3 days in Colmar
Alsace has been one of my must visit places for years. Ever since I discovered that Colmar was the inspiration behind one of my favourite movies, it was immediately added to the ‘must visit’ list.
This year, despite being together for four years, was the first time my partner and I were actually spending our anniversary together. To celebrate the ridiculous achievement, we decided to book a trip to romantic trip to Colmar on a whim.
Despite going with rather high expectations, the Alsace region as a whole managed to exceed them all with ease. I couldn’t recommend visiting enough, but don’t just take my word for it, let me tell you about what we got up to while we were there.
The building that inspired the bakery in Howl’s Moving Castle — my favourite movie!
day one — Colmar first
impressions
We had deliberately chosen flights that would give us the
most time in Colmar without exhausting ourselves, so by
1pm we were checked in, freshened up and ready to find our first meal in town. Our plan for the first day looked a little like:
- Arrive to Colmar: 12pm
- Explore
- Boat ride: 5pm
- Sirba Octet: 6pm
I realise that’s hardly a plan , but Colmar is not really a place to go with a rigid schedule. The relaxed, sleepy vibes are really meant to be explored at a leisurely pace. So as with any trip I go on, I did my research of the area ahead of time, pre booked the necessary stuff, and left large windows for meandering.
Admiring the cutesy cobbled streets, we came across a restaurant called Le Zinc. Drawn in by a sun kissed patio and a buzzing crowd, we were able to grab a table before they shut at 2pm to prepare for dinner service.
As luck would have it, I think we may have chosen one of the best places to eat in all of Colmar. The food was so good that it stayed on our minds all weekend and we even tried to go back for our last meal (but it was closed on Sundays). If you ever find yourself in the area, it is well worth making the trip for their scallop risotto and draught Kronenbourg 1884.
Scallop Risotto with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a Steak Frites with Bone Marrow (triple cooked fries, of course) and a pint of Kronenbourg 1884.
Scenes straight from a movie! No wonder this charming village has inspired cosy movies like Beauty and The Beast and Howl’s Moving Castle.
La Petite Venise by boat
The blend of French and German influence really sets Alsatian architecture apart, in my opinion, and it is the colourful timbered buildings lining picturesque canals that give the name ‘Little Venice’. Similar to Venice, there is an air of magic and charm in Colmar that really makes you feel like you’ve stepped right into a fairytale.
One thing we love to do in new places we visit (if an option), is to take a guided boat tour. Personally, I find them to be the most interactive and pleasant way to learn about the history of the area.
While not quite a gondolier, you can still find yourself chartered down the canals of Colmar. It isn’t necessary to prebook, but for potentially busy periods, I would advise it to guarantee your seat.
We booked via Promenades en Barques for a 25 minute scenic boat ride through the town. Unfortunately for us, we were on a boat with a rather loud family and struggled to hear the guide despite his best efforts. Note to those with young kids, don’t be that family.
This was still a really wholesome moment on the trip regardless, because we were able to just sit back and get lost in the buildings around us.
an Armenian Yiddish octet & escargot.
With the International Festival of Colmar taking place while we were visiting, we had to take advantage and book to see a show.
When looking at the programme, the show that intrigued me the most was by the Sirba Octet at the Théâtre Municipal de Colmar. Their show —Tsuzamen— was a blend of Armenian and Yiddish folk music, something I would have had never heard previously.
Honestly, what a fun and lively group they were! Their energy was palpable as they danced around the stage with their instruments and their music was incredibly expressive. It reminded me of animations from the 80s, where the scoring meant more than the dialogue, and it spoke volumes.
I’m really glad I booked this for us as we both love live orchestras but rarely get to see them. To combine that with such a unique style of music was a novel experience that we both thoroughly enjoyed and made the trip that bit more memorable.
If there are snails on the menu, you can guarantee I will be ordering them.
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day two — wine touring through Alsace
The following day, our itinerary was centered around wine. Alsace is a renowned wine region so it felt only appropriate to try and test the local wines.
We thought about biking between towns to check out some wineries, but it in 28 degree heat, that wasn’t a fun idea for either of us; plus, me on a bike after a drink is a recipe for disaster.
Instead, we conducted our own self guided wine tour using a hop on hop off bus service called Kutzig. This was definitely the easier option, but word of warning, they tend to overbook their tours during peak season, and a lot of reviews mention having to wait for the next bus to get a seat.
Determined to not be derailed by this, I had coordinated a rigid schedule for the day, starting early and pre-booking wineries that were still available within our windows of opportunity:
Despite similar building styles, all of the towns have a different vibe and feel to them.
