Somewhere for the weekend... Strasbourg

WHY GO NOW?

The annual Jazzdor festival is in full swing until 21 November, with about 40 concerts and 150 musicians from the UK, the US, Switzerland, Israel and the Netherlands lined up. French and German artists top the bill in the "capital of Europe"; a few concerts are being held across the Rhine in Offenburg. Tickets are available from the Fnac store on Strasbourg's main square, Place Kléber, or the Cornichon Masqué restaurant on Place du Marché Goyot. For more information, call 00 33 3 8836 3048 or visit www.jazzdor.com (in French). From the end of November, the month-long Christmas market offers a mix of genuine crafted goods, kitschy commercialism and glüwein-enhanced winter cheer.

DOWN PAYMENT

The only direct link from the UK, since Ryanair was ordered off the Stansted-Strasbourg route, is Air France (0845 0845 111, www.airfrance.com/uk) from Gatwick. A return from London for this weekend is available at around £218 return. To reach the centre from Strasbourg's Entzheim airport, take a shuttle bus to Baggersee, from where the efficient tram system glides into town for a total fare of €5 (£3.50). Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) has moved operations across the Rhine to Baden-Baden in Germany, and sometimes has fares as low as £50 return, but transport links are tricky: you have to take a bus to Baden-Baden railway station, which has infrequent links with Strasbourg.

INSTANT BRIEFING

Like many other towns in this region, Strasbourg started life as a Roman military outpost. The core of the city, where visitors spend most of their time, is largely surrounded by water. The tourist information office (00 33 3 8852 2828, www.ot-strasbourg.fr) is on Place de la Cathédrale and is open 9am-7pm daily.

Some of the city's architecture has a strong German influence, a consequence of the time Alsace was annexed, between 1870 and 1918. Strasbourg was chosen, in a spirit of post-war reconciliation, as the headquarters for European institutions. It is now simultaneously cosmopolitan and traditionally Alsatian, and is an excellent base for investigating the Route des Vins and the Vosges mountains.

REST ASSURED

Spoil yourself at the Regent Contades (8 Avenue de la Liberté, 00 33 3 8815 0505, www.regent-hotels.com), one of the swankiest hotels in town. Most of the bedrooms have views over the Ile river to the St Paul Church or the 19th-century university buildings. Double rooms cost €150 (£104) or €120 (£83), including breakfast.

A peaceful courtyard leads to the friendly and well-decorated Hotel Beaucour near the canal, housed in an 18th-century private residence (5 rue des Bouchers, 00 33 3 8876 7200, www.hotel-beaucour.com). Double rooms cost €88/€124 (£61/86). The breakfast buffet is another €11 (£7.60).

Less romantically, Hotel 21 Siècle (21-23 rue du Fossé-des-Tanneurs, 00 33 3 8823 8921, www.hotel-cyber-21.com) describes itself as a cyber-hotel, and half the rooms contain computers with internet connection. It's right in the centre, and reasonably priced - €60 (£41.50) for a double room (add another €7/£5 if you need that internet connection); breakfast costs €5 (£3.50).

The tourist office provides a hotel reservation service on 00 33 3 9041 1560.

MUST SEE

Don't miss the Cathédrale de Notre Dame, a red-sandstone masterpiece that towers above the old town's roofs, its blunt silhouette visible from miles away. Gargoyles and a host of Biblical characters adorn the exterior; inside, the eye is drawn upwards, to the kaleidoscopic rose window and other vivid stained-glass windows. An elaborate astronomical clock chimes noon half an hour late at 12.30pm, when its mechanical figurines (the 12 apostles) perform their centuries-old parade. Next to the cathedral, the Maison Kammerzell's ornately carved wooden façade hides painted stone arches under which merchants once sold their produce.

Wrap up for a walking tour around Petite France, with its half-timbered houses, geranium-filled balconies and numerous canals. This area is a tourist magnet, and with cobbled squares and rushing water at (almost) every corner it's easy to understand why.

Cross the Ponts Couverts to the Barrage de Vauban for an impressive view of old Strasbourg - and the giant horse statue outlined against the glass façade of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (1 Place Hans Jean Arp, 00 33 3 8823 3131, open Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Thursday noon-10pm, Sunday 10am-7pm, admission €5/£3.50). The permanent collection includes Gauguin, Kandinsky and Ernst; an exhibition of experimental black-and-white portraits by the German photographer Helmar Lerski is running until 18 January.

The easiest way to tick off Strasbourg's sites is on a boat trip - the route passes through a lock in Petite France and past a former prison before crossing the "German quarter" to the "European district": home to the European Parliament and Richard Rogers' European Court of Human Rights. Boats (00 33 3 8876 4444) leave from behind the Palais Rohan, a former bishops' place, and cost €6.60 (£4.50).

MUST EAT

Alsace prides itself on high gastronomic standards, and there is a three-starred Michelin restaurant (Le Buerehiesel, 00 33 3 8845 5665) in the middle of the Orangerie park. For local fare, find a traditional winstub in the centre. The Pont des Vosges (15 Quai Koch, 00 33 3 8836 4775) serves delicious French cuisine; don't come here if you're counting calories. A six-oyster starter costs €12.50 (£9), while a noisette of lamb in parsley sauce is €19.10 (£14).

L'Epicerie at 6 rue Vieux Seigle (00 33 3 8832 5241) is a good place for a quick snack. Tartines (open sandwiches) range from €3.40 (£2.35) (for anchovies and tomatoes) and €2.20 (£1.50) for a salad.

MUST BUY

The Galerie Lafayette and Printemps department stores have large branches just off Place Kléber, but it's more fun to seek out smaller boutiques and one-off presents in the narrow streets surrounding the cathedral (rue des Juifs, rue des Frères) or along the riverside (Quai des Bateliers, Quai des Pecheurs). La Boutique du Gourmet (26 rue des Orfèvres) is a good spot to stock up on local foie gras and wine, and several shops around the cathedral sell quality souvenirs such as blue-grey pottery from Soufflenheim and table linen.

INTO THE NIGHT

Les Trois Brasseurs (22 rue des Veaux, 00 33 3 8836 1213) is open 11am-1am daily, and has a buzzing atmosphere. If you're not sure which of the four house beers to try (blonde, ambrée, blanche or brune), try the dégustation - small amounts served in cognac glasses for €4 (£2.75). The Bistro Jazz Club (30 rue des Tonneliers, 00 33 3 8823 0271) has jam sessions on Wednesday evenings, and concerts on Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30pm. La Salamandre (3 rue Paul Janet, 00 33 3 8825 7942, open Wednesday-Sunday), is a dance club that doesn't come to life until 11pm at the earliest and plays everything from Eighties classics to salsa depending on the evening.

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