Colmar Attractions – A Fairy Tale Medieval Village, Hidden Gem of France

Colmar City

Colmar

Everyone knows Paris & London, yet there are many small quaint villages in Europe offers a unique & an unspoilt glimpse of ancient Europe, untouched by modern development tracing back to the Medieval Period. One of them is definitely Colmar.

Colmar is a town in the Grand Est region of northeastern France, bordering with Germany. The Alsace Region old town has cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings.

Colmar

The city’s Alsatian Renaissance houses, ancient churches and fountains have made it a centre of tourism. Anime fans would immediately notice that Colmar’s Alsatian Rennaisance houses are frequently featured in many animes.

How to Get to Colmar

Colmar can be easily reached with TGV train from Paris (3 hours) & only 30 mins from Strasbourg. You can also reach Colmar from Stuttgart, Basel and Zurich with the train as well.

Getting Around Colmar

All of Colmar’s attractions are concentrated in its old town. Therefore the best way to get around Colmar is on foot.

Due to the wealth and variety of its historical and architectural heritage, Colmar offers visitors an exciting glimpse of 1000 years of European history.

Old town

Founded in the 9th century, Colmar is the capital of central Alsace. The town is situated along the Alsatian Wine Route and considers itself to be the “capital of Alsatian wine”.

Saint Martin Church

Built between 1235 and 1365 the Saint Martin’s Church is an important example of Gothic architecture in Alsace.

Pfister House

The Pfister House is a symbol of Old Colmar was built in 1537,  for the hatter Ludwig Scherer, who made his fortune with money trading in the Val de Liepvre.

Colmar Market

Designed in 1865, Colmar Market was made ​​of brick and stone with some 20 merchants provide high-quality products: fruits and vegetables, butcher, dairy, bakery, fish, flowers and local products.

Fishmonger’s District

The fishmonger’s district is the place where most of the professional fishermen and boatmen of Colmar lived. The caught fishes were stored in fish ponds or sold.

Little Venice, Colmar

The course of the Lauch in Colmar was named Little Venice for its similarity with Venice. It was also probably due to the original line of the houses on both sides of the river.

Colmar, France

For 6 Euro per pax, you can join one of the boat cruises around the Little Venice, while the guide explains the history of Colmar.

Colmar, France

Alsatian Cuisine

Also not to be missed is to try Alsace food. Do you know the famous Foie Gras was invented in the Alsace region (Strasbourg)?

Alsace Roasted Pork KnuckleAlsace Roasted Pork Knuckle

SauerkrautAlsace Sauerkraut with 6 types of Pork Meat

Another dish to try is Tarte flambée which is the Alsatian equivalent of the Pizza.

Tarte flambee is made of a thin layer of bread dough, covered with crème fraîche, cheese, onions, and bacon & baked very quickly in an extremely hot oven so that it gets crispy.

Tarte flambée

Streets in Colmar

Is it Worth Visiting Colmar?

Definitely YES! We do recommend to spend 2 nights in Colmar for a more comfortable experience. You will never regret visiting Colmar.

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About Tommy Ooi 509 Articles
Luxury Hotel Reviewer & Destination Blogger. Passionate for travel, exploring new culture & indulging divine food, Tommy has traveled to 42 countries & 140+ destinations.

12 Comments

  1. Nice page, thanks for the nice people and nice photo sharing, for those who still no chance to be there, because of you tommy ooi, our eyes open to the world. 😀

  2. Thank you for sharing Tommy. It will be very helpful since my family and I will be making a rip there in May 2015. Any recommendation on accommodation?

  3. Hi Tommy,

    I am planning to go there soon. How did you get there from Paris? Is it direct or you have to take to Strasbourg and transfer to Colmar?

  4. Do you think a day trip to Colmar from Paris is doable? Or would it be too much for day?
    I really want to visit a cute small town like Colmar near Paris.

  5. What lovely pictures. I am heading to Colmar in a couple of weeks. Would really help to hear from you on a few things if possible:
    Travel
    1. I am taking a train from Basel to Colmar. What is the transport available from the station to the centre of the city
    Stay
    2. What is the best area to stay in?
    3. Any hotels or interesting places of stay you’d recommend? Something pretty super comfy (luxurious is also good) & totally safe.
    Visits
    I will be staying there for 4 nights atleast. Would you recommend I visit any other places nearby. I won’t have a car. So perhaps something I can visit by bus?
    Thanks so much

    • Hi Sandy, good choice! Colmar is simply breathtaking! Colmar is quite small so if you stay at the heritage town u can just walk like we did. You can walk from train station to town in 15 mins. We stayed in Mercure

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