• Home
  • About Me
  • Travel Advising
    • Travel Advising and Itinerary Design
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Travel Blog
  • Publications
  • What I’m Reading

Kayla Smith

December 22, 2023

Returning to Strasbourg, France, and the Most Magical Christmas Markets in Europe

We woke up before the sun rose on St. Nicholas Day to catch our 5:45am train in Salzburg. Our flight home to the United States was leaving from Paris the next morning. Paris was an 8.5-hour train ride away, so it would have been logical to head straight to Paris, get dinner, show my mom the Eiffel Tower, and get a good night of sleep before our flight. I had a room booked for us in Paris so we could do that exact plan. But as our departure day got closer, I’d realized there was a stop that felt entirely necessary for us to make. I would have loved for my mom to get a quick glimpse of Paris, but I wouldn’t be devastated for her to miss it and see it next time. What felt far more important was showing my mom Strasbourg at Christmastime.

I’d visited Strasbourg back in July near the beginning of my trip. It was my first time in France, and I’d just spent 4 days in Paris. Paris had been lovely, but it had also felt like the kind of place that I’d need a lot of time to love. I’d wanted to visit a second city in France, and Strasbourg made sense for my route. I hadn’t known that I’d fall completely in love with it. I’d spent 3 days wandering around Strasbourg, captivated by the beauty of it despite the 100-degree (Fahrenheit) weather. When I was there, I learned that it’s known for its Christmas markets and that the entire city transforms into a Christmas village for all of December. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wished I could fit it into my winter itinerary, but it just didn’t make sense with our time constraints. A few weeks away from our departure date, I decided that I didn’t care if it made sense—it was important enough to me to make it work if it were possible. So I booked a last-minute Airbnb in Strasbourg and made sure there were high-speed trains leaving early enough from Strasbourg to get us to the airport in Paris the next morning. On our last full-day in Europe, we took a train to Stuttgart, changed to a high-speed train, and arrived in Strasbourg that afternoon. And this was one of the best decisions I made for my mom’s segment of the journey.

We dropped off our luggage in our Airbnb and headed out to find the markets right away. At $160, I believe it was the most expensive Airbnb of my entire trip, but for a last-minute reservation in Old Town, it was a steal. We only had 6 or 7 hours in the city before the markets closed for the night, so we had to make the most of every second. As we ventured closer to the center of Old Town, we found the first market stalls. And the stalls went on and on and on. And on. Technically, I think Strasbourg has a dozen Christmas markets. In reality though, they all bleed into one another, and you can’t tell where one market ended and another began. It’s like the entire city is one giant Christmas market full of the most elaborate and beautiful Christmas decorations you’ve ever seen. Every store, restaurant, and business joins in the celebration whole-heartedly. It feels like the kind of all-consuming and perfectly crafted holiday experience that Disney World would emulate, but somehow it felt authentic instead of commercialized, like the local people just genuinely think this is the most fun and want to share it as exuberantly as possible.

I caught my mom’s first glimpse of the Strasbourg Cathedral on video, and it’s one of my favorite moments of her trip. I remembered my first time seeing the Cathedral back in the summer and being entirely unprepared for it. It’s over 1,000 years old and one of the tallest churches in the world. (It was the tallest building in the world until the late 19th century.) It’s so massive that your neck hurts when you try to lean back far enough to see the top. It might be my favorite of all the churches I’ve visited in Europe (and I really, really love visiting churches in Europe). We explored the gothic interior and then the market stalls surrounding the square in front of the church. There was a beautiful carousel next to the market, and we decided immediately that we both had to ride it. Strasbourg at Christmas is a place that makes people of all ages feel that it is imperative to ride carousels and laugh until their ribs ache.

 

In another part of town, we found the giant Christmas tree and waited with the small crowd for the nightly tree-lighting. I assumed there would be a Christmas tune played over a speaker and then the lights would come on and everyone would cheer, Rockefeller tree-style. Instead, the music came on, and for like 10 minutes, there was a full light-show on the tree coordinated to the music.

We bought ornaments and gifts and stuffed animals and cookies to bring back home. It was our last chance to do any Christmas shopping, so we were no longer worried about the weight we’d have to carry or how we’d maneuver our growing luggage. We ate traditional Alsatian food for dinner while tucked into a corner of a cozy bistro. We only went back to our room once the markets were closing for the night.

