Strasbourg may not get a lot of attention as a destination other than for its world-famous Christmas markets, but I’d argue that it should.

I have visited very few cities so historically and culturally unique—and so central to the Europe of today as well—as Strasbourg.

If you visit, you’ll have more than plenty to see in Strasbourg itself—but if you have enough time available, I’d recommend you stay a little longer and use the city as your base of stay for a visit to other cities and sites in the region, which will give you a better understanding of the area’s complex history and rich culture. (For an explainer on what I mean by “base of stay,” read my travel planning tips and tricks.)

Some of the day trips I’ve listed below you can access via easy train trips and others, even if you can get to them via train, you’ll likely prefer to have a car to see. I’ve noted in each write-up below what mode of transport best suits reaching it from Strasbourg as a starting point.

(Oh! And if you plan to visit, bookmark my recommendations for what to eat while in Strasbourg. We’ve all got to eat, after all!)

Alsace-Moselle Memorial + Natzweiler Concentration Camp

You’ll need a car for about an hour’s drive to get to these two sites, which are located not far from each other in the hills outside of Strasbourg. The drive there and back plus the visit to both locations will take you one day and get you back to Strasbourg for dinner. Pack a lunch and do plan to return to town for dinner, as you’ll discover that these two places are not located in or near a town of any size.

The Alsace-Moselle Memorial covers as well as a single museum could the three complex wars that significantly affected and shaped the region between 1871 and 1945. The modern museum, with multimedia and immersive exhibits, does a wonderful job with an overview that gives visitors a deeper understanding of this region, its history, and its culture in relation to these tumultuous decades, during which the area changed nationality no less than four times. You’ll want to allot at least two hours for your visit.

We chose to visit the Alsace-Moselle Memorial before the Natzweiler Concentration Camp, because I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of emotional energy for anything else after having seen this second site in the area. Originally a ski station, this site became a concentration camp housing predominantly political prisoners in 1941, shortly after the area came under the German Third Reich. Thinking back to our visit to Natzweiler—which I’ve done often since we saw it, as it’s so affecting—renders me without words. Even if you need to wait to get the guided tour—and we had to ask for one, as the person selling tickets didn’t automatically offer it—you should. We waited for the tour despite the cold and the rain and I wouldn’t have wanted to see the camp any other way.

Basel, Switzerland

Basel surprised me, in all honesty: We went there for the first time to meet up with my mother and her husband ahead of a trip they had planned with friends and I didn’t really have any expectations one way or the other—just the excitement of seeing my mother, of course. Yet I would happily return to Basel any time.

You can easily reach Basel by train from the Strasbourg station; I’d even recommend the train route over taking a car. (Fewer worries about parking in the city that way and Basel has ample and easy public transportation that will get you anywhere you’d like to go once you get there.)

I’ve written up more than one article about what to do in Basel and even where to eat in Basel, so if you decide to take a day trip from Strasbourg, take a look.

The Black Forest Open Air Museum in Germany

You’ll need a car to venture about ninety minutes over to the Black Forest Open Air Museum, a collection of historic houses and facilities from the Black Forest area that you can explore to better understand the region and the culture.

As I'd grown up with Grimm's Fairy Tales, I wanted to see and get to know the real-deal Black Forest more than my husband did, though he was a good sport and game enough for a visit.

Even if much of the museum is family-focused, adult-only groups will really get a lot from the experience. The houses are far vaster than I’d imagined. I’d have guessed they’d be picturesque and quaint, almost cottage-like—in keeping with my fairy-tale imaginings. Instead, houses in the Black Forest were immense structures that sheltered people and animals and storage in one large wooden building without almost any creature comforts.

Also, as they were very dark inside (few windows!) and were filled with wooden furniture, religious imagery, and farm tools, Black Forest homesteads had a deep-seated creepiness that brought horror stories to mind more often than they did fairy tales—though the fairy tales I do remember from the Grimm’s books had some pretty horrific aspects, come to think back on it.

Freiburg, Germany

Another very straightforward day trip by train from Strasbourg is Freiburg, Germany (or, more fully, Freiburg im Breisgau).

I loved this little medieval city with its fabulous restaurants and fun mix of outdoor activities and cultural sights. For my full rundown of what to do and where to eat, read my dedicated article about my visit to Freiburg.

Heidelberg, Germany

Though you can reach Heidelberg from Strasbourg via train, you’ll likely prefer to take a car for the speed and convenience of it.

We started our visit to Heidelberg with a visit to the castle, because we thought the crowds might be thinner in the morning. (We were right, based on what we saw as we wrapped up our guided tour.)

Though history mentions a castle in Heidelberg back in the 13th century, the structure has changed and fallen into disrepair and been rebuilt so many times that most of what you’ll see now dates from the late 19th century, effectively. But its location atop a hill overlooking the town is stunning.

The picturesque shopping district in the town, centered on Hauptstrasse, makes for a lovely stroll and a delicious place to stop for lunch or snacks. If you get a chance, I highly recommend stopping in for tea, coffee, and cinnamon rolls at Zeit Für Brot.

To walk off the food and treats, consider strolling over the bridge to the Philosophers’ Walk, which winds you along a crest above the river with a view of the castle in the distance. My only caution: The path from the river up to the path’s a bit of a hike and on uneven stones—don’t take my recommendation for the Philosophers’ Walk if you aren’t wearing the shoes for it.

Metz, France

You can get to Metz from the train station but the infrequent trains to and from Metz and Strasbourg mean you’ll likely prefer to have a car to get there for a day trip.

Metz has a lively, friendly, green, and livable feel—I loved it. Ahead of your visit, go to the website of the Metz Office de Tourisme—or call them directly—to book a guided tour of the city or to get a recommendation for a tour guide (if a tour in your preferred language isn’t offered while you’re there). We had a wonderful and vibrant ninety-minute tour to kick off our visit that really helped guide us for the rest of our time in Metz.

And even if the temporary exhibitions—it’s all temporary exhibitions—currently underway at the Centre Pompidou Metz don’t interest you, definitely walk over to take a look at the building’s exterior and interior. You don’t need to buy a ticket to see the lobby or walk up and down the floors in the main areas.

Nancy, France

Oh, how I expected to like Nancy more than I did!

That said, perhaps better weather and better planning would have helped it better shine in my impressions, so I leave it on my list as a possible day trip for you to take based on your own personal judgement.

As with Metz, you can get to Nancy via train, but you’ll almost certainly prefer to drive there for the same reasons.

The central square, Place Stanislas, is beautiful and over the top, and many of the pedestrian streets in the old town are quaint for strolling.

If we’d had more time—and I’d better planned ahead—I’d have probably liked a visit to the museum for the School of Nancy, which focuses on the arts and crafts movement of the Art Nouveau period, but the museum closes early and we’d have needed more time to walk the 1.5 miles there (and back) from the central part of town.

An Entire Region of Europe to Explore!

Having Strasbourg as a base of stay provides you a fantastic city to stay in and experience—and an entire region of Europe to explore spanning parts of France, Germany, and even Switzerland.

Even more attractive, at least to me, was the melding of history and culture you can see so clearly in Strasbourg and the region.

I’ve now visited Strasbourg and many of the locations on this list (and beyond!) several times, and I’ll no doubt be back!