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Browse and explore the best travel guides in Colmar.
Colmar is a small town in the heart of Alsace that looks like it was lifted from a storybook. Brightly painted half-timbered houses lean over cobbled lanes and flower-lined canals, especially in the Little Venice quarter, where flat-bottomed boats glide beneath wooden balconies.
Beyond its pretty streets, Colmar has real cultural depth. The Unterlinden Museum holds the Isenheim Altarpiece, one of the masterpieces of German Renaissance art, and the town is the birthplace of Auguste Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty. Landmarks like the Maison Pfister and the Maison des Têtes show off its merchant past, and its Christmas markets are among the most atmospheric in France.
Known as the capital of Alsatian wine, Colmar is the ideal base for the Alsace Wine Route and villages such as Eguisheim, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg. The old town is compact enough to explore on foot, and Strasbourg is just 30 minutes away by train.
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May to October is the best time to visit Colmar, with warm, dry weather and the grape harvest in September and October. Late November to December is magical thanks to the Christmas markets, but the town gets very crowded and hotels sell out early. Colmar is one of the driest towns in France, so sunshine is common.
The nearest airport to Colmar is EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, about 65 km away. Take the shuttle bus to Saint-Louis station, then a regional train to Colmar, for a total journey of around 1 hour 15 minutes. From Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport, the shuttle train to Strasbourg followed by a 30-minute train to Colmar is another easy option.
You do not need a car to explore Colmar itself. The old town is small and best seen on foot, and the train station is a 15-minute walk from the centre. A car is useful for visiting several Alsace Wine Route villages in one day, though regional buses and guided tours also run there.
One full day is enough to see Colmar's old town. Staying two or three nights lets you enjoy the town in the quiet evenings and use it as a base for the wine villages, Haut-Koenigsbourg castle and Strasbourg.
Yes, Colmar is a very safe town for tourists. Serious crime is rare. The main thing to watch for is pickpocketing in the crowded Christmas markets and busy lanes around Little Venice.
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The Alsace Wine Route villages are the best day trips from Colmar. Eguisheim, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg are all within about 20 minutes and full of half-timbered houses and wine cellars. The Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg sits on a hilltop to the north, and Strasbourg is 30 minutes away by train.
Tarte flambée and choucroute garnie are the classic Alsatian dishes to try in Colmar. Also look for baeckeoffe, a slow-baked meat and potato stew, Munster cheese from the nearby Vosges valleys and kougelhopf cake. Pair your meal with a local Riesling, Gewurztraminer or Pinot Gris.
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