Colmar

Colmar is not a big, but very lovely town, called the Pearl of Alsace. It is located almost on the border with Germany.

The nearest airport to Colmar is Strasbourg, but there are no direct flights from Russia to Strasbourg, so I flew with “Pobeda” to Baden-Baden (about which I told you on this page), then took a train and went to Colmar, stopping at Strasbourg on my way (all about Strasbourg is here).

 ”Pobeda” air ticket was 3500 RUB, but during sales, you can get it in advance for 999 RUB. And the train ticket was another 20 EUR.

But it would be more convenient to rent a car. The information about car rental in France is on this page.

If you wish to have a photo shoot in Colmar, you can get detailed information about the cost of the photographer’s services in Colmar on  this page.

If you are looking for something interesting to see in Colmar, then you should leave the Railway Station turning left onto Avenue de la République and just in 10 minutes, you will find yourself in the Downtown.

The main attractions of Colmar are gathered in Downtown, its historical part. You can walk through all of them in just one hour – the old center is not very big, so that one day is enough for a visit to Colmar. However, the town is impressively picturesque, and its half-timbered houses are reminding about the proximity of Germany.

The most famous, and also the main, museum of the city is Unterlinden. In summer (from 2 May to 31 October), it is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 2 November to 30 April, it is open from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m., and after 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

One of the most valuable objects here is the Isenheim Altarpeice. But overall, there is big number of paintings related to the Rhine and the mediaeval period. And the building of the museum, itself, is the former Dominican monastery built about 800 years ago. The entry fee is €4.5.

Also, it is worth to see the main Gothic Church of Saint-Martin.
It was built in the XIII century and fits surprisingly well into the surrounding environment. By the way, it is still an active church is, so you can visit it during the services and the admission is free.

And for sure, once in Colmar, you have to check out the "Little Venice" area. There you can take amazing pictures from the bridge. The boats are very much like the Venetian ones.

It is also worth to look at the unusual Pfister House. You won't be able to go inside, but it is very remarkable from the outside as well. First of all, it is almost half a thousand years old, so that this building definitely draws attention. Second, it is the first example of the Renaissance architecture, which has lasted up to nowadays in the city. Its painted walls look very picturesque in any weather. So, don’t miss it out!

On Christmas, the numerous old houses of Colmar amaze the eye with their festive adornments. The local citizens are the experts in Christmas decoration. In Colmar, you can wander around the colorful streets, admire its amazingly beautiful houses, feel Christmas vibes, ride on the carousel, try sweets and mulled wine in the Christmas markets or spend time in the picturesque restaurants and cafes.