10 Things to Do in Strasbourg in January

One of the most convenient factors of visiting European cities is that many of their attractions remain open all year round. At the same time there is the fact that some of the best things to do in Strasbourg have to do with exploring those must-see sites with the addition of some traditions that only occur during specific times of the year.

For that reason, I recommend you to keep reading this post I have prepared for you, as I have put together different plans that can help you enjoy a great trip if your visit to the city of Strasbourg takes place during any of the days of January, which is characterised by its cold weather.

January is synonymous with indoor plans in many parts of Western Europe. In this context, cities like Strasbourg take the opportunity to turn their museums into a good entertainment plan for incoming tourists, but especially for their local population.

So one of the best things to do this month in Strasbourg is to visit the Alsatian Museum, a site that is made up of different mansions that were built during the 16th and 17th century. It stands out because it has a permanent exhibition of art and folklore that shows what rural life was like in post-medieval Alsace. Something that fits perfectly with the spirit and atmosphere that defines the first month of the year.

It is also a site that is located within the route of some of the best tours of Strasbourg and, therefore, can be perfectly combined with the itinerary of a Segway tour or a guided walk along the Great Island and the banks of the River III.

Interesting details

• Price: the entrance fee is about 7.5 euros per person.
• Location: 23-25 Quai Saint-Nicolas, 67000 Strasbourg, France.

Epiphany Day is what the French call Three Kings' Day, and although this is not as important a tradition in France as it is in Spain, there are some local customs. The first of these has to do with the culinary world, and the Roscón de Reyes has its own French version known as the Galette des Rois.

In this case, it is a puff pastry tart filled with almond cream and traditionally it is usually decorated with icing sugar or syrup. You can eat this dessert in any of the city's patisseries and you will probably find it in more than one restaurant as the main feature of this celebration.

Another alternative you have at your disposal to enjoy this day is to visit Notre Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral to attend any of the masses that will be held during the day in commemoration of this date. In fact, it is a highly recommended day to have a guided tour of the cathedral after eating the Galette de Rois, as it is likely that throughout the day different children's choirs will be practising for the evening mass.

Also, you should know that if your trip is short, this church is a site not to be missed on a one-day visit to Strasbourg for its architectural beauty.

As the month of December is synonymous with shopping and consumption, it is only logical that there are sales on many things. This is especially true for clothing shops, and for this reason, one of the best things to do when visiting Strasbourg in this month is to take a stroll around the famous shops in the Poincaré district and in the north of Strasbourg's Grand Ile. This is if you are interested in the idea of taking advantage of a good economic saving.

You should know that these discounts are due to a seasonal change, because while winter is still in progress, summer clothes are getting cheaper and cheaper. This means that between the end of January and the beginning of February many department stores and even more exclusive brands start to lower the prices of items that they haven't sold since last autumn and summer.

GeleriesLafayette is one of the places I can recommend if you decide to spend an afternoon shopping in this part of the city. Especially because it is one of the most important French shops.

Cheese is one of the most representative things in the French culinary world and specifically during the month of January different types of Alcesian cheeses reach their ideal ripening point to start selling to tourists and locals. For this reason, enjoying an urban tour that is guided and specifically oriented to discover different cheese dairies in the city is a good way to escape the cold temperatures and to do indoor tourism at this time of the year.

From the experience you should know that local wine is almost always offered as an accompaniment because it is another of the gastronomic prides of Alsace. This is definitely a plan that is recommended for the whole family and in fact is something that fits perfectly into the itinerary of a two-day visit to Strasbourg. This is a city walk that usually lasts no more than two or three hours in total.

Interesting details

• Prices: the price for a gastronomic experience like this is usually 100 euros per person.

One of the favourite activities for locals in Strasbourg is a visit to the botanical garden of the city's university. In turn, specifically in the month of January it becomes a much more recommendable activity because you have the opportunity to counteract the cold and snowfalls with the different tropical greenhouses found in this beautiful urban oasis.

The place stands out not only for its former existence since the foundation of the Strasbourg university, but also for its more than 6000 species of plants in a perfect state of preservation. It also stands out for its organisation, as well as for its privileged location in one of the most beautiful areas of the city.

In fact, it is an ideal place to visit just before you set out to see how to visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg. And that has to do with the fact that it is located halfway from the city centre to the European Quarter where this important legislative institution is located.

The Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain in the city of Strasbourg is an important art institution for France and Europe. During the month of January it becomes relevant to visit because of the fact that there are often temporary winter exhibitions.

