Private Castle, Riquewihr and Colmar Day Trip from Strasbourg

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle

Our first stop is Haut-Koenigsbourg, about 50 minutes from Strasbourg, the most dramatic castle in Alsace. It stands at about 757 metres on a rocky spur of the Vosges, a site fortified since the 12th century to watch the trade routes crossing the plain. Burnt in 1633 during the Thirty Years' War, it lay in ruins until it was restored between 1900 and 1908, when Alsace belonged to the German Empire.

Inside, you explore furnished halls, the kitchens, the armoury and the keep, then step onto the ramparts for views to the Black Forest. The entry ticket is not included and is bought on the spot. Because this is a private tour, you decide how long to stay: an hour for the highlights, or two hours to see every room.

Riquewihr, a private stop in the walled village

Riquewihr, about 25 minutes south of the castle, is one of the most complete medieval villages in Alsace. Its double ring of ramparts protected it so well that its main street still runs uphill between 16th-century houses with carved oriels and painted shutters to the Dolder, the gate tower built in 1291. Narrow side lanes lead to quiet courtyards and to the Thieves' Tower.

On a private Riquewihr tour you can arrive at a calm moment, before or after the coach groups, and take as long as you like. It is a natural lunch stop, at your own expense, though halal food is scarce in the village, so many guests prefer snacks here and a meal in Colmar. In December the whole village glows with Christmas decorations.

Colmar old town

Colmar, about 20 minutes from Riquewihr, is the jewel of southern Alsace. Its old town escaped serious damage in the wars and still has an extraordinary concentration of half-timbered and Renaissance buildings: the Koïfhus customs house of 1480 with its glazed-tile roof, the House of Heads with its carved faces, the arcaded merchant houses and the Gothic collegiate church at the centre.

Your driver drops you close to the old town and agrees a time and place to meet, so you can explore freely with the audio guide. Halal food is easier to find in Colmar than in the villages. If you prefer to stay on, the private option ending in Colmar lets you check into your hotel there instead of returning to Strasbourg.

Little Venice and the Tanners' quarter

The postcard view of Colmar is Little Venice, where the Lauch river slips between pastel houses, wooden balconies and flower boxes. Close by, the Tanners' quarter keeps its tall, narrow houses with open lofts where hides were once dried, and the fishmongers' quay and the 1865 covered market stand right on the water.

From spring to autumn, small flat-bottomed boats glide through the canals, a lovely way to see the quarter from the water. Late afternoon light is especially beautiful here, and because your vehicle waits for you, there is no train or bus to rush for. The best time to visit Colmar is a weekday in late spring or early autumn, when the flowers are out and the crowds lighter.

The Alsace countryside between the stops

Between the castle, Riquewihr and Colmar, the road follows the foothills of the Vosges through a landscape of gentle slopes, forest edges and villages crowned by church towers and ruined castles. Storks, the symbol of Alsace, nest on chimneys and church roofs here from spring to late summer, and Bergheim and Ribeauvillé, with their medieval gates and towers, are only a short detour away.

This is where a private Alsace day trip from Strasbourg makes the difference: ask your driver to pull over for a photo of a stork nest, a ruined castle on the skyline or a flower-decked square, and the day simply adapts to you. Children can take a break whenever they need, and nobody has to keep pace with a group.