colmar city tour

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One day in colmar: an itinerary for a fairytale town.

Do you fancy visiting one of the most beautiful towns in Europe? With just one day in Colmar, you can take a boat ride on its canals, stroll its scenic streets and sample delicious Alsace cuisine.

It’s one of my favourite solo destinations in France .

Hit the ground running with my tried and tested itinerary 1-day Colmar itinerary. You’ll also find recommendations for where to stay and eat in Colmar plus other essential tips, including how to get there and how to get around.

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TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IN COLMAR

• Stroll around La Petite Venise
• Explore the Tanners’ Quarter
• Take a canal cruise
• Visit the Dominican Church
• Feast on Alsace food and wine

GETTING THERE: By train. The station is a 15-minute walk from the historic centre.

GETTING AROUND: On foot

BEST MONTHS TO VISIT COLMAR: Spring & Autumn. December is also popular for the Christmas market.

IN THIS ARTICLE

What is So Special About Colmar?

Colmar looks like it has been lifted straight out of a book of fairy tales. Some believe that it was the inspiration for Belle’s village in Disney’s  Beauty and the Beast .

Picture cobbled streets and pastel-hued, half-timbered houses lining small canals. Add a smattering of lively cafes, historic churches and museums and you’ll have the measure of the place.

The city’s architecture is a legacy of the Alsace region see-sawing between Germany and France over 200 years. These fluctuations in ownership are also reflected in the region’s cuisine.

Blending German and French culinary influences, Colmar is  foodie heaven . And oenophiles will not be short-changed either. Known as the Capital of Alsatian Wine, Colmar is firmly on the Alsatian Wine Route .

What to Do in Colmar: 1-Day Itinerary

As the historic hub of Colmar is spread over a small area and the list of must-do sights modest, it is easy to explore in one day. Make the most of your day in Colmar with the itinerary that I used.

Think of this as a loose framework on which to hang your day. Much of the pleasure of visiting Colmar comes from just mooching around, drinking in its beauty and capturing those Kodak moments.

• MORNING : Self-guided walking tour of Colmar’s historic centre
• LUNCHTIME: Covered Market
• AFTERNOON: Canal cruise, Dominican Church, Saint Martin’s Church, House of Heads
• EVENING : Dinner at Le Soi

MORNING IN COLMAR

Colmar self-guided walking tour.

Start your day in Colmar with a gentle self-guided walking tour. This covers a distance of less than 1 km .

Here’s a map of Colmar to help you on your way, based on that provided by the helpful Tourist Information Office. For an interactive map, click here or on the image.

This suggested walking route has numbered key sights, many of which have adjacent information boards.

Helpful pavement plaques of Lady Liberty will point you in the right direction. These are a nod to Colmar’s most famous son, the sculptor  Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi , who designed the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

La Petite Venise (Little Venice or Petite Venice)

Your first stop is La Petite Venise.

This is the name given to the area crossed by canals of the River Launch and is where the city hits peak prettiness. As this is not exactly a well-kept secret, start early before the crowds descend.

Start on  Rue Turenne  and then turn onto  Quai de la Poissonnerie .

This is the old  Fishmongers’ Quarter  and, as the name suggests, was where the town’s fisherman and boatman lived and worked. The kaleidoscope of pastel-coloured buildings we see lining Colmar’s canals today is thanks to extensive restoration work that took place between 1979 and 1981.

This is also the best place to capture those images of the old town that adorn many postcards of Colmar. Set your camera to stun on the bridge at Rue des Ecoles for those Instaworthy images.

The Tanners’ Quarter & Place de l’Ancienne Douane

From here, make your way to the  Tanners’ Quarter,  named after the tanners who used to live and work in this district. The half-timbered houses lining  Rue des Tanneurs mostly date from the 17 th  and 18 th  Centuries.

Walk back to the  Place de l’Ancienne Douane , the location of one of Colmar’s famous  Christmas markets . This is also where you will find the  Old Customs House  (Koïfhus), dating back to 1480.

