Hotels in Colmar

Colmar sits in the Alsace region of northeastern France, 70 km south of Strasbourg and 50 km north of Basel. The city's medieval and Renaissance core survived World War II largely intact, leaving behind a dense collection of half-timbered houses, Gothic churches, and canals that earned the Petite Venise quarter its name. The Unterlinden Museum holds Matthias Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece — completed around 1515 and considered one of the most important works of German Renaissance painting.

Colmar draws two distinct visitor profiles. History and art travelers come for the altarpiece, the 13th-century Dominican church, and the well-preserved old town streets like rue des Marchands. Wine tourists arrive for direct access to the Alsace Wine Route, which begins just outside the city and connects villages producing Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. The Christmas market, running from late November through late December, is one of the oldest in France and fills six separate squares across the old town.

The city has a population of roughly 70,000 and sits at 188 metres above sea level in the Rhine plain. Colmar–Houssen Airport handles limited regional traffic; most international visitors arrive via Strasbourg-Entzheim Airport or Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport, both within an hour by car or train.