20 Unbelievable Things to Do in Colmar, France
Looking for the best things to do in Colmar? You’re in the right place – read on for my top recommendations!
Visiting Colmar is like stepping into a storybook. Every corner is picture-perfect, with colorful, half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, and quaint canals that look straight out of a fairytale.
The town’s vibrant facades, adorned with window boxes filled with flowers, make Colmar feel like it’s just bursting with color.
From quaint squares and medieval architecture to tiny bridges over scenic waterways, Colmar is practically overflowing with charm and picturesque details. Let’s just face it: Colmar has an undeniable allure that makes it a must-see destination in Alsace.
Colmar is on the very eastern edge of France – right on the border of France and Germany – and is in the region of France known as Alsace. This region has actually changed hands between France and Germany several times, so it’s no surprise to see a lot of German influence in town.
I’ve visited Colmar in both summer and winter, and Colmar is truly special. I’ve spent quite a bit of time exploring every noook and cranny of the city to bring you this list of the best things to do in Colmar – I hope you love this pretty town as much as I do!


Where to Stay in Colmar
Quickly plan your trip! These are the best hotels in Colmar – top-rated and centrally located in the city.
- The Colmar Hotel ($): Basic but very clean and offers free parking and free breakfast – a great value
- Hotel Le Marechal ($$): Located in the cutest part of the city, this gorgeous historic hotel makes you feel like you stepped back in time
- L’Esquisse Hotel and Spa ($$$): A luxurious hotel with an adjoining spa, and high comfort level and attention to detail throughout the property
20 Adorable Things to Do in Colmar
1. Petite Venise

Petite Venise is THE most charming area in Colmar and makes the list as one of the most colorful and most charming neighborhoods in all of France.
The neighborhood, which means Little Venice in English, centers around a few tiny, shallow streams that are part of the Lauch River. The center of the Petite Venise neighborhood is Quai de la Poissonerie, or Fisherman’s Quay. Dating back to the 1300’s, fish were caught from the nearby Ill River and sold here.

Now, the canals are primarily used for sightseeing barges, but they remain one of the most distinctive spots in the city.

The entire neighborhood is lined with picturesque half-timbered houses painted in soft pastel shades, with vibrant flowerpots overflowing along the riverbanks. It’s seriously just so adorable.

For maximum cuteness overload, make sure you walk the entire length of Quai de la Poissonerie, from Pont des Tanneurs to Pont des Ecoles, to Pont de Turenne, to Pont St. Pierre.

2. Boat Ride on the Lauch River

A quaint activity in Colmar is going on a boat ride (or a promenade en barques) on the traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats through the Lauch River of Petite Venise.
Two spots offer short boat rides – one is at La Petite Venise restaurant off of Pont de Turenne and one is at Sweet Narcisse Restaurant off of Pont Saint Pierre.

No matter which company you choose, the rides are 30 minutes long, cost €8 (bring cash), and the boats hold 10-12 people. The boats are pushed/rowed by hand by the guide, who will tell you a little bit about the history of the canal and answer questions as you cruise.
Don’t wait until the end of the day because you might need to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for a time slot (you get your slot and come back at the appointed time). I will note that La Petite Venise felt much, much busier, whereas the crowds at Sweet Narcisse were a lot smaller.

Overall, the ride was nice but nothing particularly special. You get to see Colmar from the water itself, which is fun, and you go a little bit farther down the Lauch into a more forested area, but you don’t go all that far.
I’m glad I did it, and I always like being on the water, but it was a simple ride, that’s all I’m saying!
3. The Marché Couvert

The Marché Couvert is a charming covered market on the Lauch River in the Petite Venise neighborhood.
You’ll find a mix of produce stalls, a few Alsacien goods for sale, quite a few sit-down restaurants, and a few takeaway stands for hot food. One of the restaurants has a terrace that sits right next to the water on the Lauch canal.
Everything in the market and restaurants looked delicious. I stopped at Elsass Street Food for a plate of spaetzle, an egg noodle dish that is traditional Alsacien cuisine. I got the spaetzle with chicken, tomato, and cheese – it was insanely delicious.