The Pfister House (Maison Pfister)

Once you have admired the Old Customs House’s Renaissance-style exterior, turn down Rue des Marchands and across the town’s main street – Grand Rue – to take a look at the  Pfister House.  It is named after the family who restored it and lived there between 1841 and 1892.

Built in 1537 from soft Vosges sandstone, this Colmar landmark is known for its delicate mural paintings representing biblical and secular scenes. Look out also for the wooden oriel window adorned with medallions depicting emperors of the Roman Empire.

LUNCHTIME IN COLMAR

Colmar’s covered market (marché couvert).

By now you should have worked up an appetite. You will find entrances to Colmar’s 14 th  Century Marché Couvert on Rue des Vignerons and Rue des Écoles.

LUNCH RECOMMENDATION

Break for lunch at Légumez-Moi, in the centre of the market, for one of their delicious gratins, a glass of local Reisling and quick service with a smile. Cheap too.

AFTERNOON IN COLMAR

Colmar canal cruise.

Eight euros of your hard-earned cash (2024 price) will buy you a 30-minute cruise along Colmar’s canals. This gives you a close-up view of the town’s medieval buildings before venturing into a more verdant, residential area.

Remember to duck your head when going under those stone bridges!

I bought my boat ticket from La Krutenau restaurant, where Rue Turenne meets Quai de la Poissonnerie. The embarkation point is adjacent to the restaurant.

Admire an artistic masterpiece in the Dominican Church (Église des Dominicains)

Dating mainly from the 14 th  Century, the Dominican Church’s airy interior is illuminated by sublime stained glass windows. However, its star turn is  Martin Schongauer’ s masterpiece,  Madonna of the Rose Bush  (1473).

You will find the church on Place des Dominicains. A small entrance fee applies.

Gaze upwards at the Gothic splendour of Saint Martin’s Church (Collégiale Saint-Martin)

From the Dominican Church, it’s a two-minute walk along Rue des Serruriers to Saint Martin’s Church.

Built between 1234 and 1365 from local pink limestone, locals may refer to it as a cathedral. However, it was a cathedral for less than a decade at the time of the French Revolution.

Its 71-meter-high tower is notable for its lantern shape. Other noteworthy features are its extravagant Baroque organ and two exterior anti-Semitic images – Judensäue – that bear testament to the troubled history of Jews in Alsace.

Admission is free.

The House of Heads

If you have enough time and energy, make a small detour to the House of Heads. Built in the 17th century for the shopkeeper Anton Burger, this German Renaissance building owes its name to the 106 heads that adorn its façade.

EVENING IN COLMAR

Feast on alsace pizza & wine.

My favourite place was the cosy and exceptionally friendly Le Soi at 17 Rue des Marchands. They only do one dish – Tarte Flambée – but, boy oh boy, they do it well!

I sat at the counter, chatting to the other diners, and the owners let me polish off the bottle of excellent Alsace Pinot Noir.

In my opinion, Alsace wines are criminally underrated. This part of France has been one of my favourite wine regions for some years and produces mostly white wines: Reisling ,  Gewurztraminer ,  Pinot Gris  and  Muscat .

The perfect end to a perfect day in Colmar.

Alsatian Food is a perfect marriage of French and German cuisine. Here are a few things that you can expect to find on the menus of Colmar’s restaurants.

Tarte Flambée  – This is an “Alsace Pizza”, with cream ham and cheese topping a wafer-thin flatbread.

Bæckeoffe  – A slow-cooked casserole of sliced potato, onions, mutton, beef and pork.

Choucroure Garnie  – Wine-braised sauerkraut, cured pork, and sausages, flavoured with juniper berries, garlic and cloves.

What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Colmar?

Unless you want to visit the markets or attend its festivals,  Spring or Autumn  are the best times to visit Colmar. It was warm and sunny when I visited in September and, although it was busy, Colmar wasn’t rammed with visitors.

