If you ask me ,out of all the places you’ve ever been to ,recommend just one. I’d say Colmar. This sweet little town in North-East France, Alsace region looks like it came straight out of a fairytale. Never have I seen such a gorgeous and breathtakingly beautiful place in my life! The Alsace region has been occupied both by France and Germany back and forth since the 16th century but since the WWII this town has been French . That’s why while in town you’ll notice a perfect blend of French and German architectural influence everywhere.
When in Colmar these are my favorite things to do :
Take a stroll in Petit Venice:
I haven’t been to Venice ,Italy yet but this Petit Venice took my breath away. The absolutely gorgeous half timbered houses are by the canal ,colored in various pastel shades like dusty rose, sky blue, baby yellow, peppermint and what not! The window baskets are overflown with flowers, the narrow cobble stone streets, the white swans are swimming on the canal with many little ducklings …this place is just may be the most picturesque place on earth! Originally these houses were built for the fishermen, butchers etc. and the colors were coordinated according to the professions, like the fishermen houses were blue and the butcher houses were pink . But now a days these houses are mainly vacation rentals and restaurants where you can experience the heritage of this region. While exploring you can shop from many charming little boutiques and vintage stores that are available in Petit Venice.
Visit St.Martin’s Church:
This gothic style architecture of this church makes it an unique attraction of the town. Built in 1365 , this church is decorated with medieval sculptures and colorful glass paintings . We actually saw an eagle nest on top of the church with a huge eagle on it!
Have Dinner on the deck by the canal:
There are few restaurants in Petit Venice that are actually on the canal by the deck from where you can enjoy your meal at a pretty reasonable price (15-30 EUR). In the evening the string lights, the sounds of water ,the view makes the whole ambience very calm and tranquil.
Trip to the vineyard :
When you are in Colmar, try to make a trip to the vineyards surrounding the village. Alsatian wines are famous for it’s qualities. You can arrange a guided tour or you can just drive by yourself and talk to the locals like we did. There are multiple wine festivals happening in Colmar through out the year so you can might join one if you are lucky! Check out all about the Alsatian wine guided tour, wine festivals, wine tasting by clicking here.
Suggested Itinerary:
Day 1 :We rented a car in Paris. From Paris we came to Strasbourg,France . It was a 4:30 hours of driving. we spent the day and night in Strasbourg.
Day2: We spent the whole day in Strasbourg and started driving for Colmar in the evening. It’s just one hour drive. Spend the night in Colmar.
Day 3: We spend the whole day exploring Colmar and started for Germany in the evening. If you want to go directly from Paris to Colmar it’s a 5:30 hours of driving.
You can also get to Colmar by train. It’s 45 minutes from Strasbourg and 2 hours from Zurich.If you decide to take a flight the nearest airport is in Strasbourg. Read my post about Strasbourg here.
Where to Stay:
We rented a one bedroom AirBnB Apartment close to Petit Venice for $80 EUR a night . You can also book a hotel in Petit Venice overlooking the canal at a higher price.
Fun fact, Colmar was the inspiration for the location for the Disney movie “The Beauty and The Beast”. So if you want to wander around in a real life fairytale location , you can always visit Colmar.
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