The market hall opens between 7am-8am and closes between 5pm-7pm (depending on the day), and is closed Sunday and Monday.
4. Quartier des Tanneurs

The Quartier des Tanneurs, or the “Tanner’s Neighborhood”, is right next to the Petite Venise area. The buildings were used by tanners in the 1600-1700s, who worked and lived there with their families, and the skins were dried on the upper floors.
It’s a small neighborhood, but after Petite Venise, I think it’s the cutest in Colmar.
A few of the main streets here are the Rue des Tanneurs, the Place de l’Ancienne Douane and surrounding streets, and the Koifus. We’ll discuss a few of these spots in more detail next.


5. Schwendi Fountain + Place de l’Ancienne Douane

The Schwendi Fountain is at the center of Place de l’Ancienne Douane (or the Old Customhouse Square” and was designed and created by Auguste Bartholdi, a famous sculptor from Colmar in 1898.
The sculpture is of Lazare de Schwendi, a nobleman in the 1500s who defeated the Turks in Hungary and brought home a grape variety that became very popular in Colmar.

The charming scene is said to have inspired the fountain where Belle sits reading her book in the village in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – although to be fair, many spots in Alsace are said to have inspired this Disney film.
Beyond the fountain, the square is incredibly charming – lined with half-timbered houses and a small offshoot of the Lauch River. The river is lined with flowers in summer and Christmas decorations in winter.
6. Koifhus

The Koifhus is a distinctive pink decorated building in Colmar, with an important history as the old Custom House. Built in the 1400’s, it was used as a warehouse and place to tax goods entering and leaving the city. The upper floors were also used for political meetings between leaders of the region.
Today the Koifhus is often used for art exhibitions and artisan markets. Make sure to walk up the yellow staircase – The view from the stairs looking at the town is fantastic!

7. Saint Martin Church

The Eglise Saint Martin church is the most prominent church in Colmar, with a scenic canal leading to the back of the church from the Quartier des Tanneurs. This church was completed in the mid-1300s in very typical Gothic style.
Built on the site of 2 old churches, the St. Martin Church was completed in the mid-1300s, and is a very traditional and dominating Gothic church with arched ceilings and stained glass windows. There is a beautiful altarpiece on display as well as a Last Supper painted sculpture in the church.

Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-6:45pm, Sun 10am-7pm
8. Ancien Corps de Garde

This beautiful Renaissance covered arched passageway dates back to 1575, and is part of the “Old Guardhouse.” While the building has served many purposes over the years, for about 200 years it has housed the military and the police station.
The loggia archway itself is open to the public and can walk through it to get to the Saint Martin church, and is a lovely spot to view the church.
9. Fontaine Roesselmann + Place des 6 Montagnes Noires

The Roesselmann fountain sits in the middle of the Place des 6 Montagnes Noires (Square of the 6 Black Mountains). The fountain is dedicated to a town leader from the 1200s who died during a battle defending Colmar from the Bishop of Stasbourg’s supporters.
The statue is another in town created by Auguste Bartholdi, the famous sculptor from Colmar.
This is a really lovely square in Colmar surrounded by colorful half-timbered buildings, and as a bonus, it tends to be just a little bit less busy than many of the other spots in Colmar.
10. Maison Pfister

Another distinctive and famous building in Colmar is the Maison Pfister. Originally built in 1537, this house changed hands and underwent several renovations before FX Pfister, its namesake, acquired it.
Recognized for its distinctive turrets and painted wooden facade, it was designated a historical monument in 1971.
11. Couvent des Dominicans

The Couvent des Dominicans was built in the 1300s for the Dominican monks. It’s a large and soaring building that has lost some of its grandeur over the years, but is still worth stopping in if only for the beautiful and intricate altarpiece on display.
- Hours: The hours are quite random, so take note if you want to visit: T, Th, Su 10-1, 3-8; W 3-6, F/Sa 10-6
- Price: €2
12. Maison des Têtes

Colmar is filled with unique and almost whimsically decorated buildings showcasing both the distinct architectural style in Alsace, as well as the wealth held in the city.
For example, the Maison des Têtes, or the House of the Heads, is decorated with 106 masks and heads on a fancy facade complete with an oriel window. The building was constructed in 1609 for a prominent merchant who then became mayor of Colmar.

