Strasbourg Vs Colmar Christmas Market Travel Guide

Strasbourg Christmas Market: The Capital of Christmas

Strasbourg's 13 Christmas markets are spread across the city centre, each with its own character and speciality stalls. The oldest and most iconic is the Christkindelsmärik at Place Broglie, which has been running since 1570 and draws visitors from across Europe. A giant Christmas tree anchors Place Kléber — the city's largest square — where an ice-skating rink opens each season.

What sets Strasbourg apart from most European markets is the quality and variety of its vendors. Beyond the standard ornaments and glühwein, stalls sell boutique gifts that feel closer to an independent shop than a typical market stand. The Petite France canal quarter adds a picturesque backdrop to the smaller, cozier sub-markets in the western part of the city.

After dark, Strasbourg shifts into a different league entirely. Elaborate light installations drape entire alleys in pink and purple, and building facades are lit up to create an atmosphere that visitors consistently describe as the most impressive they have seen at any European market. Arriving after 5pm on a weekday gives you this spectacle with slightly fewer crowds than a Saturday afternoon.

For parking, the Grande Île is closed to traffic during the Christmas market season. Drivers can use the Nouveau Bassin P+Tram or Université P+Tram car parks and ride the tram into the centre for around €2 per person. Our recommendation is to skip the car entirely and arrive by train, which drops you a short walk from the main markets.

Colmar Christmas Market: Fairytale on a Smaller Scale

Colmar's six Christmas markets are clustered through the old town, with each square hosting its own theme and stalls. The Place des Six Montagnes Noires market in the Petit Venise district is specifically designed for families, featuring rides, craft activities, and smaller-scale decor aimed at children. Meanwhile, the Place de l'Ancienne Douane is popular for handmade decorations and local artisan goods.

The half-timbered architecture here — bright, compact, and framed by canal reflections — is widely considered more photogenic than Strasbourg during daylight hours. Walking through the Petit Venise district on a quiet morning feels genuinely storybook, which is why so many photographers and Instagram-focused travelers base themselves here. That said, on a Saturday in mid-December, the narrow lanes become severely congested and enjoyment drops sharply.

Colmar's restaurant scene is excellent but limited in capacity, and many top spots display 'COMPLET' (full) signs throughout the day during peak market weekends. Make dinner reservations at least a day in advance, even for lunch sittings — this is not optional on busy weekends. The Marché Gourmand at Place de la Cathédrale offers live food demonstrations and regional dishes as a good fallback if sit-down dining is unavailable.

One practical note: some of Colmar's sub-markets close earlier than those in Strasbourg, so plan to visit before 6pm to see all six locations. The train from Strasbourg to Colmar takes just 30 minutes and runs regularly, making a day trip entirely straightforward without a car.

Pick Strasbourg If…

Strasbourg suits a particular kind of Christmas market traveler — someone who wants a full urban experience alongside festive atmosphere. The city rewards those who build in at least a full day and are happy to wander into unexpected corners where smaller markets appear between the main squares.

• Strasbourg is the right pick if:
  • You love dramatic night-time lighting and festive atmosphere
  • You want 10+ markets to explore across multiple city areas
  • You prefer having many restaurant and café options available
  • You plan to use Strasbourg as a base for day trips to Colmar and villages
  • You are visiting for the first time and want the full Alsace Christmas experience

Pick Colmar If…

Colmar rewards a different set of priorities — chiefly, visual beauty and a compact, walkable old town that feels more like a village than a city. If the goal is photography, family-focused markets, or a day trip from a Strasbourg base, Colmar delivers exactly what it promises.

• Colmar is the right pick if:
  • You prioritize photogenic architecture and canal reflections
  • You are traveling with young children and want the family market
  • You prefer a compact, walkable market circuit over a large spread
  • You are happy to book restaurants in advance and plan carefully
  • You want a gentler pace than a large city provides

Where to Base Yourself for the Alsace Markets

Strasbourg is the best base. It has the widest range of hotels, and its central location makes every other Alsace market town reachable within an hour. Budget option: the suburb of Schiltigheim, just north of Strasbourg, offers cheaper accommodation with a 5–10 minute bus ride into the city via the CTS network (the CTS app lets you load a BADGEO card and check timetables). Hotels on the Grande Île sell out fast for December weekends — book two to three months ahead for mid-range options. Note that the Grande Île is closed to traffic during the market season, so even hotels with parking garages may not be accessible by car; confirm access before driving in.

