Colmar

Located about a half hour away from Strasbourg, Colmar can easily be reached by train. There are €30 return tickets from Strasbourg that you can purchase on Oui.sncf website or app, super easy! Once you arrive at Colmar train station, the city center is a 15-min walk away. I would recommend getting there early, as the town gets super packed later in the day, especially during Christmas time. Alsace Xmas game is so strong, that almost every street has something to offer. The decorations are out of this world, and you basically discover stunning views at every corner.

Main attractions:

• Little Venice

• Hansel und Gretel House

• Au Vieux Pignon

• Rue des Tanneurs

• Marché des Dominicains

• Place de la Cathédrale

Restaurant suggestion:

Bistrot des Lavandières

12 Rue Saint-Jean, 68000 Colmar

*This place was recommended by a local, and I got lucky there was once table left when I arrived. I would suggest making a reservation to ensure you have a table reserved, as it tends to get crowded quickly.

Strasbourg

The Christmas markets in Strasbourg usually open at the end of November, until the end of December. This year was unfortunately marked by a tragic attack 3 days before my scheduled getaway. Nonetheless, I decided to maintain my trip so that neither the city or myself would be affected even more negatively by these sad circumstances. It was my second time in Strasbourg, and I think I liked it even more than the first. One of the main reasons is that it was much less colder than in 2014. I even was lucky enough to see some sunlight during my stay. The second reason is that I stayed a bit longer than last time, so I didn’t feel like I was in a rush to visit everything. I even returned to some spots twice to take better photos. If you visit Strasbourg, I highly suggest booking a place in downtown so you can walk everywhere easily; I found mine on Airbnb.

Main attractions:

• Place Kléber

• Christkindelsmärik

• Notre-Dame Cathedral

• Petite-France

• Saint-Paul Church