#TBT – Strasbourg Christmas Market – Halfway There Travelers

Strasbourg has a very special Christmas market

A year ago Tracey and I were a Viking River Cruises Rhine Getaway cruise during the Christmas market season, when holiday markets pop up in the plazas and around cathedrals in towns and cities across Europe with a varying selection of (usually) handmade Christmas decorations, local food specialties, and warming drinks like mulled wine (glühwein – vin chaud in French) or stronger fiery drinks (e.g., Feuerzangenbowle).

Nearly every day brought us to a new Christmas market, each with its own specialties and charms. The towering cathedrals of Cologne and Strasbourg provide wonderful backdrops for the colorful market stalls. Many of Germany’s 1500 varieties of wurst are for sale. Looking back at our pictures from the cruise, however, we do have to say that Strasbourg’s embrace of the holiday season provided a special look that was most memorable.

There are several good reasons for Strasbourg being able to claim the title of Christmas Capital (“Capitale de Noël“), including:

The style of the Strasbourg buildings and the canals that divide the city
Store decorations – even the butcher shops get into the act!
Food and drink, of course – Strasbourg is French (it is now, but hasn’t always been, accounting for the wonderfully mixed French/German culture)
Strasbourg cathedral – so gorgeous
The Christmas lights!

I hope that the photo albums below convey for you just how special Strasbourg is during the Christmas season.