Colmar

A Fairytale Town in Alsace

Colmar sits in eastern France where Alsace meets the Rhine Valley. The city displays colorful half-timbered houses with flower boxes and steep roofs that catch sunlight like stained glass. Its canals run between streets lined with cafés and small shops selling local cheeses, breads and wines. Markets open daily with fresh produce and handmade goods. Walking across bridges reveals views of the old town from above. The climate remains cool most months, encouraging outdoor dining year round. Cultural festivals happen regularly throughout summer evenings when streets glow softly under lanterns.

Add to list Map view

City in France

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	8
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	9

Read details

3/5

English is spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist areas, but less so in smaller shops or with older locals. Knowing basic French phrases is helpful.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

* We earn a commission from some links on this page.

Colmar Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
These give you a quick overview of how well a destination suits specific types of travellers, to help you find the places that match your lifestyle, preferences or travel situation.

Read how our scores work

Excellent for charming old towns and wine culture. Walk colorful half-timbered streets, explore canals, visit small museums and enjoy Alsatian food and regional wine tasting.

Place score

8.3

Best at:

Cosy towns

Walkable

Architecture

Spotless

Wine

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 8

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

❤️ 9

Couples

France – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type E Type C: Type E: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) £1 ≈ €1.19
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted, especially in cities and tourist areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is optional but appreciated in restaurants (5-10%) and for exceptional service.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in designated areas, but restrictions apply in some cities.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned in indoor public spaces but common in outdoor cafes.

Bastille Day (July)	Parades and fireworks occur nationwide.
Easter (March/April)	Cultural celebrations and closures.
Christmas (December)	Markets and festive events.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Numbers: 112 (EU emergency), 15 (Ambulance), 17 (Police), 18 (Fire)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Bolt, Heetch
Other:	France offers diverse experiences, from art and culture to nature and cuisine. Be cautious in crowded areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Colmar, France

❄️

Jan

🌤️

Feb

🌤️

Mar

🌤️

Apr

🌤️

May

🌤️

Jun

☀️

Jul

☀️

Aug

☀️

Sep

☀️

Oct

🌤️

Nov

🌤️

Dec

High season:	May - Sep., Dec.
Shoulder season:	April, Oct.
Crowdedness:	7 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Christmas markets from late November to 30 December, very crowded at weekends

Colmar is one of France's driest cities thanks to the Vosges rain shadow

Alsace Wine Route is best from late May to October, harvest September to October

Don't miss

🌈 Wander through the fairytale streets of Little Venice
🖼️ Admire masterpieces at the Unterlinden Museum
🚤 Take a boat tour along Colmar’s picturesque canals
🍷 Taste Alsace wines in a traditional winstub
🎅 Explore the colorful christmas market of Colmar
🗽 Visit the Bartholdi Museum, birthplace of the Statue of Liberty’s sculptor

You've been here?

Why travel to Colmar?

Colmar is a dream destination for lovers of medieval charm, wine and French-German heritage. The colorful houses of ‘Little Venice’ make it one of the most photogenic towns in Europe, while its proximity to the Alsace Wine Route means endless tasting opportunities. The town is small enough to explore on foot but packed with history, delicious cuisine and a magical atmosphere – especially in winter when the Christmas markets turn it into a wonderland.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Maison Pfister
2 Unterlinden Museum
3 Musée Bartholdi
4 Little Venice
5 Ancienne douane (Koïfhus)
6 Église Saint-Martin

🎡Places for activities

1 Museum of toys
2 Espace d'Art Contemporain André Malraux
3 Théâtre

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Parking Jardin des papillons
2 Route des Crêtes
3 Rue du Mont Sainte-Odile
4 Lac Blanc

🛍️Shopping

1 Cave Wolfberger
2 Domaine Viticole de la Ville de Colmar
3 Rue des Marchands
4 Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie

🎈Events

Colmar Christmas Market (December)
Foire aux Vins d'Alsace (August)
Festival International de Colmar (July)
Alsace Carnival (February)
Spring Fair (April)
Colmar Jazz Festival (September)
Wine and Gastronomy Fair (March)
Fête de la Musique (June)
Easter Market (March/April)
Alsace Marathon (September)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Visit Little Venice early morning to beat crowds.
Book Unterlinden Museum tickets ahead for Isenheim Altarpiece and Gothic cloister highlights.
Stroll cobblestone streets of Old Town, admiring half-timbered houses and Maison Pfister murals.
Sample Alsatian wines at local winstubs in Tanner's Quarter; pair with tarte flambée for authentic regional flavors.

How to travel to Colmar

Colmar is well connected by train, with direct links from Strasbourg, Basel and Paris. The nearest airports are EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (45 min) and Strasbourg Airport (1 hr). A rental car is ideal for exploring Alsace.

Access summary

From Basel EuroAirport (BSL): Direct buses to Colmar about 45 minutes.
From Strasbourg: Frequent TER/TGV trains usually 25–35 minutes.
From Basel SBB: Regional trains about 45–60 minutes; bus alternatives slightly longer.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Colmar

Colmar has a mix of boutique hotels, charming guesthouses and countryside stays in vineyard areas. Staying in the Old Town offers the best atmosphere, while nearby villages provide a quieter experience.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Grand Hotel Bristol By Stay Collection

8.5

Novotel Suites Colmar Centre

9.1

Hotel Le Marechal

8.8

Cit'Hotel Primo Colmar Centre

7.8

Hotel Le Colombier

8.9

L'Esquisse Hotel & Spa Colmar - MGallery Collection

9.5

Logis Hotel Saint-Martin

8.7

Hotel Le Colombier Suites

9.2

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Colmar

Colmar’s compact center is best explored on foot. Buses and taxis are available, but renting a bike is a great option for exploring nearby vineyards and villages.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-5 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 5% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend around the same on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-3 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EUR) is 3% better than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs (Data for Emmendingen, Germany - 37 km away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£70	£151	£407
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£30	£75	£180
🍝 Food per day	£29	£63	£182
🚕 Transportation per day	£11	£12	£44

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£26
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£12
🍟 Fast food combo	£9
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£10.50
☕ Cappuccino	£3
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£2.60
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£26
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.50

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£11
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£46
🤧 Cold medication	£13
💇 Basic haircut	£14

Safety information overview

General safety

Colmar is very safe with low crime rates. Pickpocketing can occur in crowded areas, especially during Christmas markets, so stay aware of valuables.

Health & Medical

Healthcare is excellent, with pharmacies and medical facilities available. EU travelers can use an EHIC card, but travel insurance is recommended.

Accessibility

The Old Town has cobblestone streets, which may be difficult for wheelchairs. Some attractions have limited accessibility, but public transport is reliable.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink and widely available. Refill stations are rare, so carrying a reusable bottle is recommended.