13 Charming Things to Do in Riquewihr: Alsace’s Storybook Village
Riquewihr has all the hallmarks of a quintessential Alsatian village—colorful half-timbered houses, flowers spilling over window boxes, picturesque alleyways, and a beautiful main street.
In fact, Riquewihr is on the list as one of the most beautiful villages in France, a designation is whole-heartedly deserves.
One thing I particularly liked about Riquewihr was how you could catch glimpses of the vineyard-covered hills from the streets in town—it added so much visual interest.
These vineyards brought great wealth to Riquewihr for centuries, which enabled the town to build ornate and impressive homes in the city center, and develop strong fortifications, like its double rampart walls.
I loved Riquewihr—it was one of my favorite spots in Alsace and is absolutely worth visiting.
Origins of the Name
The name of the town dates back to a wine-growing landowner in the 700s AD named Richo. The town was originally called Richo-villa, which eventually became Riquewihr as the name was Germaized.
During the Middle Ages, Riquewihr was ruled by various counts and lords, changing hands among the nobility multiple times, until it officially became part of France after the French Revolution.
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13 Charming Things to Do in Riquewihr
1. Admire the City Gates
There are two main gates that lead into Riquewihr – La Porte Haute on the west and the Hotel de Ville Gate on the east end.
La Porte Haute is a well-preserved medieval gate that once guarded against foreign intruders, but now welcomes and invites visitors to step back in time in Riquewihr’s charming streets.
Hotel de Ville on the other side, is a tunnel entrance through the City Hall (which is what Hotel de Ville means in French).
Depending on where you park, you may naturally end up entering through La Porte Haute, but if you don’t, it’s worth heading all the way outside the gate to admire the old city walls and medieval gate.
2. Rue du General de Gaulle + Side Streets
Rue du General de Gaulle is the main street in Riquewihr, running straight through town with all other streets branching off it. This street is SO pretty and picturesque, and even better for being pedestrian-only.
Every house along the street seems to have its own unique ornamentation or decoration, and with the bright, cheerful colors and wrought iron signs, the street feel like something out of a storybook.
While Rue du General de Gaulle is the biggest and possibly most ornate street, the rest of the town is equally adorable.
One of my favorite spots was Rue des Ecuries—walk to the end of it, turn around, and look back toward Rue du General de Gaulle for an especially charming view (here)
I also really liked the view of the church in the background on Rue de la 1st Armée (here)
The entire town is small enough that you can walk up and down every street in an hour.
3. Dolder Tower
The Dolder Tower is one of the most striking landmarks in Riquewihr. Standing at the west end of town near La Porte Haute, this stunning 82 foot (25 meter) tall tower sits right in the middle of the street, with a tunnel passageway running beneath it.
Originally built as a watchtower in the medieval period, the tower was converted into a home in the 1500s. Today, it houses a museum dedicated to the history of Riquewihr.
Exhibits cover the city’s design, its fortifications, and the weapons used to defend it. You’ll also find portraits of notable leaders and artifacts from the Middle Ages, such as kitchen tools, coins, locks, and clothing.
4. Tour des Voleurs (Thieves Tower)
The Tour des Voleurs, or Thieves Tower, is a fun glimpse into Riquewihr’s history. You’ll wind up and down wooden staircases, through creaky doors, and into several rooms dating back to the 1200s.
A few rooms, like the kitchen and study, are preserved to showcase what life was like 800 years ago—it’s so fascinating to see the everyday details of life from that time.
This historic stone building also once served as a prison, complete with torture rooms for the thieves and others who were arrested and held there.
The instruments of torture are still on display, with explanations of how they were used (though I’ll admit, reading about them turned my stomach—luckily, it’s easy to skim past those parts if you’d rather not linger).
The museum also includes a section about viticulture in Alsace. Wine production in Alsace dates back as far as the 800s AD, with the first recorded mentions in the 1000s. The region’s dry climate and soil, rich in phosphoric acid and potassium, make it ideal for growing wine grapes.
Hours: Daily 10:15am-1pm, 2pm-5:45pm from end of March to early November.
