SIGHTSEEING
Visiting Colmar means walking in its streets among the picturesque buildings and canals which will give you the sensation of being in a huge movie set. All of this can be found in The Colmar La Petite Venise (Colmar Little Venice) in Krutenau district of Colmar.
Maison Pfister, one of the renowned old houses in the neighborhood, has in fact appeared in Howl’s Moving Castle, a Japanese animation film nominated as Best Animated Feature in the Oscars back in 2006.
Take fun tours around the city by boats or on your feet and get ready to be enchanted by the charm of the cityscape.
The Colmar La Petite Venise
DOWNTOWN
The historic downtown presents you with the biggest event in town. Voted as second best Christmas Market in Europe, Marché de Noël de Colmar (Colmar Christmas Markets) bring the magic of Christmas through the illuminated and decorated buildings creating festive ambience. You’ll be welcomed with traditional stalls for crafts and gifts as well as a lot of events related to Christmas celebration.
In August, the city also hosts the annual Wine Fair of Alsace. The festival has been passed through generations for six decades. Enjoy 15 days full of music, party, and wine tasting during the event.
Marché de Noël de Colmar
SHOPPING
Even though visitors will likely find shops in downtown, you can always go shopping at the local mall for a better shopping experience. Centre Commercial Shop'iN Houssen is where to go: your favorite chains or the local ones are there providing you with anything you need.
Centre Commercial Shop'iN Houssen
FOOD & DRINK
If you want to fill your stomach with scrumptious French food like cassoulet, ratatouille and chocolate souffle, then it’s the time! Savor the delicacies at restaurants or cafés in town. Make sure you try out one of traditional dishes of the German-French border regions called flambee tart (flammekueche) which looks almost like pizza! The other local food you can taste include tarte aux poires (pear tart) and kugelhopf (a French-style Bundt cake).
CULTURE
Learn Colmar’s history and culture by visiting 5 museums they have: one of the most famous one is the Unterlinden Museum. You can discover and admire Issenheim Altarpiece which was once inside the St Martin Church as well as other masterpieces exhibited.
Another interesting museum to feed your mind with knowledge about how the past life looks like in Colmar from an artist’s perspective through Jean-Jacques Waltz’s artworks in The Hansi Village and Its Museum. You’ll find a lot of exciting and interactive installations made by him throughout his life.
Unterlinden Museum
The Hansi Village and Its Museum
BEST TIME TO VISIT
If you want a tranquil holiday, then visit Colmar in its quietest seasons which are January and early November. However, if you’re intentionally seeking for crowds and share the joy in union, then it’s best to come between November and the end of the December when the famous Christmas Markets run.
HOTEL
Logis Hôtel Restaurant le Rapp, or simply known as Le Rapp Hotel, is a traditional hotel near Musée Bartholdi and St Martin’s Church. The hotel has an elegant indoor pool, sauna, and even a hammam (a Turkish bath). There’s also an onsite restaurant offering a wide range of first course, main course, and dessert menus.
There’s also Novotel Suites Colmar Centre, located just a stone's throw from Little Venice. After a long tour throughout the day, relax your mind and body the available wellness area.
Le Rapp Hotel
Novotel Suites Colmar Centre
RESTAURANT
Don’t forget to have meals at the renowned restaurants nearby when you visit Colmar. Restaurant La Soï is a French restaurant serving delicious lunch and dinner menus—trying the delicious flambee tart and great beer is a must, all for reasonable prices.
Set along the canal of Little Venice, Restaurant JY’s is well-known for the scrumptious foie gras dishes. A wide selection of fabulous appetizer is there if you love tuna. Amuse bouche with the wonderful stuffed olives are also ready to order. The friendly staff are very welcoming, serving you with the best service.
Restaurant La Soï
Restaurant JY’s
CAFE
Au Croissant Doré is a small coffee shop nestled in between other old buildings in Colmar. The vegetarian-friendly café is run by a French grandma who mans the café and serves everyone on her own. Combined with the great and affordable food, the café is definitely a perfect place for you who are looking for warmth of motherly love in every cup served.
For a brasserie option, visit Jupiler Café which features plentiful menus, from breakfast to dinner and late night eats. Try the delicious salad with chicken liver and duck breast or Tartes de Flammbe with cheese, bacon, and onions. It’s also not really crowded even if you visit in October, which is the tourist peak season in Colmar.
Au Croissant Doré
Jupiler Café
BAR AND NIGHTLIFE
Enjoy Colmar at night by visiting Le Cercle Des Aromes. This wine bar serves dinner, late night eats, and drinks. Have a pleasant wine tasting on the famous local wines at the bar. Don’t worry, the owner is really accommodating and will gladly help you out finding the wines you love!
L’un des Sens is another place to go for fine local wines, cheeses and tapas (Spanish appetizers and snacks). The staff are friendly and make excellent wine suggestions. It’s required to order an appetizer (or two, you choose) along with the drinks, and it’s advisable for you to book a reservation for the place is quite popular amongst the tourists and locals.
Le Cercle Des Aromes
L’un des Sens
INTERESTING PLACE
The point of interest of Colmar is the whole city itself. However, you have to visit some specific places for your best vacation experience. Unterlinden Museum is one of the many places, becoming a Musée de France (a title given to main state museums in France) with the largest visitors in Alsace. Besides the infamous Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald, the museum also showcases a large collection of local and international artworks as well as artifacts from prehistorical to contemporary times.
Another Musée de France you should visit is the Musée Bartholdi, a museum dedicated to French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi. In the courtyard of the museum, there is a statue named Statue des grands soutiens du monde. If you want to take a good look at the museum during your holiday planning, watch a 2019 documentary about Bartholdi and the Statue of Liberty, Liberty: Mother of Exiles for the museum is featured there.
Unterlinden Museum
Musée Bartholdi
INSTAGRAMMABLE SPOT
Colmar city is fully picturesque: there’s no place in the city you will find uninteresting. For a great shot, we recommend you to visit The Roesselmann Fountain at the center of the town square. The beautiful landmark combined with the surrounding spectacular views of old establishments make a perfect background for your selfies.
You can also take a picture from Rue Turenne Bridge and capture the view of the Lauch river flowing along the lined picturesque historic buildings.
The Roesselmann Fountain
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