Top Alsace hotels
Notre-Dame Cathedral Strasbourg
119 Reviews You will be attracted like a magnet to the cathedral. It's huge, and dominates the city. The little streets are quaint, full of people in the best of time and pleasant for a stroll, maybe with an ice...
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Old Town Colmar
55 Reviews In the square you can pick up an easy 4-mile English tour through the Old Town. We understand that the train does not stop, so you will have to return to take photos unless you have a fast camera. We...
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La Petite France Strasbourg
51 Reviews The Maison des Tanneurs in Petite France is today actually a restaurant. On our visit to Petite France we didn`t dine here, nevertheless, the building is worth a visit, if only to see from the...
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Petite Venise Colmar
20 Reviews This is certainly the most popular photograph of Colmar. A must for every visitor. It is taken from the bridge of the Turenne street on the Lauch River. The half-timbered houses which form the...
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Boat trip on the river Strasbourg
18 Reviews The River Ill winds its way around the old city of Strasbourg. So a great way to see and learn all about this city is to take a boat ride around it. Boat tours can be just for sightseeing, or for...
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Museums Colmar
32 Reviews Here's my journal entry for the museum: "Followed signs through ancient sculpture, a very dark Alsatian wine cellar (no doubt authentic), XV and XVI century painting . . . and really...
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Place Gutenberg Strasbourg
9 Reviews Place Gutenberg is two blocks west of the Cathedral. At its center is the excellent statue to the town's most famous citizen created by David d'Angers in 1840. Along one side of the square is the...
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Churches Colmar
25 Reviews St. Martin's Collegiate church as we see now was built in the 13th century and is in Alsace a major example of Gothic architecture. The foundations go back to the year 1000. The bulb-shaped dome that...
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The European Parliament Strasbourg
13 Reviews The European Parliament represents, in the words of the 1957 Treaty of Rome, 'the peoples of the States brought together in the European Community'. The Parliament has got 626 Members (30.04.2003) of...
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House of Heads Colmar
10 Reviews Each time I passed in front of the Maison des Têtes (House of the Heads); I wondered what had inspired the merchant Anton Burger in 1609 to build this manor in German Renaissance with its 111...
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Les Ponts Couverts Strasbourg
10 Reviews The three watch towers at the end of La Petite France were rebuilt in the 19C to maintain the watch tower appearance and the neighborhood remains as it was along the district but without the tanning...
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Fountains/ Statues Colmar
11 Reviews "A military ground for Execises was developed on the premises in 1793 , and was named "Champ-de-Mars". It was developed into a public park in 1808 in its southern part, while the Place Rapp area...
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Palais des Rohan- Museums Strasbourg
8 Reviews The "palais des Rohan" was built for the infamous Rohan family who detained the town's bishopship during several decades. The palace presents the architectural specificity to be the only 'historical'...
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Barrage Vauban Strasbourg
5 Reviews The Barrage (dam) Vauban (aka the great lock) was built around 1690, using the plans from the king's Louis XiV architect Vauban (thus the name). It was intended to reinforce the town's security : the...
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The Council of Europe Strasbourg
5 Reviews Strasbourg is a host for several European institutions. One of them is Council of Europe. It is the oldest international organization working towards European integration, founded in 1949. It is...
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Église Saint Pierre le Vieux Strasbourg
4 Reviews Église Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune (Church Saint Peter the New) stands at the end of Petite rue de l'Église/Klein Krichgass. Three churches have been built one after the other on the same place. There...
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Pont Saint Martin Strasbourg
2 Reviews Point Saint Martin is second most famous bridge in Petite France. From the bridge is great view of canal and half timbered houses. Under the bridge is great restaurant with gallery which was washing...
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Musee de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame Strasbourg
1 Review Visit the Musee de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame. This museum dedicated to art of the Strasbourg and upper Rhine region is set in a magnificent group of ancient buildings, the oldest being from the 14th...
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The Modern Art Museum Strasbourg
1 Review This strange masqued horse (signed by Mimmo Paladino) stands on the entrance roof of the "Musee d'Art Moderne et Contemporain". The new glass and pink sandstone building hosts since 1998 works from...
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Church of Saint Paul Strasbourg
2 Reviews At the convergence of the rivers Ill and Aar is Le pont d'Auvergne. Sitting in this place is another magnificent church, L'eglise Saint Paul. Rather spectacular views of the church is afforded...
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Amidst the Alsace's vineyards you will find the beautiful town of Colmar. Especially the old part 'Petite Venise' (little Venice) is a must to visit. Here you will find half-timbered colourful houses along the river Lauch.
Munster is derived from the latin "Monasterium" and owes its origin to a Benedictine abbey, which was founded in the 7th century. It is located in a valley of the Vosges mountains about 15 km west of Colmar. The town is famous for its cheese: the Munster cheese. Have a stop on the central square where you can discover some beautiful monuments and buildings such as an 11th century lion fountain, the town hall, impressive houses, and a church. Also look up at the roofs where you will see storks.
Colmar, the capital of the department of the Upper Rhine and third city in Alsace by population, is the perfect point to start an immersion into the most traditional Alsace. Its perfectly preserved old town, with a more than evident Germanic flavour, its ubiquitous balcony flower-boxes and the surrounding little towns and vineyards are amongst France's favourite tourist destinations. So touristy indeed, that they have made up their own Little Venice on the banks of the small Lauch river.The vineyard-covered Vosgean hills that surround the city and keep rain clouds away make of Colmar a surprising champion of sunshine in France, with the lowest average annual precipitation of all its cities. The sea is far away from Comar, but sunshine is, no doubt, my preferred weather condition when it comes to taste the delicious wines grown in and around the city.
