Enter your arrival and departure; the route adapts to your flights and that day’s markets and opening hours.
Relaxed pace — Christmas markets, Petite France and café breaks
Markets, Petite France and atmosphere: 1–2 main stops a day is plenty; the rest is for long meals, café breaks and an afternoon rest.
Day 1 · Wednesday 9 December10:30–20:50
The Astronomical Clock, Petite France and the Christkindelsmärik
Two main stops: Petite France in the afternoon and, once the lights are on, the Christkindelsmärik, held since 1570. A long lunch and a rest at the hotel in between. The astronomical clock in the cathedral at 12:30, the Vauban Dam and the giant tree on Place Kléber are optional.
Running late? Skip these first: Maison Kammerzell and Rue des Orfèvres, The Astronomical Clock Show, The Ponts Couverts and the Vauban Dam, Place Kléber and the Grand Sapin. The rest of the day still works.
10:30
Walk · 10 min
You enter the Grande Île over its bridges, where there are security checks while the markets are on. Don’t bring a large bag: there’s no left-luggage on the island.
10:401
Maison Kammerzell and Rue des Orfèvres 40 minOptional
The carved 15th-century house on Cathedral Square, Place Gutenberg and the Christmas decorations of the goldsmiths’ street; from outside.
11:20
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
11:252
The Astronomical Clock Show 75 minOptional
The 19th-century astronomical clock inside the cathedral: a film about the clock at noon, then the procession of the apostles at 12:30. Tickets €2 (children €1.50); be in the queue by 11:45.
12:40
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
12:453
Lunch, the Grande Île 90 min
Tarte flambée, choucroute or baeckeoffe in a winstub (a traditional Alsatian tavern). Book ahead even at lunchtime in December.
14:15
Walk · 15 min
Along the Grand’Rue and Rue des Dentelles to Petite France.
14:304
The Ponts Couverts and the Vauban Dam 25 minOptional
Behind the medieval towered bridges, the 17th-century dam: its rooftop terrace frames Petite France and the cathedral in one view. The terrace closes at 4 pm in winter.
14:55
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
15:005
Petite France and its Christmas Market 60 min
The old tanners’ quarter: half-timbered houses over the canals, narrow bridges and the Christmas stalls on Place Benjamin Zix and around Saint-Thomas.
16:00
Walk · 15 min
Back to the hotel.
16:156
Rest at the Hotel 75 min
Rest at the hotel and recharge for the evening lights.
17:30
Walk · 10 min
On foot.
17:407
Place Kléber and the Grand Sapin 25 minOptional
The Grand Sapin on Place Kléber: one of the biggest natural Christmas trees in Europe, best with its evening lights. The “Au pied du Grand Sapin” market sits around it.
18:05
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
18:108
Christkindelsmärik (Place Broglie) 60 min
The Christkindelsmärik, held since 1570 and France’s oldest Christmas market: wooden stalls all along Place Broglie, mulled wine (vin chaud) and bredele biscuits. Best once the lights are on.
19:10
Walk · 10 min
On foot.
19:209
Dinner, the Grande Île 90 min
Alsatian food and a glass of Riesling in a winstub; book ahead for December evenings.
Colmar, 32 minutes by train. Two main stops: the Old Customs House (Koïfhus) market and Petite Venise. A long lunch and a café break in between, then the evening in Strasbourg. The Tanners’ Quarter, the Jeanne d’Arc market and Colmar by lamplight are optional.
Running late? Skip these first: The Tanners’ Quarter, Place Jeanne d’Arc: Alsace Produce, Colmar by Lamplight. The rest of the day still works.
10:00
Walk · 15 min
Walk from the Grande Île to the station (or take the tram to Gare Centrale).
10:15
Train · 40 min
A direct TER train from Strasbourg station to Colmar (32 minutes). In the daytime there are two trains an hour, at 21 and 51 minutes past (2026 timetable); buy your ticket on SNCF Connect or from the station machines. December weekend trains are full: buy ahead and aim for the earlier train.
10:55
Walk · 20 min
Walk from Colmar station into the old town; in December a Christmas shuttle also runs from the station to the markets, timed with the trains.
11:151
The Old Customs House (Koïfhus) Market 60 min
Stalls around the Schwendi fountain at the foot of the colourful-roofed Koïfhus; inside the building, some twenty artisans (ceramics, glass, wood).
12:15
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
12:202
Lunch, Colmar 90 min
Tarte flambée, choucroute or baeckeoffe in a winstub (a traditional Alsatian tavern). Book ahead even at lunchtime in December.
13:50
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
13:553
The Tanners’ Quarter 20 minOptional
Tall half-timbered houses with drying lofts under their roofs, along the Lauch canal.
14:15
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
14:204
Petite Venise and the Children’s Market 45 min
Colourful houses over the Lauch canal and the children’s market on Place des Six-Montagnes-Noires: a carousel and Father Christmas’s giant letterbox.
15:055
Café Break 60 min
Kougelhopf and hot chocolate: a long break in a café overlooking Petite Venise.
