Itinerary for a weekend in Colmar

Morning

On arrival at Colmar station, we recommend that you go directly to the Tourist Office, a ten-minute walk away, to obtain a "Colmar City Pass" (€32 per adult, €28 for 9-17 year-olds). This pass includes access to various museums, the Dominican church, a boat trip and a tour on the tourist train.

Continue your stroll along the Rue des Boulangers, where you'll start to spot the famous traditional half-timbered houses. Look up and admire this superb architecture, typical of Alsatian know-how! Continue along rue des Têtes, where you'll find three wrought-iron shop signs, the work of regional illustrator Hansi.

Once in front of the famous Maison des Têtes, Bartholdi's statue of the Cooper awaits you. The Maison des Têtes is impressive and particularly original! In Renaissance style, it takes its name from the hundred or so (106 to be exact) sculpted heads that decorate its façade!

Lunch break

This lunchtime, head for the Grand-Rue, to Le Fer Rouge, to enjoy the simplicity of a tasty tarte flambée, a flammekueche, or spätzle (Alsatian pasta) with munster cheese and grilled bacon - a delight! This friendly brasserie offers a range of regional specialities, ideal for getting a taste of Alsace right from your first meal.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, continue your exploration along the Rue des Marchands and stop off at the Pfister House, one of the town's historic monuments. Dating from the 16th century, with its two-storey corner oriel, wooden gallery, octagonal turret and murals depicting biblical and secular scenes, this superb building has become one of the symbols of old Colmar.

Your discovery of Colmar continues along the Rue des Tanneurs. Along the way, you'll come across a number of shops selling artisanal products and good gourmet addresses. The tanners' quarter is a must-see in Colmar. You can also admire the old timber-framed and half-timbered houses. These very tall and narrow houses were once used as living quarters, but also as warehouses and attics for drying and storing hides. The atmosphere has changed a lot since then!

Dinner

For a typically Alsatian atmosphere, we recommend dining in a Winstub. Originally, winstubs were rather popular places, created so that wine producers could sell their surplus production by holding a restaurant directly in their home. Today, the Winstub is a kind of warm, rustic bistro where you eat at tables with red-checked tablecloths. In Colmar, you can try the Winstub Brenner or the Winstub de la Petite Venise.

Overnight stay

This morning is devoted to Colmar's most picturesque and most visited district: Little Venice. Take your time to wander through the narrow streets with their colourful facades and typical half-timbered houses. And don't forget your camera to immortalise this pretty, photogenic district!

We recommend that you take a boat out on the river to discover Little Venice and the Maraîchers district. This trip will give you a whole new perspective on the city: lush vegetation, hidden corners, picturesque architecture... all in a very peaceful atmosphere.

Back in the day, market gardeners used to use the canals to transport their fruit and vegetables to the covered market hall. The covered market hall was completely restored around ten years ago, and is waiting for you for lunch.

Lunch break

This lunchtime, it's off to Colmar's covered market! A place not to be missed for its friendly atmosphere and great produce. Here, as well as the market, you'll find restaurants and bars. So make the most of the opportunity to sit on the terrace and enjoy tasty, freshly prepared dishes in an authentic atmosphere. What's more, the market is housed in a superb 19th-century building on the banks of the Lauch.

Afternoon

We now propose a cultural afternoon with a visit to the Unterliden Museum. The museum is first and foremost worth a visit for its grandiose architecture. The collections are displayed in two parts: in a former convent linked by an underground gallery to the former Municipal Baths. Here you can admire the famous Issenheim Altarpiece, which left its mark on the history of 16th-century art.

Here's another unusual visit for culture lovers. In the heart of the former Dominican convent, the Dominican Library offers a 500m2 museum trail that takes visitors on a journey through time. The many original documents on display provide an overview of the history of books and images in Alsace from the Middle Ages to the 19th

century. On the programme: digital animation, sound extracts, videos...

Dinner

To round off your weekend in Colmar in style, head to the Maison des Têtes. The building is home to a 5-star hotel with two fine restaurants: Girardin, a Michelin-starred restaurant offering delicate cuisine in a refined setting, and a historic brasserie serving traditional dishes in a setting of wood panelling, cast-iron stoves and period stained-glass windows on one side and suspended ceiling lights and refined tables on the other.

Overnight stay