Colmar, Riquewihr and Haut-Koenigsbourg Day Tour from Strasbourg

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle on its Vosges ridge

The first stop is Haut-Koenigsbourg, the great red sandstone castle that crowns a spur of the Vosges at about 757 metres, roughly 50 minutes south-west of Strasbourg. First mentioned in the 12th century, it watched over the trade routes of the plain, was burnt in 1633 during the Thirty Years' War and, after centuries in ruins, was rebuilt between 1900 and 1908 as a complete medieval fortress.

Inside you find furnished halls, kitchens, an armoury, the keep and the great bastion with cannons, and from the ramparts the view reaches the Black Forest. The castle ticket is not included, but you can buy it directly from the driver. Plan about an hour and a half; there are many stairs, so wear comfortable shoes and bring a warm layer for the windy ridge.

Riquewihr, the walled village

Riquewihr is the Alsace village everyone pictures: a single main street climbing between pastel half-timbered houses, carved wooden oriels and flower boxes, enclosed by a double ring of medieval ramparts. At the top, the Dolder, a gate tower from 1291, frames the view, and the nearby Thieves' Tower recalls the village's old prison. Because it survived the 20th-century wars almost intact, Riquewihr feels remarkably authentic.

You have about an hour to explore the lanes, the courtyards behind the main street and the path along the walls, or to grab lunch at your own expense. Halal options are rare in the village, so snacks are useful. Riquewihr is especially beautiful in late spring and early autumn, and it turns into a glowing Christmas village from late November.

Colmar old town and its merchant houses

Colmar, about an hour south of Strasbourg, has one of the most complete old towns in France. Around the Gothic collegiate church, you find the Koïfhus customs house with its colourful glazed-tile roof, the House of Heads covered in carved faces and a richly painted 16th-century merchant's house with a wooden gallery at the corner of two streets. Squares and fountains open up at every turn.

The audio guide leads you between these sights at your own pace, with time to sit in a café or buy gingerbread. Halal food is easier to find in Colmar than in the villages, though the choice is smaller than in Strasbourg. Is a Colmar day trip from Strasbourg worth it? With the castle and Riquewihr in the same day, it is the classic Alsace combination.

Little Venice and the canals of Colmar

The most famous view in Colmar is Little Venice, where the Lauch river runs between half-timbered houses painted in soft yellows, blues and pinks, their balconies overflowing with geraniums in summer. Just upstream, the Tanners' quarter keeps its tall houses with open lofts once used to dry hides, and the fishmongers' quay recalls the boatmen who brought goods into town.

From spring to autumn, flat-bottomed boats glide along the canal, and the covered market of 1865 sits right on the water. The best light is in the late afternoon, which is when this tour usually reaches Colmar before the drive back to Strasbourg. In December, the quarter is lit for the Christmas markets and becomes one of the most magical places in Alsace.