The  quieter months  are January / February and early to mid-November. At the end of November, Colmar becomes a lot busier with the arrival of its famous  Christmas markets , which are open from the end of Novement until late December.

Visitor numbers peak again during the summer, particularly during the  Colmar International Festival ,  showcasing classical music, in early July, and during the  Alsace Wine Fair  in late July / early August.

Easter  can also be a busy time in Colmar when it hosts Easter markets

Getting There

Colmar is in eastern France, close to the border with Germany, 40 miles southwest of Strasbourg and around 235 miles from Paris. I used it as a base to explore the Alscase region, staying there for four nights.

It has excellent train connections to other European cities, including Strasbourg and the Freiburg in Germany . The train station is around a 15-minute walk from Colmar’s old town.

• Paris, France : 2 hours 17 minutes
• Strasbourg, France : 32 minutes
• Basel, Switzerland : 45 minutes
• Zurich, Switzerland : 2 hours
• Luxembourg, Luxembourg : 2 hours 30 minutes

Colmar is equidistant from  Strasbourg  and  Basel  international  airports .

You can also easily include Colmar in a  road trip  through Europe.

Getting Around

As Colmar‘s main attractions are close to each other, walking is your best option.

My Top Tips for Visiting Colmar

Stay overnight

Many people visit Colmar on a day trip. However, I recommend staying at least one night.

This will allow you to enjoy the streets of Colmar in the evening when they have emptied of day-trippers. It also means that you will be able to sample Alsace food and wine in one of Colmar’s many excellent restaurants.

Make dinner reservations in advance .

Even though I visited Colmar out of peak season, its restaurants were still busy. I dread to think how difficult it would be to get seated without a reservation in peak season.

Where to Stay in Colmar

Colmar hotel choices are limited in its old town. However, there is a decent selection of apartments from which to choose.

Mid-range  – My Sweet Homes Appartements avec SPA  

I stayed at this well-equipped apartment which is centrally located.

>>> CLICK HERE TO CHECK RATES & BOOK

Here are two other places to stay in Colmar that I have found that may suit different budgets

Spluge – James Boutique Hotel

Close to the Old Town, this boutique hotel has superb reviews.

Budget – Ibis Budget Colmar Centre Gare  

Budget options in Colmar are scarce and this may be your best bet.  A modern chain hotel within 15 minutes walk of both the city centre and train station.

>>> None of these places takes your fancy? Discover other great accommodation choices in Colmar here .

Thank you for reading my guide to spending one day in Colmar

As one of the most beautiful towns in France, Colmar is well worth visiting. Around every corner, there are twisting cobblestone streets, impossibly scenic canals and candy-coloured buildings adorned with window boxes bursting with blooms.  

Colmar is also a great base from which to explore the Alsace region of France and is a worthy inclusion in a broader European itinerary. Why not add it to a visit to Paris, just over two hours away by train? 

Better still, include it in a trip to Germany and Switzerland. Colmar was the final stop of my Interrail train itinerary from London. This started in the lovely Swiss capital of Bern and the Bernese Oberland , before taking the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt and exploring the Locarno region .

However you choose to visit, I hope that these fabulous things to do in Colmar help you have the very best time in one of France’s loveliest towns. If you’ve enjoyed this article, take a look at some of my other France guides:

• A Weekend in Normandy: Day Trips from Honfleur
• For the Love of Fizz: 5 Best Champagne Houses in Reims, France
• Visiting Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral, France
• One Day in Lille, Northern France
• One Day in Nice, France
• One Week in Provence by Rail Made Easy

About Bridget

Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.

Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.

To get in touch, email her at [email protected] or follow her on social media.

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Little tourist train of Colmar

Discover the old town of Colmar exclusively ! Our little trains run 7/7 days, departures every 30 minutes, rue Kléber, next to the Unterlinden Museum. Electric trains, Freesound headphones, simultaneous translation in 16 languages. Payment on...

