Christmas Fairytale in Colmar
While in Strasbourg, we spent one of our days in the Christmas fairytale world of Colmar! To this day, we continue to plan our return and stay in this magical village!
Logistics
I would hurry to read our overall travel planning post here to get some tips! Because we drove from Colmar, our trip was very easy after we parked our car. Surprisingly, parking was fairly simple as they had effective signage in English and it we had plenty of space. We aimed for this parking lot!
If traveling via train, the journey is relatively simple and direct from Strasbourg. Coming from Paris, the one will have to change trains in Strasbourg.
Colmar Activities
Honestly, most of the Colmar activities involve the outstanding Christmas markets and village decorations! Between the incredible architecture and Christmas spirit, it will keep you plenty busy if you visit during the holidays.
However, if in summer, TripAdvisor will point you in the right direction!
Here is our complete list of food and drink favorites in Colmar!
Onto a Fairytale Land
As we walked into the village center, we felt that our imagination was coming to life! There are extremely cute, quaint houses with classic Alsatian style in every direction. Each house has its own charm and often has its own deep history either dating to the medieval times or renaissance. We were simply amazed. However, we were not the only folks who decided Colmar would be a great Christmas visit so we decided to get lunch before the restaurants filled up!
Les Toques
Initially, Mary Frances researched and found another restaurant which ended up to be full. However, Les Toques had an opening and we grabbed a table and it was a good decision! Because the weather was very cold, we went for warm food options! I chose a hearty Alsatian stew while MF had a traditional flambert. Still not entirely sure what it is!
Le Petite Venice
By far, any Colmar attraction list had Le Petite Venice high in the rankings. Similar to the Venice canals, there is a small stream or river through the sourthern section of Colmar. Combine the river with the beautiful houses, every view is incredibly scenic.
Moreover, each house had their own Christmas style and the canals and streets were also beautifully decorated. We loved this area and took a lot of pictures while the sun was out!
Strolling through Colmar
Other than Le Petite Venice, the next big item on our to-do list was to stroll through Colmar. With the beautiful houses and Christmas decorations, it is very easy! Because the sun sets very early in winter (around 3-4pm), we did two laps - one in the daytime and one at “night.” Similar to us, at night, the crowds lessen with the big tour groups leaving so I would encourage staying overnight if at all possible!
Colmar has a few Christmas markets dotted throughout the village. Compared to Colmar’s sister cities, this one felt very different as the stalls were more unique and decorated. We wondered if this was because Colmar is very high on the tourist circuit and more businesses would come here than elsewhere. Either way, we definitely enjoyed it! We purchased a few things here between our usual ornament and a fun tea set!
However, by far, our favorite memory is strolling through the tiny alleyways between the amazing Alsatian houses. The architecture is amazing and exactly why we came here!! Here, pictures are definitely worth a thousand words!
The UnChartered Summary
Whether a day trip or overnight stay, Colmar should be on your list either in the summer or Christmas time. The architecture, canals, food and wine combine for a classic French, yet German trip! We are still trying to figure out when we will return but it is definitely high on the list!
- If you want to stay overnight, book early regardless of the season! Because Colmar is a village, the options are limited and prices will rise very quickly.
- Arrive early in the morning if you go on a day trip. While we lucked out for parking, it quickly filled up and we avoided some of the large tourist groups.
- For food, I would definitely book in advance. Because it is a major tourist spot in the region, most restaurants will book out well in advance.