16:056
Place Jeanne d’Arc: Alsace Produce 30 minOptional
A regional produce market: charcuterie, foie gras, Alsace wines, gingerbread and bredele.
16:357
Colmar by Lamplight 30 minOptional
After dark the canal, the half-timbered fronts and Rue des Marchands are lit up; pass the Maison Pfister on the way.
17:05
Walk · 20 min
Walk back to Colmar station, or take the Christmas shuttle.
17:25
Train · 40 min
A direct TER back to Strasbourg (32 minutes); trains leave at 6 and 36 minutes past the hour (2026 timetable). Evening trains are busy with market-goers: aim for the earlier one.
18:05
Walk · 15 min
Back to the hotel.
18:208
Rest at the Hotel 45 min
Rest at the hotel and recharge for the evening lights.
19:05
Walk · 10 min
On foot.
19:159
Dinner, Strasbourg 90 min
Alsatian food and a glass of Riesling in a winstub; book ahead for December evenings.
A Boat on the Ill and the Lights of the Carré d’Or
Two main stops: a Batorama boat tour on the Ill and, in the evening, the lit-up streets of the Carré d’Or. A late breakfast, a long lunch and a rest at the hotel; tarte flambée at the Quai des Délices is optional.
Running late? Skip these first: Batorama: Boat Tour on the Ill, Quai des Délices (Terrasse Rohan). The rest of the day still works.
10:301
Late Breakfast 60 min
No rush: a long, late breakfast with croissants, kougelhopf and coffee.
11:30
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
11:352
Batorama: Boat Tour on the Ill 70 minOptional
A 70-minute tour in covered boats from in front of the Palais Rohan: Petite France’s canals, a lock and the European quarter. Last December the last boat left at 5:45 pm; check the 2026 times on batorama.com.
Balanced–packed pace — The cathedral, Petite France and Colmar
Explore the city and see the markets: nearby stops come in one flow (the cathedral, the astronomical clock and Petite France; in Colmar, the museum, the markets and Petite Venise). You can skip anything marked “Optional” and the day still works.
Day 1 · Wednesday 9 December09:00–20:35
The Cathedral, the Astronomical Clock and Petite France
The cathedral in the morning (the spire platform is optional) and the astronomical clock at 12:30; Petite France and the Vauban Dam in the afternoon, then, once the lights are on, the giant tree on Place Kléber and the historic Christkindelsmärik on Place Broglie.
Running late? Skip these first: The Cathedral Platform (330 Steps), Cathedral Square and Place du Château Market. The rest of the day still works.
09:00
Walk · 10 min
You enter the Grande Île over its bridges, where there are security checks while the markets are on. Don’t bring a large bag: there’s no left-luggage on the island.
09:101
Strasbourg Cathedral (Interior) 45 min
A Gothic masterpiece in pink Vosges sandstone: the 142-metre spire, the rose window and the stained glass. Free entry; no visits during services.
09:55
Walk · 5 min
To the platform entrance at the foot of the north tower.
10:002
The Cathedral Platform (330 Steps) 50 minOptional
From the platform 66 metres up: the rooftops, the Rhine plain and, on a clear day, the Black Forest. The stairs are narrow and steep; in winter 10 am–6 pm, last climb 5:30 pm.
10:50
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
10:553
Maison Kammerzell and Rue des Orfèvres 30 min
The carved 15th-century house on Cathedral Square, Place Gutenberg and the Christmas decorations of the goldsmiths’ street; from outside.
11:25
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
11:304
The Astronomical Clock Show 70 min
The 19th-century astronomical clock inside the cathedral: a film about the clock at noon, then the procession of the apostles at 12:30. Tickets €2 (children €1.50); be in the queue by 11:45.
12:40
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
12:455
Lunch, the Grande Île 75 min
Tarte flambée, choucroute or baeckeoffe in a winstub (a traditional Alsatian tavern). Book ahead even at lunchtime in December.
14:00
Walk · 15 min
Along the Grand’Rue and Rue des Dentelles to Petite France.
14:156
Petite France and its Christmas Market 45 min
The old tanners’ quarter: half-timbered houses over the canals, narrow bridges and the Christmas stalls on Place Benjamin Zix and around Saint-Thomas.
15:00
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
15:057
The Ponts Couverts and the Vauban Dam 30 min
Behind the medieval towered bridges, the 17th-century dam: its rooftop terrace frames Petite France and the cathedral in one view. The terrace closes at 4 pm in winter.
15:35
Walk · 15 min
Along the Ill back to the cathedral.
15:508
Café Break 40 min
Hot chocolate with a slice of kougelhopf or some bredele; warm up and rest.
16:30
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
16:359
Cathedral Square and Place du Château Market 40 minOptional
Stalls at the foot of the cathedral and on Place du Château next door: handmade ornaments, bredele and mulled wine. Loveliest in the late afternoon, with the cathedral front lit up.
17:15
Walk · 10 min
Along Rue des Hallebardes and Rue des Grandes Arcades to Place Kléber.
