Old wine barrel in Strasbourg, FranceMariangela Cruz/Shutterstock
Local Alsace wines include Riesling (usually white, it has high acidity, and displays flowery, almost perfumed aromas), Edelzwicker (a blended, fresh-tasting white), Pinot Gris (a crisp and refreshing dry white), Sylvaner (dry but very perfumed), and Gewürztraminer (aromatic, intense and fruity without being sugary).
A good place to start exploring and buying Alsace wines is the 'Cave des Hospices de Strasbourg', which contains the oldest wine barrel in the world.
Wine was made in these cellars for more than six centuries, and entrance is free. (An audioguide is €3.)
It is also worth exploring beer bars in Strasbourg. La Lanterne, for example, is a micro-brewery with friendly staff who are more than happy to advise about their beers.
They also sell tarte flambée (flammekueche in German), which is a very thin base covered with onions, bacon and melted cheese. It is perfectly fine to order one to share.
Also check out the Beer Academy in Petite France, the very heart of tourist Strasbourg.
Regional delicacies
Do not leave Strasbourg without trying some of the local dishes, which pair so well with the local wines and beers.
There are plenty of traditional restaurants to choose from, but a personal favourite is Le Tire-Bouchon. Tucked away down a side-alley, it is cosy and the staff are helpful.
Choose from sauerkraut with three sorts of fish or a classic one with meat.
They also have 'coq au Riesling' with 'spaetzle' which is a kind of shredded egg pasta. Fleischkiechle are large meatballs. The Munster Coiffé is first cousin to tartiflette, and Munster gratiné is a delicious lake of melted cheese.
Not just for Christmas
Strasbourg’s best known event is the utterly fabulous Christmas market, which attracts more than 3.3 million visitors every December, but the city is a great destination all year round.
It goes soft around St Valentine's Day during the week-long Strasbourg Mon Amour Festival.
Concerts, free events, romantic messages posted on the city's digital information boards, special soirées and themed restaurant menus, shows, workshops, tastings, even the boats get in the mood.
Offers include cabaret cruises and, this year, even an evening of jazz and burlesque starring talented duo Champagne Mademoiselle and Coco Charnelle. Tickets include a glass of bubbly during the intermission.
Check batorama.com for details of other cruises through the city.
