The Ill River
Strasbourg Highlight
Produced by: 
© 2022
The Ill, sometimes written as "Jll," encircles the historic heart of Strasbourg. To truly understand the city, one should approach it from the water. As a curious visitor, this is a relaxed way to reach all the city's major sights.
Batorama, the main provider for boat tours, offers city cruises lasting approximately 70 minutes year-round. The route takes you past the picturesque Petite-France quarter, through the imperial Neustadt, and out to the modern European institutions. Audio commentary is available in 12 languages via headphones, with special storytelling for children offered in 4 languages.
Setting Sail at Palais Rohan
We begin our tour directly behind the magnificent Palais Rohan. The Batorama pier, with its striking pink tugboat, is hard to miss. From here, the ship glides gently toward the historic half-timbered backdrop.
Through the Tanners' Quarter
The journey takes us along the famous half-timbered houses of Petite-France. A technical highlight is passing through the locks: the ship turns before the impressive Vauban dam, is lowered or raised to the appropriate level in a lock, and continues its way through the canals.
Our route leads us under numerous bridges toward the Neustadt. Along the way, we pass the imposing Église réformée Saint-Paul, which stands prominently at the confluence of the Ill and the Aar. Here, the architecture along the banks changes noticeably—from historic half-timbering to the grand facades of the Imperial era.
The Turning Point
Finally, we reach the European Quarter with its modern, glass government buildings. Here, Strasbourg reveals its contemporary side as the European capital. This marks the turning point of our cruise before we begin the return journey.
After about 90 minutes, we slowly return through the Neustadt and Petite-France to our starting point at the Palais Rohan. This trip is a delight not only in bright sunshine—the perspective from the water offers its own unique, decelerated view of the different faces of Strasbourg. We highly recommend this experience!