In fact, it is also one of the best things to do in Strasbourg in November. That's knowing that the temporary exhibitions of this museum as well as the museum of fine arts and the museum of decorative arts usually start from the end of the penultimate month of the year and usually extend until mid-January or even February.

It is definitely a recommended place to enjoy modern art and photography and, above all, to escape from the cold that characterises this time of the year. It is open every day of the week except Mondays, which means it can fit into your visit to the city no matter when exactly it happens.

Details of interest

• Prices: Tickets cost approximately 7.5 euros.
• Location: 1 Pl. Hans-Jean-Arp, 67000 Strasbourg, France.

One of Strasbourg's typical January traditions is the idea of visiting the beloved Parc de L'Orangerie to enjoy the drastic change in the landscape. This is an urban park that is characterised during spring and summer by its abundance of flowers and animals.

What changes is that specifically during the months of January and February the frequent snowfalls turn it into a small winter oasis accessible to those who don't have the possibility of escaping to another of the towns in the Alsace region. So if you want to familiarise yourself a little more with the customs of the people who live in Strasbourg during a trip in January, it's an excellent plan to take a stroll through this park.

If you do, you can take part in snowball battles as well as some of the cultural events organised by the locals to enjoy the city despite the cold and the snow. Don't be surprised if you see groups of young people getting together to sing and play - it 's more common than you might think.

As January is synonymous with the return to school for both universities and schools, the Bibliothèque Nationale de Strasbourg is taking the opportunity to organise a series of collective reading sessions. The aim is to promote French literature among the city's young people. They usually take place on weekdays, but become more frequent on Saturdays and Sundays because school and university students usually have more time to take part in these free events.

Don't worry about booking your participation in these literary meetings, as a simple visit to the library and a question to the reception staff will get you to the special rooms designated for these forums and debates. You should know that the language used for the meetings is French, but if you find the plan interesting then it can be a perfect opportunity to expose yourself to the language.

One thing that characterises the Alsace region is the beauty of its natural landscapes. It is a very diverse area that combines a favourable soil for cultivation in a terrain crossed by different rivers. In addition to all this, there is a mountain range called the Vosges mountain range, which since ancient times has served as a natural border between the regions of Alsace and Lorraine in northeastern France.

Specifically, the month of January is a good time to make an excursion along this natural space due to the fact that it is possible that there is some snowfall, which would allow you to enjoy a very special moment in one of the most important virgin forests for biodiversity in Western Europe. Keep in mind that for this idea it is advisable to rent a private car, as this way you will be able to reach the different corners of the mountain range with more tranquility.

And you have to know that there is not really a specific place to visit because it is a long mountain range, but there are different towns that bring you closer to these mountains. Saverne is one of the recommended places because of its proximity to Strasbourg, although you could also go down to the city of Colmar and then go to the Col du Calvarie to spend an afternoon at the beautiful lake known as Lac Blanc.

Another great attraction in and around Strasbourg in January is a place that can be an ideal entertainment alternative in case rain or snow prevent you from enjoying other places in the Alsace region. I am talking about the Cité de l'Automobile, which is one of the most important automobile museums in the world and receives more than 500 000 visitors every year.

The institution is housed in a former Citröen factory where cars were produced from 1919 to 1954. Today, more than 500 cars are on display, including some that were manufactured during the 19th century, making it a great place to visit for the whole family, especially in January when there are few family-friendly plans for people of all ages.

The museum is located in the town of Mullhouse, another must-see in the Alsace region. In fact it is one of the best day trips from Strasbourg and with just an hour's drive you will have reached this museum after returning to continue your trip to the capital of this region.

Interesting details

• Price: admission costs around 18 euros per person while children between 4 and 17 years pay 10 euros.
• Location: 17 Rue de la Mertzau, 68100 Mulhouse, France.

The city of Strasbourg is characterised by being quite cold all year round and in the month of January you will find maximum temperatures of around 8°C while the minimum is usually around -2 or -3°C.

The number of tourists in Strasbourg during the month of January is significantly lower than in December because of the end of the Christmas festivities, as well as the end-of-year celebrations. It is possible that for the Epiphany weekend there will be more people, but still the whole month tends to have a low tourist demand.

Prices in January are pretty much the same as the rest of the year except for the summer, when it's high season and demand for accommodation and food doubles or triples in the tourist areas of the city.

If you want to visit Strasbourg in January it's essential that you pack clothes that are suitable for both cold and snow. There is a good chance that at some point during your trip there will be snow and the skies will be cloudy and rainy.