Craving Christmas markets, choucroute, castles, churches, and rolling hills with vineyards? Then, Alsace is a perfect Christmas adventure!
I’d love to show you some of my favorite places in this region! Some of which are castle ruins, churches, boutique hotels, and of course, Christmas Markets! There are so many Christmas Markets, so in this post I am sharing my favorite ones and take you with me as we explore!
Topics in this Post
Getting Here
All locations mentioned herein are marked on the map below, with brief descriptions:
As you can see, we are SO close to the Rhine River and the border between France and Germany. Alsace is very unique in that it’s not quite French, but it’s not German either…it’s Alsatian! And the locals prefer it that way lol. Starting in Strasbourg would be easiest since it’s an easy TGV train ride from Paris (about 2 hours). To really get most out of the Alsace region, I would recommend renting a car in Strasbourg to have the freedom of exploring. There’s the local train system as well, but sticking to a train schedule puts a damper on the moment for me!
I don’t recommend renting from the Europcar in Strasbourg near the train station. Pay extra for Hertz! We asked multiple times for a 4×4 vehicle because we would be driving into the Vosges mountains. They confirmed multiple times in person, too. When we needed 4×4 the most, we learned the hard way that the car didn’t have it. And the manual in the glovebox was for a different model. Customer service was hell, we got some money back, but not without a fight. So, I’d like to save anyone the aggravation and recommend not renting a car there!
Boutique Hotels
I am so pleased with the hotels we booked for this trip. We decided to stay in a couple different places to be closer to the markets we planned to see. However, everything is very accessible by car and nothing is far, if you choose one hotel as a home base.
Pêche de Vigne
Pêche de Vigne is an adorable hotel in a tiny commune named Rodern. It’s a very local vibe, no market here, so you can really immerse yourself without any tourists! The room was surprisingly gigantic and the perfect mix of modern and Alsatian half-timbered style.
The hotel has a filling buffet breakfast, but we spent most of our mornings visiting the local boulangerie. I recommend doing that anywhere you stay in France because it’s the best way to feel like a local! We visited so much, the girls working there recognized us when ordering our café crèmes and croissants! The best part is bundling up to go to the boulangerie, and smelling the wood-burning stove scent wafting through the air.
A really good Italian place nearby is in Bergheim, a very short drive away, called Basilique Pizze & Vini. OH MY GOD, the wood-fired pizza was so good.
Le Parc Hôtel Obernai & Spa
Another great hotel is in Obernai, Le Parc Hôtel Obernai & Spa, which is only about 30 minutes from the Strasbourg city center! If you have a car, staying outside of Strasbourg would be the best decision. You could see much more and stay in less busy places. Honestly, Obernai had one of my favorite vibes and Christmas Markets, so much so that we visited twice.
At the very least, a visit to the Yonaguni spa is necessary and will provide you with world-class, wellness magic. It is basically a spa amusement park with a labyrinth of pools, where you swim/wade through hallways that lead you to different pool rooms. There is a hurricane room, forest, volcano, Nordic, etc. different environments with sounds, colors and buttons that start various water features. I wish I was dumb enough to bring my camera in to prove it to you! It is truly the “sensory experience” that they say on their website and well worth spending at least half a day here.
Christmas Markets
The Alsace region is beautiful year-round; however, Christmas really shines here! France is kind of funny because you won’t hear one Christmas song on the radio, but their Christmas markets and decorations are next-level. I don’t typically like to do a list of top anything, but there are several markets in Alsace that I will highlight as my favorite experiences!
Strasbourg Christmas Markets
This is the biggest city and series of markets in Alsace! It is definitely worth a visit in-between visiting the small communes and villages. Strasbourg has 13 different markets walkable from each other. We visited almost all of them! Our favorites were the Place de la Cathédrale, Place Kléber (where they have the big tree), and Christkindelsmärik (where they had the best food). Wander around the markets, but also wander through the streets! Many charming pastry shops and restaurants to choose from and they all decorate so nicely!
Eguisheim
This medieval village is ranked “One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France” and for good reason! The Christmas market vibes in the winter will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And in the summer, the village is full of vibrant flowers! This medieval village is unique from the rest because it unfolds in concentric circles around it’s castle. And in the center you’ll find fountains, courtyards and a church sheltering a 13th century “Opening Virgin”. The church is dedicated to Pope Leo IX who came from Eguisheim and was pope from 1049 to 1054. Getting lost in circles and admiring the colorful, charming homes is the best activity here!
Obernai
The town of Obernai was a pleasant surprise! When we booked our accommodations here, we didn’t plan on sticking around town as much as we did. This Christmas market was one of our favorites. It even snowed for us! It’s a small market, but the lack of crowds made it feel more personal. Plus, we had the best hot chocolate here out of all the markets!
