Besancon Cultural Tours: Your Top 5 Unforgettable Picks

If you’re thinking about checking out France and what it has to offer, then so very arguably a super cool spot to visit is Besancon. This charming city, which, as a matter of fact, sits in the eastern part of France, is just steeped in history and boasts this seriously unique cultural scene. Are you interested in learning about some excellent cultural tours of the region? Here are the top five picks which I would seriously think about, with insights and solid recommendations for your travels, with ideas to help plan your journey.

1. Citadel of Besancon Tour: A Step Back in Time

So, first up is the must-do tour that’s centered around the Citadel of Besancon, also sometimes called the Citadelle. It might be that this imposing fortress, you know, watches over the city and offers super amazing panoramic views, actually! Designed by Vauban way back in the 17th century, too, it’s practically an architectural masterpiece, actually. The stories it could tell! The tour typically, usually involves going all through the citadel complex. It also might give you the history of its design and what it went through through the years. Prepare for, actually, some walking. Wear shoes you don’t mind walking quite a bit in! But, as a matter of fact, the effort is super rewarding. Prepare for scenic views galore, with history literally etched into the stones right under your feet!

It might be that you also see the on-site museums such as the Museum of the Resistance and Deportation. And the Natural History Museum and even a zoo are available to walk around, you know! The tours here typically provide different themes and different levels of detail, just a bit, in some cases. Some focus specifically, generally on the architectural design of Vauban. And some shine light, actually, on its historical significance during the different wars it’s been a part of, which, frankly, is something you don’t want to miss. No matter what, do not skip out on this particular visit.

2. Old Town Walking Tour: Discovering Besancon’s Hidden Gems

Then, after you visit the Citadel, take the opportunity and get involved with a walking tour that goes around and focuses on the Old Town. It might be that you can think of it this way: you can explore, arguably, the heart of Besancon through its pretty charming, and maybe a bit winding, streets. Then, these tours give great looks into what daily life is, arguably, like in Besancon while they showcase a lot of the beautiful historic houses of the area. Tours around the Old Town area actually let you learn what each nook and cranny means to the people here. The tour guides actually can explain what historical impacts they made in, apparently, the culture.

See some things like the astronomical clock at the Cathedral of Saint John! Or even some really charming squares, very much Place Granvelle! This part of the tours always includes time for some pictures. Make sure that you don’t forget to take some photographs of some fountains and buildings! It also shows examples of its Gothic architecture with old time, very grand structures. Each location tells a story that the tour guides will cover, with so much insight to get you excited!

3. Doubs River Cruise: A Unique Perspective of the City

You know, to see Besancon a little, in a way, bit differently, then consider, really, a Doubs River cruise. Then, there is the beauty that the tour typically involves slowly, nearly gliding by the city while you’re on the water. It’s actually amazing! Very many cruises that float on by also take visitors by a little, slightly, closer to things like the Vauban fortifications and just amazing structures! This also is known to give amazing looks to photograph! This relaxing view is super relaxing! Usually, very, actually, very very very cool opportunities to see the sights!

During the tour, local facts may be sprinkled, quite a bit, around too it’s almost as well! The cruise, which is on the Doubs river, also brings the passengers alongside some landscapes too. They make time to give a shout to little, small local tidbits and locations that otherwise don’t get, arguably, much time to shine! Tours that focus on cruises do tend to take you by so much of Besancon! Cruises allow a view not many people think of!

4. Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology Tour: Art and History Combined

And you might like the Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology. Also, there might be tours to that place too. Tours might also focus on how some places of culture make impressions! At the museum you get, obviously, see both stunning art and what’s left behind from archaeology! If history and creativity excite you, then a visit to this location can seriously deliver, actually. To combine, quite a bit, a tour around this part of the city might just do the trick! You might then combine some experiences with walking. What a thing that would be!

Basically, actually, a museum visit allows people to see amazing works from well-recognized artists. This has works, honestly, from lots of periods! So some artists are pretty popular there. It’s even known to have some items like sculptures and even items that go way back! And the museum has what’s left over from older times, items such as mosaics and cool stuff from the early days of Besancon. Very neat is that tours like that sometimes have tour guides that have much background knowledge.

5. Fort Benoit Tour: Discovering Military Architecture

Then finally, but just maybe with slightly the least things going on, is the Fort Benoit Tour! Yet, this is really still quite amazing! And is something you may really want to keep in mind, actually, too! As a matter of fact, for military architecture fans it really can scratch that spot! You see, you might visit and, arguably, walk around the historical Fort Benoit. And just soak, quite a bit, into its amazing structures. Just the way the halls look makes for awesome views to share with people! This place, seriously, very showcases how a cool fort that looks pretty has halls that were very tactically, very thought out.

I want you to go over to spots like the ramparts. Imagine then all the work it took! If you were around, how hard it would it be to get through all of that? It’s thought that walking around, in some respects, spots like that just, very takes you to a place you would just wonder about otherwise, too! They might say this place may really make those history buffs super happy! So just seriously give a thought about what’s there to get, actually, inspired by as well too! When you walk the grounds there just imagine, too it’s almost like your transported, right?