Colmar

The best time to visit Colmar is from May to September, when temperatures are mild and rainfall is lower. July and August are the warmest months, ideal for strolling through La Petite Venise and the Vieille ville. October and November are the rainiest, while December brings the famous Christmas markets, though it can be chilly. For pleasant weather and fewer crowds, late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable.

Stay in the old town, often called the Vieille Ville, to be close to La Petite Venise, the Musée Unterlinden, and the main sights. It suits first-time visitors and those who want to walk everywhere. The Colmar City Center area, around the Champ de Mars park, is also central and convenient, with hotels like the Novotel Suites Colmar Centre and the Mercure Colmar Centre Unterlinden. For a quieter stay, the residential streets near the train station, where the Colmar Hotel is, offer easy access to the center without the crowds.

Start in the Vieille ville de Colmar, a well-preserved old town with half-timbered houses. La Petite Venise offers the most scenic canalside views. Musée Unterlinden houses the Isenheim Altarpiece, a major Renaissance work. Collégiale Saint-Martin is the city's main Gothic church. Musée Bartholdi celebrates the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, whose original model stands nearby.

Full-day tours from Colmar visit Alsace's villages and Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, with wine tasting, plus a tour covering France, Germany, and Switzerland. Christmas market tours run in season. For a classic day trip, head to Strasbourg for its cathedral and historic quarter, or to Freiburg im Breisgau across the Rhine for its old town and Black Forest gateway.

Three days is a good amount for Colmar. Spend the first day exploring the Vieille ville, La Petite Venise, and the Collégiale Saint-Martin. Use the second day for the Musée Unterlinden, the Statue de la Liberté, and the Parc du Champ de Mars. If you want to take a full-day tour to nearby Alsatian villages, add a fourth day.