The Alsace region has gone back and forth between French and German control for centuries. This dichotomy is clearly visible in the architecture and the culture of this international city. Home to the European Parliament, one of the most amazing Gothic cathedrals in the world and plenty of Riesling, Strasbourg is a stylish Alsatian getaway.

The Food

When you arrive in Strasbourg, you instantly feel as if James Bond is going to come screaming around the corner in his silver Aston Martin. So it goes without saying that this city has a sense of style. And that style permeates through its food and restaurants as well. One restaurant that I feel represents this refined, casual-cool vibe in the city was Les Haras Brasserie.

Les Haras Brasserie offers its guests two options, either the downstairs bar and lounge or to head up the dramatic spiral staircase for fine dining.

We dined at the restaurant on a Wednesday evening, but it felt more like a Saturday. From the moment we arrived to the second we left the restaurant was buzzing. The atmosphere was electric and yet we could still manage to have a wonderfully intimate conversation—acoustics make or break dining experiences and this one hit the nail squarely on the head.

Now for the rest of the food!

What to Do

Like I said, it definitely has that 007 vibe. So start off by playing it cool and just strolling through the amazing cobbled streets in the old town until you eventually make your way to the magnificent cathedral in the center. Trust me you wont miss it!

And then if you have time do a little shopping. We found that in late April/Early May you can visit world-class stores without the crowds you find in more tourist filled cities like Paris.

Where to Stay 

Since we were travelling by car, we chose an option slightly outside the city center, Du côté de chez Anne. Likely the most idyllic place I have ever visited, I need to start by saying that I cannot wait to return to this hotel. Everything was truly magical.

Similar to our experience at Les Haras, from the time we checked in to the time we checked out we could feel the love that the owner Anne has put into this property. And that translated to a luxurious, romantic, fabulous stay. When we arrived she greeted us with a glass of local champagne and brought us to our suite.

I feel like the term “boutique” gets thrown around a lot these days, so I’m going to classify our experience as “bespoke” because that’s exactly what it was. Our suite was complete with the coolest furnishings I’ve ever seen, the largest bathtub I’ve ever seen and had the most exquisite details that I’ve ever seen.

And to top it all off, the next morning Anne greeted us with a breakfast fit for royalty. Complete with about 10 kinds of bread, 7 or 8 types of smoked fish, an entire basket of fresh pastries, yogurt, juice, coffee, eggs, charcuterie, jam, fruit, and it goes on and on. I’ve never been sadder to leave a hotel.

Strasbourg you have captured our hearts, minds and taste buds, when can we come back?