Staying in Colmar is worth considering only if you want to experience the town at dawn before crowds arrive. Accommodation there is limited and prices spike in December. For most visitors, a Strasbourg base with a Colmar day trip makes better practical and financial sense.

What to Eat and Drink at the Alsace Markets

Alsatian market food is a genuine reason to visit this region. The defining dish is tarte flambée (also called flammekueche) — a wood-fired flatbread with crème fraîche, smoked bacon, and onions. Other savory options include Spätzle (egg noodles with melted cheese) and Knack d'Alsace sausage with sauerkraut. For sweets, bredele are the essential Alsatian Christmas cookie — spiced, sold by the bag, and found at almost every stall in both cities. Pain d'épices (gingerbread) and kougelhopf (ring-shaped brioche) are equally traditional.

On drinks: vin chaud is served in a reusable cup that costs €1–2 as a deposit. You can return the cup to any vendor — not just the stall you bought from — and get your deposit back. Many first-time visitors carry their cup around all day not realising this. It applies at stalls in both Strasbourg and Colmar interchangeably.

In Colmar, restaurant capacity is the main practical problem. Top-rated spots display "COMPLET" (full) signs throughout the day on peak December weekends, even at 14:00 and 16:00. Make dinner reservations at least 24 hours in advance. Several well-reviewed Colmar patisseries also have no seating — plan for a standing coffee rather than a sit-down breakfast. Strasbourg has far more restaurant volume; finding a walk-in table at lunch is realistic even during busy weekends.

Beyond Strasbourg and Colmar: The Alsace Village Markets

The smaller Alsace villages add a different dimension to a market trip. Eguisheim, 15 minutes by car from Colmar, hosts around 30 artisan stalls at Place Saint-Léon and is consistently named one of France's most beautiful villages — parking at the outskirts costs €4 per day. Riquewihr focuses on local wine, cheese, and handicrafts; parking outside its medieval walls runs €4.50 per hour, but a Christmas shuttle runs between Colmar and Riquewihr if you prefer not to drive. Kaysersberg opens its market Friday to Sunday only in December, with stalls at Cour de l'Arsenal emphasising handmade goods. Obernai, best for food, has around 40 wooden chalets selling gourmet produce near the Belfry — plan to arrive before 18:00 as it closes earlier than the larger markets. A rental car picked up at Strasbourg station lets you link two or three villages in a single day.

Getting There and Getting Around

The most practical way to connect the two cities is by train: the Strasbourg to Colmar SNCF route takes approximately 30 minutes and services run throughout the day. This makes a combined itinerary highly achievable — base yourself in Strasbourg, spend your first day exploring the city's markets, and take the train to Colmar the following morning before the Saturday crowds arrive.

Renting a car unlocks access to the smaller Alsace market villages — Eguisheim, Riquewihr, and Kaysersberg — that are difficult or time-consuming to reach by public transport. Parking in Colmar during the market season requires using the park-and-ride zones (Parking Place Rapp, Parking de la Mairie, Parking Montagne Verte), as the old town centre is closed to cars. Free shuttles run from the Colmar train station park-and-ride into the market area.

The Bottom Line

Our verdict: Strasbourg wins for first-time visitors. The sheer scale of its markets, the quality of evening light displays, and the breadth of restaurant options give it an edge that Colmar, for all its beauty, cannot match. Colmar's narrower streets become genuinely difficult to navigate on busy December weekends, while Strasbourg's spread-out layout handles the crowds more comfortably.

That said, the smartest move is to do both — a day trip from Strasbourg to Colmar adds relatively little cost and unlocks a completely different aesthetic. Spend two nights in Strasbourg, dedicate a full day to its markets, then catch an early train to Colmar on day two and aim to arrive before 11am. This approach lets you experience the fairytale streets before the Saturday crowds descend, and still return to Strasbourg in time for its famous evening atmosphere. Check our guide to the best European Christmas markets for first-timers if you are still comparing Alsace against other destinations.