In 1902, Auguste Bartholdi crafted a statue of a barrel maker to crown the house’s gable, which served as Colmar’s Wine Exchange during the 1900s. Today, the building is a 5-star hotel, allowing you to stay at the renowned Maison des Têtes Relais & Châteaux.
13. Unterlinden Museum

The Unterlinden Museum is the premier museum in Colmar, housed in a former Dominican convent.
The convent dates back to the 1200s, but has been used as a museum since the 1800s, and showcases mainly Medieval masterpieces from the Rhineland area. Artwork fills the old chapel and cloisters, as well as adjoining rooms.

The most famous work by far in the museum is the Issenheim Retable. A retable is a frame or shelf holding paintings that goes behind an altar. A retable has double-sided panels, which means they can be turned to change the scene presented.

The Issenheim Retable is truly gorgeous, with vibrant colors on the large-scale altarpiece. Plus, its displayed in the old chapel, and the background of the historic chapel makes the whole room a stunning site.

While you can’t touch the Issenheim Retable, there are other much smaller retables on display on the walls around the museum that can be turned and examined closer.
- Hours: 9am-6pm, closed Tuesday
- Cost: €13 euro
14. Musée Bartholdi

The next most famous museum in Colmar is the Musée Bartholdi, dedicated to Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the aforementioned celebrated French sculptor of the 1800s.
We’ve highlighted a few of his works that are on display in Colmar throughout this post (e.g. the Schwendi Fountain, the Fontaine Roesselmann, the Maison des Têtes gable, etc). but Bartholdi is most famous for designing and creating the Statue of Liberty that was given to the United States.
However, beyond the Statue of Liberty, Bartholdi was a prolific artist and created many sculptures for display around France.

The museum is located in the historic 18th-century mansion where he was born, displaying dozens of his sculptures, the backstory behind the works of art, information about his life, and models for 9 of the public monuments he designed.
Plus, of course, there’s a large exhibit about the saga of the Statue of Liberty.
One of his most famous statues, outside of the Statue of Liberty, is the Grand Soutiens du Monde, which is on display in the courtyard.

- Hours: 10am-12pm, 2pm-6pm, closed Monday.
- Cost: €5
15. Maison Musée Hansi

“Uncle Hainsi” is a pseudonym for Jean-Jaques Waltz, who was born in Colmar in the late 1800s and is a famous Alsacien artist and illustrator. He also was a curator of the Underlinten Museum for many years.
Waltz lived a fascinating life filled with resistance to the Germans who controlled Alsace throughout his life. The museum is dedicated to his fanciful and lovely artwork in a primarily Art Nouveau style.


What I particularly enjoyed were all the paintings of Alsacian landscapes, whether through the many scenes of Colmar (Hainsi adored Colmar throughout his life), or the surrounding countryside.
16. Choco Story

Choco Story is a fun, semi-interactive chocolate museum in the heart of Colmar (and is also home to the wine museum, if you prefer something a little more adult).
The museum guides you through the history of cocoa—from its discovery and early use in chocolate to how cocoa beans are grown, harvested, and processed.
You’ll also explore how chocolate is made, its introduction to Europe, early European uses, and the varieties of chocolate, with plenty of fun exhibits highlighting its many applications.