Cost: €5, but a combo ticket with the Dolder Tower is €7
5. Rue des Remparts
Rue des Remparts is the street that encircles the town, following the path of the old rampart walls.
I’d recommend starting on Rue des Remparts along the south side of town at Ru de la 1re Armée (here) and head west. The street eventually curves around to the north side (here) as it approaches the Porte Haute.
This curved section is especially fun, as it takes you slightly higher than the town, giving you some lovely views back over the rooftops.
The street also intersects with a little park and greenspace just outside the old walls, known as the “aire de jeux” – it’s a cute little spot.
6. Fontaine de la Sinne
The Fontaine de la Sinne is a picturesque fountain located right at the base of the Dolder Tower – a charming feature of the town. Erected in 1560, the fountain played an important role in Riquewihr’s winemaking history—it was used for gauging barrels and other wine-related activities.
If you look closely, you’ll notice the coat of arms of Riquewihr displayed on the fountain.
7. Sainte Marguerite Protestant Church
The Saint Marguerite church stands in a square known as the “Place des Trois Églises,” or the Square of Three Churches, named for the places of worship that once stood here.
Sainte Marguerite is one of them, alongside a pilgrimage church of Notre Dame (now a presbytery), and another church that was eventually converted into a boys’ school.
Interestingly, this main church in Riquewihr isn’t Catholic, but Protestant – not at all typical for France, but it makes a bit more sense when you consider the German heritage of the area.
The church is free to visit and has beautiful stained-glass windows. In the summer, the church sometimes hosts art exhibitions, with pieces hung around the interior walls.
8. Admire the Decorated Homes
In Alsace, it has long been a tradition to decorate house facades with designs, inscriptions, and carvings that indicate who lived there or what trade they practiced.
Many homes in Riquewihr feature wooden sculptures built into the facade, representing professions, or intricate wrought iron signs hanging above the entrances to mark shops or businesses.
Interestingly, while the region is now known for its colorful half-timbered buildings, the vibrant paint is a relatively recent addition. Historically, paint was expensive, so homes were left unpainted for much of Alsace’s past.
Here are some of the most notable buildings in Riquewihr:
✅Maison Coutier
Maison Coutier, also known as the “Nailer’s House,” is one of the first homes in Riquewihr to feature sculpted corners and wooden figures built directly into the facade.
Two bearded men are carved into the building—one representing a nailer and the other a blacksmith—the trades of the home’s early residents.
Address: 45, Rue du Gen de Gaulle
✅Maison Dissler
Maison Dissler is a striking pink house with ornate curlicues, built in 1610 during the height of the Renaissance. This former mansion is notable for its elegant features, including a beautifully scrolled gable and an intricate oriel window.
Address: 6, Rue de la Couronne
✅House of the Gourmet – “A l’etoile”
Built in 1686 in a baroque style, this is one of the fanciest houses in town, with lots of decoration and ornamation on it. The half-timbered crosses on the facade almost look like stars “étoiles“.
The title of “gourmet” originally referred to an official responsible for facilitating wine sales between merchants and customers, as well as organizing wine tastings for prospective buyers.
Address: 42 rue General de Gaulle
✅Cour des Nobles de Berkheim
This delightful house at the back of the courtyard has a sundial on the hexagonal tower.
Address: 38 rue General de Gaulle
✅Chateau des Wurtemberg
This historic mansion, once home to the counts of the town, has a distinctive crenelated gable decorating the top of the house.
Since the mid-1800s, the building has served various purposes for the town, including as a school and a museum. Its unique design and history make it a notable landmark in Riquewihr.
Address: Cour du Chateau
9. Get Alsacian Food
Thanks to its long history with Germany, Alsacian food bears a lot of resemblance to German food. Almost every restaurant in town serves Alsacian cuisine, so you’ll certainly have ample opportunity to try some delicious regional foods, such as:
- Kouglehopf: A regional pastry made with brioche dough and filled with rum-soaked raisins.
- 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.
