This list of essential places to visit in Colmar It will help you not to miss anything about the most beautiful city in the world where to celebrate Christmas.
Located in the Alsace region in northeastern France, this city falls in love with its houses of colored facades and wooden frames of the old town. In addition, at Christmas, Colmar is filled with street markets and all the streets are adorned with lights and Christmas motifs that will make you feel like in a story.
The inconvenience of traveling on very specific dates such as the December bridge or during the weekends is the large number of people who are concentrated throughout the historic center, something that somewhat hinders the walk through its streets at certain times of the day .
It is for this reason that we recommend, whenever possible, to travel at the end of November, when all Christmas markets or during the week are already assembled.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city during our trip to Alsace, we have made this list of what we think are the 10 essential places to see in Colmar. We start!
1. La Petite Venise
La Petite Venise or Little Venice is a neighborhood of colorful houses on the banks of the River Launch, which has become one of the most essential places to visit in Colmar.
In this picturesque area you will find beautiful traditional Alsatian houses with wooden frames and flowers on the balconies, which belonged to the bourgeoisie of artisans and merchants who had made their fortunes with their businesses and that we are sure, will make you fall in love at first sight.
On the bridges of Rue des Tanneurs and Rue des Écoles, you can take pictures of Quai de la Poissonnerie street that will fill your Instagram account with likes and also take a small boat ride on the canals.
Le Petite Venise
2. Rue des Marchands
Another of the Top things to do in Colmar It is walking along Rue des Marchands, the most famous and photogenic street in the city.
This street is surrounded by traditional Alsatian houses, including the Pfister House, the Schongauer House, the Weinhof House and the Bartholdi Museum, where the creator of the Statue of Liberty of New York was born.
After touring the entire street and entering one of the most charming shops, you will arrive at a crossroads with the Gran Rue where you can make a fantastic postcard photo.
Another of the most beautiful streets to see in Colmar at Christmas is the Petite Rue des Tanneurs, a narrow street surrounded by traditional three-story houses with wooden frames of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Rue des Marchands
3. Place de l'Ancienne Douane
The Place de l'Ancienne Douane, which has a sculpture by Auguste Bartholdi in the center, is the prettiest square to visit in Colmar.
The most important building that gives its name to the square is the Koifhus, a huge Gothic-style building built in the 15th century that is considered the oldest public building in the city, which served as a warehouse, market and old customs, in the that the products that were sent to Italy were examined.
At Christmas, the most beautiful market in Colmar is set up and where more food stalls are concentrated.
Place de l'Ancienne-Douane
4. Collegiate Church of San Martín, one of the places to visit in Colmar
The Collegiate Church of San Martín, located in the popular Place de la Cathedrale, is another of the essential places to visit in Colmar.
The church was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style and later in Gothic, style that has remained until today.
The facade stands out for its 70-meter-high tower, while inside three naves you will find 13th-century stained glass windows, the organ and beautiful side chapels.
In the Place de la Cathedrale there is also the Salle du Corps de Garde or Police House, former town hall and police guard post. Another of the most famous buildings in this square is the Maison Adolph, the oldest house in the city built in the second half of the fourteenth century.
Collegiate Church of San Martín
5. Unterlinden Museum
The Unterlinden Museum, located in a former convent of Dominican nuns of S.XIII, is the most important museum to visit in Colmar.
This museum, located among the best in France, has as its great jewel the 16th-century Isenheim Altarpiece, the work of Matthias Grünewald. In addition to other masterpieces of this German Renaissance painter, the museum has important pieces from the 15th and 16th centuries of German, Alsatian and Swiss painters.
Our recommended hotel in Colmar
We stay and recommend the IBIS Colmar Center, located a few minutes walk from the old town. In addition to its excellent location, it has a 24-hour reception, parking, quality breakfast and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
6. Christmas Markets
Colmar is one of the best cities to travel for Christmas by having several Christmas markets located among the most beautiful in Europe.
Another of the Top things to do in Colmar is to walk through these markets that are usually mounted on November 22 until the end of December and enjoy the spectacular Christmas atmosphere that is formed. In the wooden stands you will find all kinds of items, perfect to decorate the house during these dates, food stalls and others that serve hot wine, which will make the walk much more pleasant and less cold.
Among the places in the city where markets are mounted are: Place des Dominicains, Place l'Ancienne Douane, Petite Venise, around the Koïfhus building and Place de la Cathédrale.
If you want to take refuge from the cold you have the Marché Couver, a covered market (open all year) where you can have tapas accompanied by a glass of Alsace wine or buy a typical food product from the region.
Markets to visit in Colmar at Christmas
7. Pfister House
The Pfister House, built in 1537, is another of the best examples of Renaissance architecture to see in Colmar.
Located at number 11 of the Rue des Marchands, it is one of the most beautiful houses in the city having a two-story facade with wooden galleries and several religious murals.
You can enter inside by taking a guided tour every day from 10 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon.
Pfister House
8. Church of the Dominicans
The Church of the Dominicans, built from 1289 to 1364 and located on the Place des Dominicains, is another of the essential buildings to visit in Colmar.
This Gothic church has fantastic 14th-century stained glass windows, a baroque-style choir and, above all, the altarpiece "The Virgin of the Roses" from 1473, masterpiece of Martin Schongauer.
Another of the interesting religious temples to see in Colmar is the Eglise Saint Matthieu of 1292, which after the Lutheran reform passed from the Franciscans to the Protestants.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Maison des Tetes
La Maison des Tetes or Casa de las Cabezas, a beautiful Renaissance building from 1609, is another of the best places to visit in Colmar.
Located at number 19 of the Rue des Têtes, it stands out for its facade with more than 100 sculpted heads and for the two-story stone erker.
Currently, this house declared as a Historic Monument of France, can only be seen outside if you are not staying in your hotel.
A good way to know the history of the city and not miss anything important is to book this free tour of Colmar Free! With guide in Spanish.
Maison des Tetes, one of the places to see in Colmar
10. Villages of Alsace
One of the best things to do in Colmar is to rent a car and get to know all these essential places to see in Alsace.
This region, one of the most beautiful in Europe, is famous for the fairytale villages of colorful houses like Eguisheim, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé and Kaysersberg and for its wonderful vineyard landscapes.
You can finish a route through Alsace by visiting Strasbourg, the capital of Christmas and one of the most essential cities to see in Europe.
If you do not have a car and do not want to waste much time on public transport, you can book any of these excursions from Colmar with a guide in Spanish:
Eguisheim
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to visit in Colmar, add yours in the comments.