After a little over 5 months of travel, my trip was finally ending, and I wasn’t ready for it to be over. But if I had to pick the best way to conclude my European journey and my mom’s first trip out of the US, it’s hard to think of a more perfect way to do it than seeing the Christmas markets in Strasbourg.

 

Posted In: Alsace, Christmas Markets, Strasbourg · Tagged: Alsace, Europe Christmas Market, Strasbourg, Strasbourg Cathedral, Strasbourg Christmas Market

Get on the List

About Me

Writer, educator, book lover, explorer, map collector, and elderly dog lover. Sharing thoughts, stories, and wonder as I go.

Recent Posts

  • Returning to Front Beach Cottages and Why I Recommend Traveling with Your Dog
  • What Writing Letters to Strangers During the Pandemic Taught Me
  • My Favorite Mardi Gras Parades in New Orleans
  • How to Choose the Best Accommodations When You Travel
  • The 15 Best Books I Read in 2024

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • January 2022
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • June 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • June 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • June 2017
  • March 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • January 2016
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014
  • July 2014
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

Join the List

Connect

kaylamichellesmith

During the 24 hours I was in Sarajevo, it stormed, During the 24 hours I was in Sarajevo, it stormed, I twisted my ankle, a tour I wanted to do was canceled, and I lost my debit card. But despite all this, I knew nearly immediately that I was obsessed with this city. 

Sarajevo isn’t the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, but it’s one of the most fascinating. The little I knew about Sarajevo, and the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, before visiting was outdated by 30 years. The war here happened so recently that my school textbooks were published before it but so long ago that I barely remember. The first time I ever heard of a place called Bosnia, long before I could find it on a map, was in a kid’s chapter book about the war, and what I took away from the story was that this was a terrifying and dangerous place that a person should never visit. 

What a gift it is to be able to correct your own past assumptions.

When I think about which places I’ve visited that I want to return to, Sarajevo is near the top of that list.
Leaving Budapest and the Schengen zone for Serbia Leaving Budapest and the Schengen zone for Serbia felt like heading into the Wild West—this was a very different Europe than I’d visited before. And to be honest, my first impression of Belgrade was not a good one. We arrived late at night after bus delays, and the bus station was closed. Late night transportation  options were questionable, and taxi drivers kept approaching way too eagerly and offering rides for ridiculous prices. This could have happened in any city, but in the moment it felt sketchy and tense.

The next morning, the city felt considerably less sketchy but still cold and unwelcoming. It took half a day, but finally we found a couple modern and popular areas of town full of bookstores and music and better vibes. And while I still wouldn’t say I liked Belgrade much, I’m glad I visited and glad that I was able to change my mind after my initial impression. And of course, I ended up loving the rest of the Balkans. 

I know so many people who LOVE Serbia. I’d love to go back and explore more of the country to find why they love it.
My monthly reminder that most of my photos are act My monthly reminder that most of my photos are actually dog photos and that I’m at my kitchen table far more often than I’m traveling. August had some lovely moments. @1samanthaaldana  @lindaa.xoxoxo
If you’ve ever wondered what I’m doing when I’m away traveling, it’s usually this. 

(Is there a single one of you who’s gonna watch 50 entires seconds of bookstores? @thebookeasy friends, I’m counting on you! 😂) 

Everyone, drop your favorite bookstore in the world in the comments! I’ll add them all to my travel list! 

I think my favorite of all these is @carturesticarusel in Bucharest. It’s indescribably magical.
For over a decade, countless people have told me I For over a decade, countless people have told me I should pursue a job as a travel advisor. I’m so glad I finally decided they were right. @hellofora 

Nothing brings me as much joy as helping others travel. But Instagram and its mysterious algorithm can only go so far in helping me reach people who want to hear more about what I can offer. So…I’ve decided to start a newsletter! 

In my newsletter, I’ll share special deals, perks, tips, and news for all types of travelers. I am planning to send a newsletter just once or twice per month, and you can trust that I won’t spam you! 

If you’d like to receive the newsletter, you can comment “Me!” below, and I’ll send you the easy sign up link! And I’ll be forever grateful if you help spread the word!
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 Kayla Smith · Theme by 17th Avenue