Ribeauvillé
Now this village was my FAVORITE village and Christmas market, all wrapped in a bow. This Christmas market is only 2 weekends long, so plan accordingly. The market is medieval-themed in a real medieval village. It’s the coolest Christmas event we’ve ever been to. For comparison, picture the Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools, add Christmas flare, that is the Ribeauvillé Christmas market in Alsace! There are bards, dancers, beggars, and merchants; fire breathers (that also fight with fire-lit swords, seriously lol). There’s plenty of sweet and savory delicacies, but the best was by far the wild boar on a spit right in the center square! There was even a goose parade where we all had to make way for the geese xD
It was pouring rain when we went, which added to the grim medieval vibe, but didn’t make for great photography. So this market was actually one of my less documented days, which makes it that much more special to me. Whenever it wasn’t downpouring, I made sure to get some awesome shots! I have many more shots and video on my Instagram story highlights under the “Medieval” title!
For the most part, I wore waterproof (& chic) rainboots and I highly recommend doing so! France in the winter is pretty rainy in general. My feet would have been soaked if I didn’t wear these boots. I would have been miserable!
Outside of Christmas time, the village hosts a Spring market, Wine fair and Fiddler’s fair over the summer, and a Festival of Ancient Music in the fall!
Riquewihr
If you are looking for a medieval village with colorful homes and cobbled streets, dotted with half-timbered winemakers’ shops and tasting rooms, Riquewihr is the perfect place to explore. It’s a hop and a skip from Ribeauvillé and I suggest wandering through the entire village!
The Christmas market was just “OK”. Maybe we have been spoiled by others by this point, but it wasn’t anything special. We have seen most of the same merchants already. There were a lot of people here when we went, so that also played a part in my sourness xD. But, what I really enjoyed here was getting lost in the small streets, away from the noise. All of the shops and homes are decorated so beautifully! With a plethora of places to shop and eat here, you won’t be bored. We, of course, got our cups of mulled wine and some quiches we could walk around with.
On the way back to Rodern, we stopped by a cute, quiet town called Saint-Hippolyte. We tried to get dinner in a couple places, but many restaurants were booked up for the night. In France, once all tables at the restaurant are booked, it is considered booked the whole night (unlike in the USA when they can take reservations in 30 minute intervals). I love this because it encourages long, social meals, but sometimes it could be tough finding a place to eat spontaneously. Hôtel-restaurant A la Vignette accommodated us! Highly recommend for a friendly atmosphere and traditional Alsatian food. The waitress even entertained our attempts to fluently order everything in French instead of switching automatically to English!
Colmar
The city of Colmar is the perfect blend of small village vibes, but in a bigger city. As we were walking through La Petit Venise, we saw the kids having a blast at recess haha. Colmar is a very popular place, aside from Strasbourg. There are trains that come here directly from Paris as well. Parking is a little hard to find, but such is city life. The market was just OK in comparison to others, although they had a huge food tent with vendors. The city’s decorations and festive brick and mortar shops were the highlights here!
Castles and Churches
When visiting each villages’ Christmas market, I always make sure to step inside the local church and admire the beauty and history inside. The locals of the village have gathered here for hundreds of years, and it’s always nice to feel that sense of time when stepping inside. While I don’t specifically mention them all below (because it would be a long list!), I’d recommend making it a point to visit every church you can find when visiting any French village. Its also a good way to get out of the hustle and bustle of the market and just sit with your own thoughts a bit!
Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg
The Strasbourg Cathédrale is a very impressive and beautiful Gothic architectural masterpiece. The construction of the Romanesque cathedral, of which only the crypt and the footprint remain, began in 1015. The Gothic-style spire of the current building was completed in 1439. Personally, it isn’t as gorgeous as Reims, but it is still a spectacular site to see, admire, and to escape the Christmas crowds.
Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
A really cool château to visit is the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, a medieval castle located in the commune of Orschwiller. Built in a strategic area, on a rocky spur overlooking the Upper Rhine Plain, it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years’ War, when it was abandoned. From 1900 to 1908 it was rebuilt at the behest of the German kaiser Wilhelm II. Today, it is an informative museum, which exhibits the construction, re-construction, and history of the castle. Plus there is a neat courtyard, full of facts about the culture and Christmas traditions of the time.
Three Castles of Ribeauvillé
This is a more unique experience to visit several castles, as you have to hike to see them! The hike is an easy to moderate loop (less than 4 miles). It takes a few hours to really explore them. They are medieval castle ruins that you can explore to your heart’s content! You can climb up turrets (if they are still there) and admire the spectacular engineering and vistas. Park somewhere in town (Ribeauvillé) near Restaurant Aux Trois Châteaux, then make your way up a stone road (you’ll probably see people going that way).
The châteaux are Girsberg, Saint-Ulrich and Haut-Ribeaupierre and they are all true medieval ruins. The oldest one, Haut-Ribeaupierre, was built on an ancient roman site in 1084! There’s an entire story highlight on my Instagram, if you are interested in step-by-step videos!
If you made it this far, thank you for coming along with me! Christmas in Alsace is a magical time and I wanted to cover the basics in this post if you’re planning to visit! Or maybe just needing an extra dose of Christmas spirit 🙂 Joyeux Noël!