I also loved Kouglehopf and Cie Bakery for their amazing pastries!
10. Féerie de Noel
Alsace is famous for holding some of the most charming and delightful Christmas markets you can find in Europe. Thankfully, if you visit outside of December, you can still enjoy some of the Christmas magic at the Féerie de Noel shop.
This sprawling, almost museum-like store winds you along a designated path through at least half a dozen rooms, where you can admire and purchase all sorts of different ornaments and decorations.
The store itself embodies the festive spirit with its own decorations and holiday atmosphere. Don’t miss the Nutcracker just outside the front door!
11. Peruse the Wine Stores
Since it’s situated right in the heart of the Alsace Wine Route, of course it follows that Riquewihr is a great place for wine tastings and purchases. Wine cellars (caves, in French) can be found all around town – look for “dégustation,” which indicates tastings are offered!
12. Bike Through the Countryside
Biking in Alsace is a very popular activity, and the countryside around Riquewihr is so picturesque! It is often considered one of the best areas in the region for biking.
I rented a bike in Riquewihr from Le Vélo Libre, a 24/7 self-service e-bike rental company that allows you to rent bikes for any length of time at any time of day. I also talked to the tourism office to get suggestions on where to bike, and the whole experience was amazing.
What I did, and what I can wholeheartedly recommend, is the “Balade des Chateaux”, which was 29km (18 miles) long, insanely scenic, and passed through multiple vineyards and villages, including Kayserberg and Ribeauvillé.
It was *mostly* flat, except for the times when it was actually pretty steep! (Between Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr and then Riquewihr and Kayserberg there are some decent hills -thus the e-bikes are very helpful).
I can’t even tell you how idyllic it was pedaling through the rolling hills, surrounded by vineyards heavy with fruit, seeing little villages dotting the valleys around me. If you’re at all inclined to bike, I can’t recommend this enough.
What was recommended to me at the Riquewihr Tourism Office was to download the Cirkwi app on your phone, and filter for bike routes (you may have to change your language to French for the bike routes to show up).
When you select and follow a route, your GPS will tell you where you are on the path. This is how I found and followed the Balade des Chateaux route I described above.
13. Riquewihr Christmas Market
As we mentioned earlier in the Féerie de Noel section, Alsace has some of the most adorable Christmas markets in Europe, and Riquewihr is among the best markets in Alsace.
From the end of November until Christmas, the entire village is decked out in lights and garland, and buildings have incredibly elaborate decorations on their facades. It’s truly a magical winter wonderland.
Place Fernand Zeyer is the location of the actual Christmas market, which has about 40 charming stalls set up selling regional gifts and food, but the whole village truly is charming.
Map of Riquewihr Attractions
How to Get to Riquewihr
By Public Transit: There is a bus that runs between Colmar and Riquewihr that comes about 8 times a day in each direction. You can see the bus schedule here (line 16).
This is just an okay option, in my book. There can be large gaps between when the bus comes (e.g. it comes at 7:40am but then not again until 11:10am). Plus, it makes it harder – not impossible, but harder – to jump around to a lot of Alsacian villages since the routes are pretty limited.
Still, if you don’t want to drive, it’s a solid option for how to get around. The bus costs €4 and you can pay the driver directly (small bills and/or exact change appreciated, but not necessary).
By Car: Renting a car and driving yourself is easily the most convenient way to get to Riquewihr (and around Alsace in general). There are multiple parking lots or side of the road parking stalls around the village that are easy and cheap to use.
By Uber: Finally, there is Uber in Alsace. While I have had no problem getting rides from Colmar or Strasbourg to the smaller villages (costing between €12-30 per ride depending on where I’m going), I’ve had more hit-and-miss luck getting picked up from a small village.
How Long Do You Need to Visit the Village?
Two to four hours is plenty of time to explore the village – truly. Riquewihr is tiny and there aren’t that many tourist attractions. If you plan to get a meal and do a decent bit of shopping, plan for four hours.
However, if you’re planning to explore Riquewihr and then do a biking loop around the countryside, I’d plan to spend a full day.
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