Colmar offers several distinct points of interest for a cultural and culinary trip: Gothic churches and striking buildings, museums, a covered market and narrated tours. You can plan your time according to whether architecture, collections, a tour or regional cuisine is the main focus of your trip.
Architecture between church, commerce and railway station
In the pedestrian zone of the old town, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Martin and the Dominican Church are Gothic landmarks. The Dominican Church houses Martin Schongauer’s work “Madonna in the Rose Bower”. Colmar’s architecture also includes the Maison des Têtes, decorated with 106 grotesque heads, most of them restored, set on window surrounds, tracery and the panels of the central oriel.
Built in 1480, the Koïfhus served as a transshipment and storage point for imported goods. The railway station building was constructed in 1903 and features a keep, carved symbols, a central entrance hall for passengers and stained-glass windows. These buildings offer a way to view the city not only through its architectural styles, but also through the different functions of its buildings.
Museums with different collections
The Musée Unterlinden first opened to the public on April 3, 1853, in the renovated church of the former monastery. The Musée Bartholdi is located in Auguste Bartholdi’s birthplace and displays, across more than twelve rooms on three floors, designs, sculptures, drawings, paintings, engravings and objets d’art, among other things. The museum’s current displays may change.
At the Musée du Jouet in the town centre, the toy collection spans the 19th century to the present day. A special feature is the model railway layout, which extends across the entire second floor. By contrast, the Musée Bartholdi brings together different art forms, while toys spanning a long period are the focus of the Musée du Jouet. Exhibitions here may also change.
Plan your tours and arrival
A narrated boat trip in a flat-bottomed boat lasts 25 minutes. It passes through the Petite Venise district and reaches the Quai de la Poissonnerie. The Petit Train touristique Blanc offers a circular tour of Colmar, covering about seven kilometres and lasting 35 minutes; audio commentary is available in 16 languages. The stated durations represent two different formats: 25 minutes by boat and 35 minutes by train. The Petit Train runs seasonally, and its timetable may change; the operating periods for boat trips may also vary. Check the latest information before making firm plans for a tour.
From the railway station, the free Cœur de Ville shuttle connects the station with the town centre: every 15 minutes, Monday to Saturday, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. As schedules and operating hours may change, it is worth checking the latest information before you travel.
Covered market, regional cuisine and cycling routes
The covered market brings together around 20 traders selling fresh produce. This includes fruit and vegetables, meat and charcuterie, cheese, baked goods and pastries, fish and other regional specialities. The traders may change. Colmar’s culinary offerings also include Baeckeofe, sauerkraut, Matelote du Rhin, Coq au Riesling, gingerbread, Kougelhopf and Munster cheese.
If you would like to include cycling in your trip, Colmar and its surroundings have numerous facilities for bicycles, as well as numerous cycling routes through the city and its environs. This is a focus in its own right, alongside museums, buildings and regional cuisine. When choosing a hotel in Colmar, you can consider which of these sides of the city you want to shape your trip.
Discover more destinations: Oderen, Ingersheim, Carspach, Bartenheim, Le Bonhomme, Wuenheim, Vogelgrun, Dietwiller.
Go to the main travel overview: Haut-Rhin.
