10 Best Things to Do for Couples in Strasbourg

Petite France offers an incredibly photogenic region where many locals historically plied their trades among locks and waterways with historic buildings dating back 500 to 600 years. This neighbourhood was once the central region for fishermen, tanners and millers among the canals and weirs lined with colombage, also called half-timbered, homes, many of which still stand today. These buildings from the 1500s are still in use today, some as homes and many others as small shops and traditional restaurants serving up traditional Alsatian gourmet specialities with recipes that have been in families for generations.

A walk here is like a walk back in time, and you can't help but feel the romance. It's 6 minutes south of the city centre.

Parc de l'Orangerie is an urban park named for a historic orange tree grove, of which only 3 remain, and offering a natural escape from the city noise and crowds. You can still see the remaining orange trees in the park greenhouses, and you can get out on a serene boating lake, take a stroll down leafy, shaded avenues, stretch out on vast green lawns and even visit a stork reintroduction centre to explore the importance of storks in Strasbourg folklore.

You can even visit a mini zoo and farm, which is geared towards kids, but still has a sense of fun and whimsy. The park is just a 12-minute drive north of the city centre.

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg is colloquially known as the Strasbourg Cathedral and offers astounding late-Gothic architecture and a towering observation platform. Up until 1874, this was the tallest building in the world, and it's been written about for hundreds of years. Some visitors have claimed that this cathedral is even more beautiful than its sister church in Paris. Inside it features a stunning and accurate astronomical clock whose history stretches to the 14th century. The viewing platform at the top of 332 steps offers stunning photogenic views of the city and as far away as the Black Forest.

The church was built between the 1100s and 1439. It stands in the heart of the city centre.

Passerelle de l'Abreuvoir is a scenic and peaceful walking bridge near the University of Strasbourg offering picturesque views both up and down the River Ill. If you're looking for a picture-perfect place for that selfie of you and your partner, this is a good choice. It's a good place to stand and watch the world go by, and the water flows underneath. You'll also see plenty of scenery on either side to fill up your Instagram and other social media feeds.

The historic bridge was built in 1905, though it was extensively rebuilt in 2006, so only the pink sandstone piers are still original. The bridge is about a 6-minute drive from the city centre.

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg is a fine arts museum offering a superb collection of paintings from the old masters with thousands of works in the collection. The name translates to "Museum of Fine Arts of Strasbourg" and displays works from artists of the non-Upper Rhenish region between the 14th century up until the late 19th century and Upper Rhenish artists between the late 17th and late 19th centuries. Here you can see such names as Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, Salvador Rosa, Peter Paul Rubens, Francisco de Goya, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and others.

The museum also has sculptures on display from such names as Houdon, Carpeaux, Gruyère, Degas and Boucher, among others. It's 13 minutes north of the city centre.

Palais des Rohan is an Episcopal palace built in the baroque style in the 1720s and designed by famed architect Robert de Cotte, offering a breathtakingly historic site. The building was modelled on the grand mansions of Paris from its day, and while the outside alone is enough to quicken your pulse, the interior is equally grandiose and opulent. Inside the mansion, you can browse no fewer than 3 museums: archaeology, decorative arts and fine art exhibits. Each takes up a whole floor from the basement to the ground floor and the first floor.

A trip here is like walking through a door to the 18th century. It's a 13-minute drive north of the city centre.

Colmar is a picturesque town about a half-hour train ride from Strasbourg, offering a day trip that's nothing short of a fairy tale with quaint avenues, small shops, and gorgeous buildings. Colmar is anything but small, with roughly 77,000 residents, but it has a stunning historical centre with buildings dating to the Middle Ages. You can explore many art museums, rich architecture, and quaint shops and eateries. Colmar is thought by many to be the gateway to Alsatian wine country and other scenic villages further afield.

If you're looking to get out of Strasbourg for a day to walk other iconic sites, Colmar is a good choice. While visiting, don't forget to see the famed Issenheim altarpiece.

An Alsace wine tour will take you on a 100-mile journey from Strasbourg south past Colmar and makes for a delicious, head-spinning day trip. You can explore this region on a bicycle or take a guided tour through several local villages boasting well-regarded wineries. You can even do some research and explore yourself.

Most of the wines produced here are varietal, made only with the grapes for which they're named—Alsace is the only French wine region where this is true. The most notable wines of this region are Gewürtztraminer, a spicy-sweet dessert wine, and the complex dry Reisling. Between winery stops, check out the local beers for which Alsace is known.

The Hammam Les Cent Ciels Strasbourg offers a unique way to be pampered as you've never been pampered before: in traditional Turkish style. A hammam is a traditional public bathing house and spa and a prominent feature of Muslim culture, adapted and evolved from the Roman thermae. This spa offers double cabins for couples as well as locker rooms, a restaurant offering Middle and Far Eastern cuisine, a 200 square metre hammam with showers and fountains, exfoliation and wrap rooms, a sauna, a cold bath, a swimming pool and even a gym to get in a workout while you're here.

This place is a full-featured spa resort where all your needs are met. It's 8 minutes north of the city.

A romantic dinner for 2 takes on a whole different meaning in Strasbourg, offering the chance to sample authentic Alsatian cuisine, local beer and unique wines. Some of the most popular beer options in this region are Fischer, Karlsbraü, Kronenbourg and Meteor. Local cuisine is a blend of German and French fusion and often features many different types of sausage, smoked meats, potatoes and cuts of pork. Local classics include tarte flambée or rolled bread covered with fromage frais topped with onion and lardons.

Seasonally, white asparagus is just about everywhere and is a local staple, served roasted with lentils and a poached egg. It's no secret finding a meal here. Just search for good restaurants near your hotel.