For a whole month, the Capital of Christmas is decked out for the festive season. The delicious scent of mulled wine, coconut macaroons, and tarte flambée will be wafting from stalls in every square, and as soon as it gets dark, there will be twinkling lights all over town.

Here are 12 tips and Recommendations to get in the holiday spirit and make the most of Strasbourg’s Christmas Market:

1. Explore the Christkindelsmärik on place Broglie

Place Broglie, le Christkindelsmärik (Christ Child market) on place Broglie is Strasbourg’s historic ChristmasMarket, dating back to 1570.

When Jérôme was a little boy, he always loved having a waffle from La Gaufre Lorraine at the Christkindelsmärik. He’d sink his teeth into the fluffy, crunchy treat, and somehow always end up covered in powdered sugar. This stall has long since disappeared…but the pleasure of reliving childhood memories remains.

2. Admire the great Christmas tree on place Kléber (by day and by night)

This year, the ornaments on the city’s monumental Christmas tree are meant to symbolize the warmth of home at Christmas time, the festive spirit in the city, and the charity and generosity of the holiday season. The 30-meter-tall tree is decorated with garlands of pearls, electric candles, red baubles, Kelsch hearts, wicker stars, and snowflakes — and lights up at nightfall.

3. See the chalets on place de la Cathédrale and place du Château

Nestled at the foot of the Cathedral, the Christmas market on place de la Cathédrale and place du Château is the most iconic market in Strasbourg.

These two squares, with their wooden chalet-like market stalls, surrounded by charming side streets and with the Cathedral as a backdrop, are like a bubble of holiday magic in the middle of the city. To us, this is where you will truly find the Spirit of Christmas.

4. Walk around in the Carré d’Or

The Carré d’Or is a collection of narrow side streets around the Cathedral.

Rue des Orfèvres, rue du Sanglier and rue du Chaudron are all beautifully decorated and decked with Christmas lights by the local shopkeepers.

5. Take in the Christmas lights after dark

After nightfall is when every street in the Capital of Christmas will sparkle and twinkle with beautiful lights, creating a magical atmosphere.

Don’t miss: 

• Place Kléber, with the great Christmas Tree:

Rue Mercière:

Place de la Cathédrale and place du Château,with the Cathedral as a backdrop:

The Carré d’Or: rues des Orfèvres, rue du Sanglier and rue du Chaudron:

Rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Poissons, with la Porte des Lumières (Gate of Lights):

Place du Marché aux Poissons and the terrace of the Palais Rohan:

Quai des Bateliers:

6. Sip on mulled wine or mulled apple juice

Mulled wine (vin chaud) and mulled apple juice (jus de pomme chaud) are staples of the Strasbourg Christmas Market. You will hear shouts of « Il est bon, il est chaud, le vin chaud! » (The mulled wine is good and hot!) from many a stall around town. For Stéphanie, a trip to the Christmas Market should always end with a cup of delicious, mulled apple juice. We recommend: the mulled wine and mulled apple juice with cinnamon from Chez Mathilde, on place Broglie.

7. Warm your hands with a cone of roasted chestnuts

All over the city, little stalls in the shape of locomotives sell cones of warm chestnuts, roasted to order in a wood-fired oven. We recommend: the Ferrari locomotives.

8. Buy a Christmas ornament 

Fans of Christmas decorations will love the Strasbourg Christmas market: baubles, garlands, tinsel, pretzel-shaped ornaments, candle holders, nutcrackers, little elves… there is something for every taste.

9. Enjoy a männele or a handful of bredele

Männele (traditional brioche-like pastries shaped like gingerbread men) and bredele (tiny Alsatian Christmas cookies that are made during advent) can be found in every boulangerie throughout the holiday season. Those who have a sweet tooth can also find these delicacies at the food market Quai des Délices (on the terrace of the Palais Rohan). We recommend: famous boulangerie Au Pain de mon Grand-Père (1 rue des Hallebardes) for fresh männele.

10. Bring back a typically Alsatian souvenir

Many stalls and chalets offer an array of traditional Alsatian crafts and foods, such as Kelsch (red or blue checkered household linens like tablecloths or kitchen towels), pottery, gingerbread, beer and wine, jams and jellies, as well as tiny half-timbered houses.

11. Donate to a charity on place Kléber

Over 80 different charities are gathered in the Village du partage, or solidarity village, around the great Christmas tree on place Kléber.

The plastic cups that all the hot drinks are served in, are charged at a 1€ deposit. You can either give your cup to a stallkeeper to get your money back, or you can throw it in one of the special collection bins, thereby donating your 1€ to charity.

12. Visit the marché Off on place Grimmeisen

This unusual Christmas market focuses on local, fair, and ethical products, businesses, and artisans. The wooden chalets seen throughout the Christmas Market have here been replaced with stalls made from shipping containers.

To see more of Stéphanie and Jérôme’s travel Strafari’s, click here!