Tour of Alsace

Famous cities

Strasbourg

The capital of Europe and Alsace has a historical and architectural heritage which makes this city the richest in Alsace. Its city center is part of the worldwide heritage of The UNESCO. Besides, the city museums are particularly rich and interesting. Strasbourg is naturally inevitable not only for its monuments but also to meet the different facets of Alsace and Alsatians.

www.strasbourg.fr

Sélestat

In the middle of Alsace, between Colmar and Strasbourg, Sélestat remains little known and not much visited. It shelters, however, nice monuments, but especially one of two single humanist libraries of Europe, to be missed under no pretext. Sélestat is, besides, well located to visit the villages of the county.

www.pays-alsace-centrale.com

Colmar

Located in the center of Alsace, between two other big industrial poles which are Strasbourg and Mulhouse, Colmar is an inevitable halting place. The city, of medium size, has many monuments and its typical districts are particularly nice and well emphasised. Moreover, Colmar has several interesting museums, especially the very famous museum of Unterlinden. Do not miss the dynamic illuminations of buildings every evening, in summer.

www.colmar.fr

Ribeauvillé

Located in the heart of the Alsatian vineyard, Ribeauvillé is part of the nicest villages of the region. The village of Ribeauvillé extends in length, with a lot of half-timbered houses. You will be able to go on your promenade towards three castles which overhang Ribeauvillé. The village is a must in the region. To be missed under no pretext!

Riquewihr

Riquewihr is one of the best-known villages of the region, and probably most visited. Its situation in the middle of vineyards gives him a total charm. The village includes many houses, of course with half timber, superbly emphasised and decorated with flowers. Very well preserved ramparts encircle this pearl of the vineyard.

Eguisheim

Eguisheim is one of the nicest and most typical village of Alsace with the half-timbered houses, the city tour along ramparts, its Castle of Counts on the central square. The city is encircled by hills covered with grapevines and overhung by three castles which watch over it.

Kaysersberg

Kaysersberg, with the many houses with half-timbered houses is a nice historical center and its imperial castle (Kaysersberg means the mountain of the Emperor) in ruins dominating the city, has a perfect charm. It is, in fact, an inevitable halting place in Alsace. The city is moreover very well known for its Christmas market.

Bergheim

Bergheim, the superb village of the Wine Road, encircled with its ramparts, remains still relatively preserved from the tourists. The city center includes many winegrowers’ houses and very fine houses. From the ramparts superbly preserved, you will be able to admire the hills of the vineyard, overhung by the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg.

Obernai

Obernai, hometown of Holy Odile (patroness of Alsace), is very appreciated by visitors. The historical center, still contained within its walls, has a very nice group of Medieval and Renaissance houses. A very nice place close to Strasbourg.

More small villages to the north such as…

Dambach la Ville

Dambach-la-Ville is part of these delightful Alsatian villages, not much known by the visitors, but which give however a very nice homogeneous group where it is possible to discover houses with half-timber or Renaissance, flowered and pretty fountains. The village is, besides, located in a nice environment of 470-hectare grapevines (the biggest in Alsace).

Ebermunster

Ebersmunster, a tiny village a priori without big interest, contains an architectural nugget: its baroque abbot’s church, of the beginning of the XVIIIth century. The finest in the East of France. A small detour on the road between Colmar and Strasbourg to be absolutely made.