Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg's Grande Île — the island formed by the two arms of the River Ill — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful city centres in Europe. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame dominates the skyline with its single spire (142 m, the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874), its astronomical clock, and a west facade so intricately carved that Victor Hugo called it 'a gigantic and delicate wonder.' Below the cathedral, the Petite France quarter is the city's postcard: half-timbered houses from the 16th and 17th centuries leaning over canals, flower boxes on every balcony, and a quiet that belies its location in the centre of a major city. But Strasbourg is not a museum piece. The European Quarter — home to the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights — gives the city an international character, with diplomats, lobbyists and EU staff from across the continent. The Neustadt (New Town), built by the Germans after annexation in 1871, is itself a UNESCO extension: wide boulevards, Wilhelmine architecture, parks and the university campus form an urban ensemble as impressive as the medieval core. Alsatian cuisine is the thread that ties it all together: tarte flambée (flammekueche), choucroute garnie, baeckeoffe, kougelhopf, Alsatian Riesling and Gewürztraminer wines, and the winstubs (wine bars) where these are served in convivial, wood-panelled rooms. The Christmas market — Christkindelsmärik, established in 1570 — is the oldest and most famous in France, drawing over 2 million visitors each December.