later discover that Strasbourg is all about exploring the different hotspots and finding which market is best for you. Whilst crowds aren’t my thing, I did love the smaller squares where the queues for mulled wine were much shorter!
Food
I got my food from Place Kléber which offered a bratwurst in a baguette – naturally – for €8 (£6.90). After queueing for a good 10 minutes (and getting in the way of all the shoppers trying to make their way down the row) I ended up getting the fondue topping which cost me an extra €2 (£1.70), so £8.60 in total.
The next challenge was finding somewhere to eat my food and I ended up finding a slim shelf at the side of another stall.
Sadly, the bratwurst was quite disappointing! There wasn’t the seasoned flavour I had come to expect in places like Berlin, Cologne and Budapest.
In hindsight, I do appreciate that Place Kléber is one of the more commercial markets and so I imagine there are much better choices elsewhere, perhaps for even cheaper prices.
Whilst wandering around, I did spot homemade butternut squash and cumin soup for €5 (£4.30) in Place Benjamin Zix.
Also, be on the lookout for a local traditional festive treat – bredle! They are little biscuits cut out with a cookie cutter before baking and you’ll find them in the area of Quai Des Délices where the Fédération des boulangeries du Bas-Rhin will sort you out!
Drinks
I took my mulled wine sampling very seriously in Strasbourg and ended up tasting not one, not two but three different ‘vin chaud’.
My first was in Place Grimmeissen where I queued up for my €4 (£3.45) wine and paid the extra €1 as a cup deposit (you get it back when you return it). But my first disappointment was the cup – it would be better placed at a sporting fixture rather than a Christmas Market! My second was the taste. Not only did it give that plasticky after taste but it tasted… well… it tasted very average.
Was I in France or not?!!
I refused to accept that this was to be the case and so walked over to another stall called Domaine Durrmann. After admitting I wasn’t sold on what I’d tried already, the two blokes there told me to not worry as they were selling the best mulled wine in the market for €5 for 300ml. The only thing to flag is that they didn’t have the classic red stuff, but mulled white wine instead.
I cautiously took a sip and… Wow. It was amazing.
And on further research, I should perhaps not be surprised! The Durrmann family are local winemakers and you can really taste the quality of the wine. I absolutely recommend stopping by and giving it a try. Especially as they also do a smaller 150ml cup for €3 (£2.60) so it’s perfect if you just want a little taste.
Realising I’d stumbled on something special, I decided to try another hot wine from the thermal flasks on Place Saint Thomas. Like the first, it was just €4 (£3.45) but the taste was – fortunately – very different! Super fruity with a real juicy flavour, this one was an absolute winner.
Again, I do wish there were better cups but for the price, you can’t really argue!
Shopping
There are so many different places to shop in Strasbourg.
If you’re interested in environmentally friendly purchases, head to Place Grimmeissen where there’s vintage furniture, second hand goods and arts and crafts. I loved that many of the shops were in shipping containers. It’s like a mini Shoreditch.
For your more standard Christmas Market fare, I really liked Place Benjamin Zix which is also close to the most picture perfect photo. Head to the lock and you’ll see why it’s such a well known viewpoint.
If you’re after local produce, check out Square Louis Weiss where you can find locally produced jams, chocolate, bredle, condiments, wines and more!
Activities
What Strasbourg really has going for it is the amount of activities and entertainment it has.
The most notable thing for me had to be the light illuminations. Head to Porte d’entrée de la Capitale de Noël for the dazzling arch that welcomes you into the city of Strasbourg.
However, it doesn’t stop there. There are streets, houses, windows and balconies that are adorned with lights throughout the city. Head to Rue des Orfèvres for some really stunning illuminations.
There are also carousels – I spotted one in Place Kléber and by the cathedral. The OFF market also offers family activities including performances, creative workshops and relaxation areas. There’s also lots of family fun at The Advent Village as well!
For adults, check out The 5e Lieu Cultural Centre for tours and a full schedule of cultural events across the city.
Finally, head to Place Kléber to enjoy the Grand Sapin – the huge Christmas tree that this year comes in at 94 foot. On the hour between 4pm and 9pm, you’ll discover the musical illuminations of the tree – it’s got to be ticked off as part of your trip!
Oh – and if you’re lucky, you’ll also be there for the gingerbread cutting ceremony! I still haven’t found the specifics of this tradition that I stumbled upon, but it happened around 5:15pm on a Wednesday for me. And yes, I did get to eat the gingerbread!!
Where I Stayed
Sadly, the city was very booked up when I was there and so I couldn’t find a room for under £300!! But don’t worry, by booking in advance, you’ll be fine. What I can vouch for, however, is the Wifi I stole from Le Grand Hotel by the station!
Instead I stayed in Paris, to help break up my journey back to London.
Are Strasbourg Christmas Markets Worth Visiting?
My Overall Thoughts
Whether you want to quickly dip in or spend several days exploring the markets, Strasbourg Christmas Market has something for everyone. Whilst I didn’t love how busy some of the areas were, I quickly found respite in the smaller markets which felt much more authentic. Also, it’s such a beautiful city and the lights only bring that beauty out!
I’d love to revisit for a few days and I really recommend giving the guide a proper read so you’re armed with all the knowledge you need to make the most of it.
Strasbourg Christmas Markets get a well deserved 7/10 from me!
Other European Christmas Markets to Visit
Follow my Christmas Market Crawl challenge where I visit seven markets in seven days, as voted for by my followers on Instagram.
See what I thought of Budapest, Vienna, Kraków, Berlin, Cologne and Basel Christmas markets plus you can browse our rundown of the top Christmas markets in Europe.
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