10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO SEE IN ALSACE

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This list of places to see in Alsace It will help you prepare your trip through one of the most beautiful regions of France and the world. Located near the border with Germany and Switzerland, it is known for its beautiful villages of colorful houses that seem to be taken from a story and its fantastic landscapes of vineyards.
Although we could say that any time is good to travel to Alsace, there is a key moment in the year, especially if you like Christmas and that is when the traditional Christmas markets are set up in the most beautiful villages of Alsace and the houses are adorned with all kinds of lights and Christmas motifs, making this place an authentic children's story.
Due to this and the enormous interest of recent times, Alsace at this time of year receives a lot of tourism, so there are days that some villages are really crowded. Despite this, we believe that this is one of the trips that you have to do once in a lifetime and more if you are a Christmas lover, since here you can live it to the fullest.

The best way to travel Alsace is by rental car, making a circular route from the airports of Basel or Baden Baden, since this means of transport will allow you to have the freedom to stop where and when you want, thus making the trip much more interesting .

Based on the experience during our trip to Alsace at Christmas, we have made a list of what we think, are the 10 essential places to visit in Alsace. We start!

1. Colmar

There are many places to see in Colmar, the most beautiful village in Alsace and the best place to celebrate Christmas that we have known on our free trips.
The beautiful colorful half-timbered houses typical of this area are a constant when you walk through its cobbled streets and also, at Christmas time, several markets are filled that are filled with shops that sell all kinds of gifts for these dates and stalls in Those serving hot wine and food from this area.
Among the most beautiful places to visit in Colmar is Little Venice, a neighborhood of colorful houses on the banks of the River Launch, which is one of the most attractive places in the city and also one of the busiest.
In addition to this, another good example of this type of Alsatian houses you will find in the neighborhoods of Pescadería and Curtidor, although after the experience, we recommend you to lose yourself in its streets, without a map, ready to find you the best surprises.
A good option to know the history and curiosities of this beautiful city is to book this free tour of Colmar Free! With guide in Spanish.

In addition to the many places to see, Colmar is also a perfect place as a base to make routes around the surrounding villages although at Christmas you have to keep in mind that prices rise and it is advisable to book the hotel well enough months in advance.
We were at the IBIS Colmar Center, with good value for money and also has parking, something important to consider if you travel with a rental car.
If you do not want to rent a car you can book this tour through the villages of Alsace or this tour through the Christmas markets of Alsace, both depart from Colmar and have a guide in Spanish.

Colmar

2. Strasbourg

Strasbourg, is another place to see in Alsace and one of the best cities to travel at Christmas.
Touring the historic center declared World Heritage until reaching the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Kammerzell House, is a real pleasure for the senses. In addition, this city, from November 25 to December 31, has 11 Christmas markets scattered around its most beautiful squares and corners, which makes it no wonder that it has been baptized as the capital of Christmas and has become an essential in this area from France

Although there are many places to visit in Strasbourg, our favorite corner will always be Petite France, an old and photogenic fishing district that preserves the typical houses of Alsace and is, we are sure, another of the places where you will feel within a story.
Keep in mind that Strasbourg is bigger than Colmar, so it is advisable to spend a day or two, especially at Christmas. To stay we recommend the Hotel Graffalgar, located a few meters from the historic center and with very original rooms.

Strasbourg

3. Eguisheim

Eguisheim was the first town we visited during our trip to this region and in the end it has become one of the villages of Alsace that we have the best memories of.
Declared the most beautiful town in France in 2013, this town surprises with the distribution of the streets in the form of concentric circles that form the old town as well as the half-timbered houses, which are decorated with flowers, surrounded by cobbled streets and craft shops, which have made it one of the most visited places in the country.

Eguisheim

4. Riquewihr

Riquewihr, located 15 kilometers from Colmar, is another of the places to visit in Alsace essential. This beautiful town surrounded by vineyards, is a mandatory stop on the famous route of the Alsace Wines in addition to having a medieval old town surrounded by walls and fortifications that have been preserved since the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Strolling through its streets, where historical monuments, watchtowers and colorful houses decorated with old signs and climbing plants abound, is a marvel, we are sure, it will become one of the unforgettable moments of this trip .
By the way, at Christmas do not forget to try the famous vin chaud, a mulled wine with a very nice touch of spices, which will keep you warm.

Riquewihr

5. Ribeauvillé, one of the villages to see in Alsace

Ribeavillé, is another of the essentials in the wine route and one of the villages to see in Alsace more beautiful. Located 20 kilometers from Colmar, the best way to explore this picturesque town is by walking along the Gran Rue, a street that will allow you to see its most prominent places, among which are several buildings, mansions and convents that are part of the historical heritage from France
Also in the mountains near the city are the castles of Girsberg, Haut-Ribeaupierre and St. Ulrich of the Ribeaupierre family, which gives its name to the city and those who have time, you can approach.

Ribeauvillé, one of the villages to see in Alsace

6. Obernai

Obernai is another of the most beautiful cities in this region and that you must include in the route when preparing the trip to Alsace at Christmas.
This town, located halfway to Colmar and Strasbourg, has a great architectural heritage, with the central market square as a great reference. It also has one of the most important Christmas markets in Alsace, in which one part is dedicated to typical gastronomic products such as cheese, chocolate, foie gras or wine, and the other to Christmas items such as nativity scenes, decoration for Firs and gifts of all kinds.

Obernai

7. Hunawihr

Another of the best tips for traveling to Alsace is to visit the small town of Hunawihr, one of the great surprises of our trip. This time-frozen town is located on the side of a valley between Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé and stands out for its colorful houses that seem freshly painted. Another of its emblems is the 14th-century St. Jacques-le-Majeur fortified church and although it is a stop that will take you less than an hour, we consider it one of the most original villages you should visit in Alsace.

Hunawihr

8. Turckheim

Turckheim, located 10 minutes by car from Colmar, is another of the fairytale villages of Alsace. When you park outside the town and cross the call "Gate of France", we assure you, you will be speechless in the face of such beauty.
The details on the doors of the houses, the alleys and the coats of arms will make you return for a moment to the Middle Ages, deciding instantly that the best way to know it is to wander until you find its most interesting places, among which you can not Miss the three doors of the old wall, the Place Turenne and the Great Rue.

Turckheim, one of the most beautiful villages to visit in Alsace

Recommended travel cards
Remember 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. Kaysersberg

Surrounded by a landscape dotted with vineyards on the popular Wine Route, Kaysersberg is another of the villages to see in Alsace more beautiful. Chosen in 2017 as a favorite town of the French, this town has a careful historical center separated by the Weiss River and joined by a fortified bridge, in which its colorful houses stand out with flower-filled balconies, the Place de la Mari, the The ruins of the castle, the stone bridge, the Pont du Inn and the Cathedral, which we are sure, will also make it one of your favorite villages in Alsace.

Kayserberg

10. Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, located on Mount Stophanberch, is another of the places to visit in Alsace essential, whose origin dates back to the twelfth century when it was a fortification that guarded the routes of wine and wheat. After a period of abandonment, it was completely rebuilt respecting medieval architecture and for us it was a pleasant surprise on the trip to Alsace, of which although the exterior does not stand out, the decoration of its interior rooms and the views from the terrace, make it In an essential visit to see in Alsace.
A comfortable option to visit this castle, if you do not want to drive, is to book this tour of Alsace from Colmar with a guide in Spanish.
If you are going to visit many tourist attractions in Alsace, it can be profitable to book this tourist card that includes this castle.