Strasbourg

Like an insatiable German Shephard on a leash, the handsome city of Strasbourg pulls this way and that. At one moment, you're staring at half-timbered homes that lean over mirror-like canals, or dreaming of the bygone era of old Alsace as you wander down cobbled lanes in Little France. The next, you're in the buzzing heart of the Euro district, where university rooms echo with both German and French tongues. In stark contrast, you’re surrounded by banking institutions and the shiny high-rises of the Council of Europe. And then, you're transported yet again to immersive Christmas Markets packed with Rhineland pretzels and Bavarian beers, or to soaring Gothic cathedrals with clanging belfries. All the while, culture abounds: L'Opéra reverberates with tenors and the grandiose Palais Rohan beckons with Beaux-Arts and archaeological relics alike. To top all that off, there's really nothing like a bout of Alsatian choucroute and tartes flambées. You might just need a Strasbourg tour guide to help you through it all…