FORUM REPLY.I fully agree with "Beausoleil". Nearly every town or village is nice in the Alsace. My preference goes to Colmar. Smaller than Strasbourg (and safer).From Colmar you can visit Strasbourg in one day and all the so picturesque wine villages on the nearby hills.Food, wine and beer are very good in the Alsace.From Basel to Colmar : 65 Km by the highway A35-E25.From Colmar to Strasbourg : 75 Km by the same A35.Have a look at the VT pages about Alsace: 2000 tips.Strasbourg: 1000 tips, Colmar 200 tips. You will find there all details.Bon voyage.
With a population of around 275 000, Strasbourg is the seventh city in France (ninth urban area in terms of population). No longer a disputed city, Strasbourg has become the symbol of the French-German reconciliation and, for this reason, it is now one of the seats of the European Parliament. The entire historic centre is listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This area is known as the Grande Ile, and island formed by two branches of the Ill river. This relatively small area is filled with historical building which create a magnificent architectural ensemble. Among them, the glorious filigree-ornamented cathedral church stands out with pride as one of the summits of Gothic art. The charm of the canal-side half-timbered houses in the Petite France area is other of the highlights of the city. Beyond the Grande Ile, Strasbourg offers excellent examples of all the architectural...
In spite of its location in the heart of Western Europe, Alsace enjoys a relatively sunny climate, for the Vosges mountains protect it from the wet Western winds. Thus, parts of Alsace receive as little yearly precipitation as most of the Mediterranean coast. This climate turned to be perfect for wine growing and, for centuries, Alsace has been one of the best known producers of white wine in France. Seven different kinds of grapes have traditionally been grown in the Alsatian vignoble, the riesling being the most appreciated for its subtile and fine bouquet. The elegant and spicy gewurztraminer, the dry and tasty sylvaner and pinot blanc, the fruity muscat and the pinot gris or Tokay d'Alsace are the other excellent white grapes produced here. Finally, the pinot noir is originary from Burgundy but grown also in Alsace to produce cherryish red and rosé wines. The vignoble (wine producing...
Of the many wine growing towns in Southern Alsace, Egisheim deserves its great popularity among tourists for its intense and atmospheric medieval flavour. The old town has an almost perfect round shape, with concentric lanes that replicate the form of the former town walls (remparts) around the central Place du Chateau. More than in any other little town in the region around Colmar, charming and colourful buildings are densely piled against the narrow streets, but the skinny house pictured here, were two of the main lanes in town converge, is the favourite with tourists for having their picture taken.In addition, Eguisheim is also famous for being the birthplace of Leon IX, the only Pope born in Alsace. His statue still presides over the main square in town.
The most outstanding feature of the small town of Kientzheim are probably the remains of its old town-wall, upon which the wine growers have built their homes. The town, not far away from the famous Kaysersberg, hosts also the Museum of the Alsatian Vignoble and Wines, where you can learn all you need about wine growing techniques and all the crafts related to this culture.As usual, there are plenty of details to enjoy in these small places. This small cemetery in the middle of the Kientzheim vineyards was the thing that caught our attention.
Although Alsace is the smallest region in Metropolitan France, organised in just two départements (Upper and Lower Rhine), the wealth of attractions justifies a stay of at least one week for a superficial exploration of the regional highlights.Strasbourg, the regional capital, is the ninth city in France in terms of population and deserves at least two days. Colmar, the capital of the Southern département of Upper Rhine, would require at least one day. Three or four additional days should at least be consacrated for the exploration of the towns on the Route des Vins and the landscapes of the Route des Cretes.For its location, a visit to Alsace can be ideally combined with the discovery of the neighbouring Black Forest Region or the Lorraine.
By the time you reach Wettolsheim after a few days town-hopping along the Wine Route, your brain may already be saturated with so many vineyards and flowers in the balconies. Just a bit more of energy is required to explore this little town in the outskirts of Colmar that claims to be the craddle of wine culture in Alsace.The main wines produced in Wettolsheim include the Grands Crus Steingrubler, Hengst and Pfersigberg. Particularly outstanding are the wines produced with overly ripe grapes, known as vendanges tardives, or with the so-called grains nobles or selected grapes from the harvest. You can complete your Wettolsheim tour visiting the replica of the Grotto at Lourdes which was built in the early 20th century in the very centre of town by a former bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes who was born in Wettolsheim.
Hotel Gutenberg Strasbourg
1 Review and 183 Opinions I toured Alsace by bicycle in mid-September, 2008. After the group ride was over, I stayed for 3...
Saint-Martin Hotel Colmar Colmar
4 Reviews and 76 Opinions We stayed 2 nights in 2004. When we arrived we were given keys to a small attic room which was...
Citotel Hotel d'Alsace Wissembourg Wissembourg
7 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Alsace attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Alsace sightseeing.
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Q: My daughter 22 and I will be going to Alsace next April. We will travel from Paris.We will stay three nights. What's the cheapest...
A: Where you stay depends on what you want to see and do and also your transportation. We drive so we stay in one of the wine villages. We've stayed in Barr many times and...
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