- 8:30 Colmar Gare → Ribeauville 9:05
- 10:35 Ribeauville → Riquewihr 10:50
- 13:30 tasting @ Hugel family
- 15:00 afternoon parade begins
- 15:30 Riquewihr → Kayserberg 15:35
- 16:00 tasting @ Haas & Fils
- 17:05 Kayserberg → Colmar 17:50
I reckon early July is the cusp of peak season as we didn’t find ourselves overwhelmed by crazy crowds or packed buses. Regardless, I think this schedule was perfect for us as being back in Colmar before 6pm was a relief to the pensioner that lives inside of me.
Our age really started to show here because I’m pretty sure we were both asleep by 9pm that evening, and that’s even after I spent the entire bus ride back asleep. Day drinking wine is not to be done lightly.
too many wines later… Alsace tastings explained
Back to the wine tastings, you don’t have to pre-book wine tasting, there are a few spots in some towns where you can just walk in. However, spontaneity can sometimes feel a thing of the past, so prebooking guarantees you get a spot, especially if you only have <1 hour in town.
What you should be warned about, is that their wine tastings are no joke! I’ve done wine tastings before, and usually you get 3-5 different wines to try, 6 if you’re lucky. Hugel winery? You try NINE wines.
I didn’t even think to use the spit bucket because waste not want not, am I right? But I came out of that tasting absolutely flying. To the point a €4 magnet turned into accidentally withdrawing €3000 and getting charged €45 for the transaction. Yikes.
Lunch was perfectly timed because I definitely needed some substance to bring me back to reasonable functioning.
Unfortunately, after 9 glasses of wine, I didn’t get nearly enough photos of the cute towns (or the multitudes of Storks that fly overhead!)
the Rêveries Vénitiennes Parade: a slice of Venice in Riquewihr
I would really recommend visiting the Alsace region in early July because aside from beating the crowds and lovely weather, there was simply heaps going on.
The annual Rêveries Vénitiennes parade happened to be occurring in Riquewihr the very same weekend we were visiting. As we were already planning to visit Riquewihr on our wine tour, this made for an unexpected but delightful addition.
I remember reading a book as a kid (Rose and the Magicians Mask) that was set in Venice. The book was centered around sorcerers and masquerades, and I remember loving how magical it felt. Because of that book, it had always been a dream of mine to visit Venice & see the costumes in person.
Considering we were actually in Venice earlier this year, I did not expect France to be the place I finally got to see a Venetian Parade, but it was still every bit as magical as little me had hoped.
Hauntingly stunning! Every costume was unique, extravagant, and incredible. Grateful beyond belief for all the costume-wearers who showed up in spite of the raging heat, truly a core memory for me.
day 3 — slow strolls & afternoon tea in Colmar
For the last day, we had big plans to rent bikes and cycle to Eguisheim, a town we missed on our wine tour. However, when we woke up, we just didn’t fancy doing that, so instead decided to spend the day strolling around Colmar once more.
The day was a little bit rainy and overcast, which in my opinion made it the perfect weather to visit one of the many tea rooms I had saved.
Bike to Eguisham- Visit a tea shop
Colmar has a number of cute little tea shops and it was on my mind to stop for a cuppa at some point on the weekend.
The main place I had wanted to go to was a whimsical cafe by the canal called L’Artemise. The vibes were cosy and the pastries looked delicious, which made it an establishment that absolutely requires prebooking.
Lucky for us, the threat of impending rain caused some outside tables to cancel their booking last minute, and we were able to snag an umbrella covered table on the terrace.
A fine Sunday afternoon it turned out to be, because not only did the rain hold off, I had one of the tastiest afternoon teas I have ever experienced (and I have had a fair few in my time). The pastries tasted even better than they looked and the portion was incredibly generous – takeout box for the train generous.
I could not recommend L’Artemise enough for any fellow afternoon tea lovers. The vibes, the food, the overall experience was a 10/10.
A diverse and unusual array of sweet and savoury, all of them absolutely delicious. You best believe I left nothing behind.
Final Thoughts: The Perfect Anniversary Trip
Overall, Colmar and surrounding towns were everything I could have hoped for and more. With rich history, stunning architecture, and a peaceful ambience, it was a perfect weekend away.
Despite crossing this off the list, I find myself having to add it back so that I can explore it all over again in the winter. Colmar has been rated highly for their bustling, wintry Christmas markets, giving a completely different magical vibe that I would also love to experience.
Until next time!