Strasbourg – Batorama Tour

The historic old town of Strasbourg is located on the “Grande île”, which is surrounded by two Illarms (Ill is the name of the river). For this reason, water is an omnipresent element in Strasbourg. What could be more obvious than to get to know the city better during a leisurely boat trip on the Ill.

The Strasbourg excursion boats are called “Batorama” and dock at the Palais Rohan, about 150 m from the cathedral. There are two different tours:

“Strasbourg over 20 centuries of history”

Duration: approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes
Cost: Adults approx. 10 euros

“Strasbourg big island”

Duration: approx. 45 minutes
Cost: Adults approx. 7 euros

Since we had beautiful late summer weather, we decided to take the longer round trip, which still leads out to the European Parliament. However, it is advisable not to forget a sun hat and sunscreen when the weather is very nice, as there are no shady places on the boat.

The first highlight of the tour follows after just a few minutes. To immerse yourself in the La Petite France district, you first have to overcome an ancient lock. I had my first brief moment of shock when I remembered our canal trip in Paris and wondered how many such locks would follow. For peace of mind: it was the only lock with a waiting time (in total it only has 2)!

After crossing the locks, there is a beautiful drive through the picturesque La Petite France, past the old city towers and the weir further north to the more modern Strasbourg. From the nave, you can see the church of Saint Pierre le Jeune and the Théâtre National on this side. The journey then takes you past ESCA House, a huge perimeter block development built by the insurance company ESCA in the 19th century. From here you can now also enjoy a great view of the neo-Gothic St. Paul’s Church.

The journey then continues in an easterly direction to the European Quarter. I also find this part of the city very nice. It has many pretty houses from the last century and tree-lined avenues. In front of the European Parliament, you drive past the ARTE building. The glass “Palace of Europe” (the many glasses are supposed to symbolize transparency…) is the final highlight of the river trip. From here, the boat will take the same route back to ESCA House and from there directly to the pier.

The ride is very entertaining because, in addition to the visual impressions, you also get a lot of information and stories via audio commentaries (there are headphones for each seat). To increase the fun factor, I recommend switching to the Alsatian Canal. This dialect has such funny expressions that I sometimes had to laugh out loud. For children, there are also great children’s channels that tell many exciting stories about Strasbourg (also listen to them yourself).

Conclusion: Leisurely sightseeing ride at an acceptable price, ideal in good weather