Chocolate creation is very big in France and Alsace has its share of fine chocolatiers, so learning about the history, process, and culture behind this delicious treat is very interesting.
If you’re visiting with children, this is a great option (plus there are a couple of times when you get to taste some chocolate!)
17. Champs de Mars + Place Rapp

The Champs de Mars is one of the main parks in Colmar and a very short walk from the city center. The Champs de Mars Park has symmetrical walking paths radiating out from a magnificent fountain set in the center of the park. The sculptures in the fountain were conceived by Bertholdi.
18. Colmar’s Statue of Liberty

As an homage to Auguste Bartholdi, a mini Statue of Liberty is in the middle of a roundabout on Avenue Gilbert Meyer (Highway D83) heading north from Colmar to Strasbourg.
It’s hard to really “visit” the statue as the roundabout is fairly busy and there’s no good place to park and cross into the center. However, if you’re driving or taking the bus from Colmar to Strasbourg, Riquewihr, or Ribeauvillé, you’ll pass by the statue and can catch a quick glance as you go around the traffic circle.
19. Colmar Christmas Market

The Colmar Christmas Market is one of the most adorable Christmas markets in all of Europe! Seriously, I’ve been to A LOT of European Christmas markets and Colmar really stands out from the crowd.
The charming half-timbered buildings of Colmar are the perfect backdrop for the markets, which feature festive decorations, Christmas trees, gingerbread, and wooden stalls trimmed in garland selling hot drinks, food, and gifts.
The market in Colmar runs from late November to Christmas and is truly a highlight. Be aware, it gets very busy on weekends – try to visit mid-week if at all possible.
20. Eat Alsacien Cuisine
>>Gingerbread

Alsace is known for its gingerbread, and while it’s particularly delicious during winter and especially during the Christmas market season, you can buy and enjoy pain d’épices all year round.
There are quite a few stores selling gingerbread, either as a traditional man-shaped cookie, as a loaf cake, or in other bite-sized forms, and sometimes with other flavors.
Fortwenger is a charming store selling a large variety of gingerbread options.


>>Alsacien Cookies

Alsacien cookies are a delightful treat common throughout the villages in this region, and it’s worth stopping and picking up a small bag to taste test and decide your favorites (for science, of course).

There are multiple spots around the village, but a fun place is Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie found on Quai de la Poissonnerie. I really like the Linzer cookies and the sablés (the butter cookies), but the star gingerbread cookies are a fan favorite and one of the most “typical” Alsacien cookies.
>>Other Alsacien Fare
Alsace has a very distinctive cuisine and almost every restaurant in Colmar makes at least some of these Alsacien specialties. Here are some of the dishes you need to sample in Colmar:
- Choucroute Garnie: A dish comprised of sausage, sauerkraut (choucroute) and sometimes boiled potatoes.
- Tarte Flambée: Similar to a pizza, this dish has a super thin crust that is usually wood-fired, topped with cream, onions, and ham or bacon.
- Bretzels: Alsacian pretzels, sometimes prepared with melted cheese or cinnamon sugar.
- Spaetzle: A buttery egg noodle dish, often cooked with “toppings” like chicken, tomato, and cheese.
- Kouglehopf: A regional pastry made with brioche dough and filled with rum-soaked raisins.
Map of Colmar Attractions
How Long Do You Need in Colmar?
One full day is enough to see the highlights of the city – in fact, you could hit almost everything on this list in one day if you start early, but to see everything in a more relaxed manner, you’d probably want a day and a half.
If you only have half a day, you can still wander the town and take in the cutest neighborhoods.
Petit Train

The little tourist train offers a quick way to see the town’s highlights, especially if walking is challenging or you’re looking for a brief guided tour. It departs from 3, Rue Kléber, right next to the Unterlinden Museum, costs €7.50 for adults and €3.50 for children, and runs about 35 minutes.
Other Spots to Visit in Alsace
As we’ve somewhat alluded to in this post, Alsace is a special region and if you can swing it, you could easily spend a full week discovering what the area has to offer.
Besides Colmar, you definitely need to visit Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and a beautiful and interesting city.
The villages in Alsace are some of the most fairytale spots in France – don’t miss Eguisheim, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, and Kayserberg. The Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is massive and practically on top of a mountain and worth a stop.
The Alsace Wine Route runs through dozens of towns, and you can stop at the vineyards for wine tastings and to make purchases. Finally, biking through the countryside is a popular and insanely idyllic activity for intense and casual bikers alike.
So, come explore Colmar and enjoy this absolutely lovely region of France!
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