Strasbourg at night in late September

Any European city has its charm during day light hours, and a very different character during the quite of the evening and into the night.  By then, most shops are closed, the locals have gone home for the evening, the cathedral's final service has concluded, and only the restaurants are open.  The occasional tram may go by, but they come less often.

By night fall, most visitors will have gravitated toward the city's magnificent Gothic cathedral, which is nicely illuminated evenings in ways which emphasize the busy Renaissance stone cutting on the facade, while lights give a hint of the interior of the stories under the massive tower.  The tower can be seen from a distance from many points within Strasbourg, both day and night.

Even though we were there in the third week of September, it was still possible to eat outside most evenings.  Night life was very active on pedestrian streets having outside tables for dining, but other streets were very quiet indeed..

We enjoyed eating on this plaza along the river after night descended.  Good use of a plaza, and I always find that Alsatian food and wine tastes even better outside.

This is the same restaurant-plaza, but seen from a bridge crossing the water.

You quickly discern that some restaurants are favoured by students, others by recent immigrants, some by tourists, and still others by members of the establishment.

This particular evening was a bit chilly, so we ate inside.

Walking along the branches of the river is always interesting, but never more so than at night.  We felt safe at all times.

Wending our way back to Ibis (our hotel), we enjoyed the quiet streets at about 10 p.m.

Some streets are designed to be photographed and enjoyed, other back streets are real, meant for working, for trucks to have access to back doors of stores.  I feel that these streets are also part of the real Strasbourg.