Strasbourg to Colmar Christmas Market Tour

Included and Not Included

The booking page states that audio commentary in 11 languages, WiFi on board, the air-conditioned vehicle and parking fees are included. It also states, in the same block, that lunch, gratuities and a guide during stops are excluded. The description mentions tastings of seasonal delicacies in Colmar, but they are not named in the inclusions list, so treat them as part of the free time rather than a guaranteed served tasting.

Food and drinks bought at market stalls, and any tips, come out of your own pocket.

Dates That Matter

Colmar's markets run 23 November to 29 December, Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00. Exceptions: 24 December 11:00-17:00, and 25 and 26 December 10:00-20:00. Kaysersberg's market needs a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Riquewihr's market ends 20 December.

Money and Getting There

The euro trades at 1 EUR = 1.1130 USD, the European Central Bank reference rate. Market stall purchases in Colmar are paid in euros, so carry small cash. The tour leaves from the Parc de l'Etoile bus station, next to the tram stop Etoile/Bourse, so no parking is needed at the start.

If you drive into Colmar another day, the covered car parks Rapp and Gare/Bleylé are open 24/7, and the weekend park and ride at the Parc des Expositions costs $5.57 (€5) per day with a free return bus.

Rules of This Booking

Children under 4 years old are not allowed. Child prices apply to ages 5-14, adult ages are 15-99. The tour suits all physical fitness levels.

There is no hotel pickup. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Two Different Seasons

Strasbourg's Christmas market runs 27 November to 24 December, daily 11:00-21:00, and closes after 24 December until New Year's Day. Colmar's markets run longer, 23 November to 29 December, spread across six markets with about 180 stalls. If you travel between 25 and 29 December, Strasbourg is shut down and Colmar is still lit up.

The two cities are close enough to combine. This tour does exactly that: it starts from a Strasbourg base and brings the Colmar side, plus two Wine Route villages, into one day. For more on choosing a base, see the guide to the Colmar Christmas market.

Doing It Yourself

Once in Colmar, Christmas shuttles run from Colmar station 27 November to 20 December to the villages. Tickets are sold online only. Lines 1 and 2, serving Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, run Friday to Sunday and cost $18.92 (€17). Line 3 to Eguisheim costs $8.90 (€8) Monday to Thursday and $18.92 (€17) Friday to Sunday. Under 12s travel free but need a ticket.

Self-driving means the old town of Colmar is closed to all vehicles during market hours, and coach parking at the Parc des Expositions is mandatory for coaches from 23 November to 20 December.

What the Tour Takes Off Your Plate

On this tour there are no transfers to plan, no shuttle tickets to buy. The minibus covers Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar in one circuit and the parking fees are already paid. You give up flexibility: three hours in Colmar is fixed, and lunch is on you.

Meeting and Route

You meet at the bus station of the Parc de l'Etoile in Strasbourg, next to the tram stop Etoile/Bourse, and look for the black minibus. Public transportation options are available nearby. The departure time is not stated, so confirm it on the booking page.

The first stop is Riquewihr, a typical Wine Route village whose facades and monuments are illuminated. The bus then crosses small Alsatian villages along the Wine Route and stops in Kaysersberg, a medieval village in the colors of Christmas with its own market. The day ends in Colmar, where different Christmas markets dot the city and create different atmospheres depending on the neighborhood. You get three hours of free time there, punctuated by tastings of seasonal delicacies.

Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg's authentic market runs Friday to Sunday on 27-29 November, 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20 December, 10:00-20:00, in the Cour de l'Arsenal and behind Sainte-Croix church. On weekdays the market does not open, though the village itself with its half-timbered houses is still worth the stop. If your tour date falls Monday to Thursday, you see the village but not the market.

Riquewihr and Colmar

Riquewihr's Christmas market runs 27 November to 20 December. Its daily opening hours are not published, so check locally on the day. Colmar's six markets run 23 November to 29 December, Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00, with about 180 stalls.

Markets close exactly at the scheduled time. Your three free hours sit inside those hours, so plan mulled wine (vin chaud) and any stall shopping before closing.

What to Add Before or After

This tour skips Eguisheim and Ribeauvillé. Eguisheim's market runs 27 November to 30 December, every day except 24, 25 and 26 December. Ribeauvillé's medieval market runs only 5-6 and 12-13 December, Saturday 10:00-19:00 and Sunday 10:00-18:00.

From Colmar, the Christmas in 4 Alsatian Villages covers Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Eguisheim in 7.5 hours.

The Friday to Sunday Rule

Kaysersberg's market runs Friday to Sunday only, on 27-29 November, 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20 December, 10:00-20:00. Book a Friday, Saturday or Sunday departure if the Kaysersberg market is the reason you chose this route. On a weekday the stop becomes a village visit.

The Short Seasons

Riquewihr's market runs 27 November to 20 December, so a late-December date falls outside it. Ribeauvillé's medieval market runs just two weekends, 5-6 and 12-13 December, Saturday 10:00-19:00 and Sunday 10:00-18:00. Eguisheim's market is the most forgiving, open every day from 27 November to 30 December except 24, 25 and 26 December.

This tour visits Riquewihr, Kaysersberg and Colmar. For a date in the last week of December, Colmar is the only market on this route still guaranteed open.