Strasbourg: Premium Private Tour with Tasting | Licensed Guide

DE Strasbourg Cathedral is not just a monument, it is a masterpiece DE Gothic art that tells four centuries of history. I'll give you the keys to EN uncover the secrets. EN We will begin our discovery DE front of the 3D model, at the foot DE la way DE south of the cathedral, then we will continue our exploration in front of the EN tale occid façade, a real stone book rich EN sculptures and symbols. You will learn how the building has changed over time, DE Romanesque foundations to its 142 metre high spire DE. Together, we will decipher its history and the stories DE its builders. Before continuing the tour, I will explain how this marvel was built, one step at a time, and how it DE become the tallest monument of Christianity until the 19th century.

In the heart DE the city, Place Gutenberg comes alive, guarded by the statue DE the man who gave wings to knowledge. Your Guide will take you back in time to tell you how this square was a crucial place DE history. It was here in Strasbourg that Johannes Gut ENberg perfected his invention and the very first German Bible was printed. You will learn how, long before the era of social networks, it was also in this city that the very first newspaper was born. EN backdrop, the Chambre DE Commerce et d'Industrie, the proud Renaissance building DE Neue Bau, still seems to echo the bubbling DE ideas. His DE ways, typical of the Alsatian style, are silent witnesses DE Strasbourg's prosperity and ingenuity. It is a place where the past, trade and innovation meet, and your Guide will give you all the keys to unlocking its secrets.

In the square that bears his name, the church of Saint Thomas stands like a sentinel DE stone. Considered the Protestant cathedral DE the city, it is a majestic witness DE the Reformation. I will take you back in time to tell you its unique story. You will learn how, from the 16th century, the church of St Thomas DE became the centre of Alsatian Protestantism, a trend that marked Strasbourg's identity. Its architecture, both sober and elegant, is a real stone book DE that will tell you DE beliefs and the movements of ideas of the time. You will understand why it is a symbol DE the Reformation, and how its sandstone walls still seem DE echo another faith.

DE from the Pont Saint-Martin, the gaze dives into the Petite France, a picture of postcards where half-timbered houses were put in the water. This name, which sounds so romantic, hides a story that belies its charm. I will plunge you into the soul DE this place to tell you its unsuspected story. You will discover that the name DE "Petite France" actually comes from an old hospital, which in the 16th century housed soldiers suffering from "French evil"... The hospital was on site and eventually gave its name to the neighborhood, a historical detail that transforms the look on this magical place.

DE the Middle Ages, the stone towers of the Covered Bridges stand like proud guardians. Witnesses of an era DE iron et DE stone, their walls of the 13th century tell a history both military and prison. I'll reveal the secrets DE this ancient fortification. You will discover how this defensive structure, which also served DE prison, has evolved over time. And above all, a puzzle will arise for you: if they are called the Covered Bridges, why do they no longer have DE roof? The answer is simpler than it seems!

The Barrage Vauban, a page of history written by the hand DE Louis XIV, stands out as a defensive work DE genius. I will tell you how, after the annexation DE Strasbourg, the Sun King DE asked his architect to build this dam to flood the city EN case of attack. Yet, despite its ingenuity, the dam was ironically destined. I will tell you how it was used during the Franco-Prussian War DE 1870, but how its effectiveness was nullified by the Prussian bombs. From its terrace, which offers a unique panorama of the city (subject to opening), we will bridge between past and present. We will be able to admire the architecture DE la Petite France and DE la Neustadt, but also discuss DE Stin DE Strasbourg today, in the heart of the beautiful region of Alsace.

The Louise Weiss Square, a name that echoes an exceptional woman: journalist, feminist and Dean of the European Parliament. I will tell you more about the European institutions in Strasbourg. Along beautiful half-timbered houses, this place takes on a whole new dimension as DE Noël approaches, as it houses part of DE France's oldest DE Noël Point of Sale, dating DE 1570, and one of the oldest in the world. You will immerse yourself in a more authentic Point of Sale, one of the locals’ favorites. I will tell you a little story DE this Point of Sale, originally dedicated to Saint Nicholas, which was banned after the passage DE the Reformation in favor DE the one we know today, the "Christkindelsmärik" (Point of Sale DE l'Enfant Jesus), explaining to you the little story DE Saint Nicolas.

La Petite France is much more than a picture DE postcards where half-timbered houses got into the water. Once a district DE travail for tanners, millers and fishermen, it has been able to transform its humble past EN a universal charm that today attracts the eyes of the world. I will plunge you into the soul DE this place with its artisanal past, especially with the presentation of the "stove" of tanners. It was also in this district DE travail that the history DE the corporations, the powerful guilds DE craftsmen and merchants who held the reins of the city, was written. Traditional houses, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, hide other secrets: I will explain why their unique architecture is a trick to avoid taxes. This place is a page of living history, a bridge between past and present.

The Grand'Rue, the longest artery DE the old town, is a place that saw the birth of a song that changed the DE destiny of France. I will take you back into history to tell you the story DE the creation DE the national anthem. It was here, in the former apartment DE Clau DE Joseph Rouget DE Lisle, that the "War Song for the Army of the Rhine", which later became La Marseillaise, was composed. This moment of history, both political and artistic, is one of the most fascinating DE of the French Revolution. I will reveal how the song travelled DE Strasbourg to Marseille, then to Paris, to become the symbol DE France and freedom.

The Rue des Tonneliers, whose name alone evokes history, was once the beating heart of the wine trade in Strasbourg. Today, if the street has changed DE face, its name is an opportunity DE discover the history and secrets of the Alsatian vineyard, as well as its seven grape varieties. At the end DE this street steeped in history, another part of the past is revealed: the Old Customs. Once the port heart DE the city, it is the opportunity DE tell you about the new port DE Strasbourg, now the second largest river port in France. Then we will face the Raven Bridge, once a "bridge of sorrows", and I will tell you its dark and fascinating stories. We will then end our visit by reaching the Cathedral, where our journey began.

At the end DE Rue des Tonneliers, another part of the past is revealed: the Old Customs. Once the port heart DE the city, and headquarters DE la Corporation DE Bateliers, it is the opportunity DE tell you about the new port DE Strasbourg, now the second largest river port in France.

Then we will face the Raven Bridge, whose name alone evokes a dark and fascinating past. It is here, on this bridge, once "bridge of sorrows", that executions and public humiliations took place in the Middle Ages. You want to know how criminals were tried and executed in these places? I will tell you these stories, as terrifying as they are surprising, which are etched in the memory DE Strasbourg. It is a part DE the history DE justice that you will discover EN these places, and which is the opposite DE the magnificent architecture that seduced you.

We will take the beautiful Rue du Maroquin, one DE the most beautiful streets DE the city, a haven DE traditional houses and authentic winstubs. This is the perfect place to end our visit on a Rating and capture the DE latest images of this adventure. We will then end our journey by reaching the Cathedral, where it all began, to leave you with an unforgettable memory DE Strasbourg.