Little white train

An original and fun way to discover the town of Colmar during your stay. The tour, which is around 7 km long, has commentary and is broadcast via individual headphones with simultaneous translation in 16 languages. Tour duration: Approximately 35...

Our  Story

Hi there! We are Laura et Georges, the team behind Hopla Guide.

We run this project together, and in our spare time, we run our life together. We are an international couple, she’s Argentinian, he’s French, but both “Made in Alsace”. 

Travellers, food lovers, culture addicts, wanderers... our lives brought us in many places, from Europe to Latin America. Every trip, we seek for authentic experiences. We want to discover it all, but freely, spontaneously.  

During our trips, we found ourselves with two options: either we had to follow a guided group, losing our independence, or wander around with the feeling of missing out on important places. 

What to see ? In what order ? And what souvenirs to buy and bring back home ? 

Is there no other way? 

What if we could visit a city on our own, with freedom and flexibility, and be sure we are going to see everything, learn about the local culture, and have fun at the same time? 

What if we could be guided explorers?

One day, we decided to put our abilities together and innovate. Laura has a master's degree in tourism specialized in management, marketing and eco-sustainability. Georges has a master's degree in history of art from Paris-Sorbonne university. We both have professional experience in tourism companies. That is how Hopla Guide started. We built a solution, reimagined guided tours, and created a complete experience, both physical and digital. 

Cultural information had to be accessible to the explorer at any time, so we chose to build a mobile app, allowing interactivity and flexibility.  

But we wanted to go further and create something that doesn't stay on your phone but materialises in the real world. So we selected exciting items that enhance the visit and bring the tour on another level of interaction, using other senses : touch, taste and smell. We believe in slow tourism, in a respectful and deeper way of discovering. We empower little groups to live a true cultural exploration, not just a quick run in the city to take some pictures and go away without learning anything. Our explorers are meant to get an honest grasp of the local identity. We invite you to take part in our story and give a chance to another kind of cultural experience.

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This Ancient Mountain City Was Just Named the 'Most Magical Place on Earth'

All of these spots really do deliver that otherworldly feeling.

Unaihuiziphotography/Getty Images

Sure, Disney may own the trademark to "The Most Magical Place on Earth" but that doesn't mean it's the only place that can deliver that sense of wonder. And Slingo has a new list that will prove it. 

In April, the website shared its list of the most magical places on earth, which it created by analyzing a list of destinations and their popularity on both Google and across social media, along with the number of Tripadvisor reviews that mention the place as being “magical.” After looking at all the data, it named Machu Picchu in Peru as the most magical.

"Machu Picchu, the ancient Incan city set high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, is the most magical destination," the findings stated, noting it receives more than 19 million Google searches a year, along with 2.4 million Instagram posts, and with 4.2 percent of its Tripadvisor reviews using the word "magical." "Renowned for its archaeological significance and breathtaking scenery, it attracts millions of curious travelers yearly. The site, built in the 15th century and later abandoned, remains shrouded in mystery and wonder."

Machu Picchu is joined on the list of most magical places by Petra, Jordan , at No. 2, thanks to its 9.3 million annual Google searches, 1.8 million Instagram posts, and 3.8 percent of Tripadvisor reviews that use the word "magical." 

"This ancient city, once the thriving capital of the Nabataean kingdom, is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. Visitors to Petra can explore the iconic Treasury, the Monastery, and countless tombs and temples that blend seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape," the findings explained. 

It's followed by Stonehenge in the United Kingdom at No. 3, with 12 million annual Google searches, 924,917 Instagram posts, and a healthy 3.6 percent of Tripadvisor reviews stating it's a "magical" place." 

Rounding out the top 10 magical destinations is Sintra, Portugal, in fourth (which also ranked as the most "picturesque" destination thanks to its 2.5 million Instagram posts), followed by Hallstatt, Austria; Pamukkale, Turkey; Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland; Colmar, France; Mont-Saint-Michel, France; and Hobbiton, New Zealand.

See where else made the list of the most magical places around the globe at slingo.com . 

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