17:2510
Place Kléber and the Grand Sapin 25 min
The Grand Sapin on Place Kléber: one of the biggest natural Christmas trees in Europe, best with its evening lights. The “Au pied du Grand Sapin” market sits around it.
17:50
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
17:5511
Christkindelsmärik (Place Broglie) 60 min
The Christkindelsmärik, held since 1570 and France’s oldest Christmas market: wooden stalls all along Place Broglie, mulled wine (vin chaud) and bredele biscuits. Best once the lights are on.
18:55
Walk · 10 min
On foot.
19:0512
Dinner, the Grande Île 90 min
Alsatian food and a glass of Riesling in a winstub; book ahead for December evenings.
Colmar: the Unterlinden, the Christmas Markets and Petite Venise
Colmar, 32 minutes by train: the Isenheim Altarpiece at the Unterlinden Museum in the morning, the Old Customs House market and the Koïfhus artisans at midday, the Tanners’ Quarter and Petite Venise in the afternoon; Colmar by lamplight after dark, then dinner back in Strasbourg. The Dominicains and Jeanne d’Arc markets are optional.
Running late? Skip these first: Place des Dominicains Market, Place Jeanne d’Arc: Alsace Produce. The rest of the day still works.
09:00
Walk · 15 min
Walk from the Grande Île to the station (or take the tram to Gare Centrale).
09:15
Train · 40 min
A direct TER train from Strasbourg station to Colmar (32 minutes). In the daytime there are two trains an hour, at 21 and 51 minutes past (2026 timetable); buy your ticket on SNCF Connect or from the station machines. December weekend trains are full: buy ahead and aim for the earlier train.
09:55
Walk · 20 min
Walk from Colmar station into the old town; in December a Christmas shuttle also runs from the station to the markets, timed with the trains.
10:151
The Unterlinden Museum 75 min
The Isenheim Altarpiece (Grünewald, 1512–1516) in a former convent: one of the most powerful works in Western painting. Closed on Tuesdays; open until 4 pm on 24 December.
Nearly sixty stalls around the Dominican church: ornaments and handmade gifts.
12:10
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
12:153
St Martin’s Collegiate Church and the Maison Pfister 15 min
The Gothic church with its patterned roof and the 16th-century frescoed house with its corner gallery; from outside.
12:30
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
12:354
Lunch, Colmar 75 min
Tarte flambée, choucroute or baeckeoffe in a winstub (a traditional Alsatian tavern). Book ahead even at lunchtime in December.
13:50
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
13:555
The Old Customs House (Koïfhus) Market 45 min
Stalls around the Schwendi fountain at the foot of the colourful-roofed Koïfhus; inside the building, some twenty artisans (ceramics, glass, wood).
14:40
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
14:456
The Tanners’ Quarter 20 min
Tall half-timbered houses with drying lofts under their roofs, along the Lauch canal.
15:05
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
15:107
Petite Venise and the Children’s Market 40 min
Colourful houses over the Lauch canal and the children’s market on Place des Six-Montagnes-Noires: a carousel and Father Christmas’s giant letterbox.
15:50
Walk · 10 min
On foot.
16:008
Place Jeanne d’Arc: Alsace Produce 30 minOptional
A regional produce market: charcuterie, foie gras, Alsace wines, gingerbread and bredele.
16:309
Café Break 40 min
Hot chocolate with a slice of kougelhopf or some bredele; warm up and rest.
17:1010
Colmar by Lamplight 30 min
After dark the canal, the half-timbered fronts and Rue des Marchands are lit up; pass the Maison Pfister on the way.
17:40
Walk · 20 min
Walk back to Colmar station, or take the Christmas shuttle.
18:00
Train · 40 min
A direct TER back to Strasbourg (32 minutes); trains leave at 6 and 36 minutes past the hour (2026 timetable). Evening trains are busy with market-goers: aim for the earlier one.
18:40
Walk · 15 min
On foot.
18:5511
Dinner, Strasbourg 90 min
Alsatian food and a glass of Riesling in a winstub; book ahead for December evenings.
The Palais Rohan, a Boat on the Ill and the Carré d’Or
The Museum of Fine Arts in the Palais Rohan in the morning and a Batorama boat tour on the Ill in the afternoon; the lit-up streets of the Carré d’Or in the evening, then dinner in Krutenau. The Quai des Délices is optional.
Running late? Skip these first: Quai des Délices (Terrasse Rohan), Batorama: Boat Tour on the Ill. The rest of the day still works.
10:00
Walk · 10 min
You enter the Grande Île over its bridges, where there are security checks while the markets are on. Don’t bring a large bag: there’s no left-luggage on the island.
10:101
Palais Rohan: Museum of Fine Arts 60 min
Italian, Flemish and Dutch masters in the prince-bishops’ 18th-century palace: Giotto, Botticelli, Rubens. Closed on Tuesdays.
11:10
Walk · 3 min
On foot.
11:132
Quai des Délices (Terrasse Rohan) 35 minOptional
The food market on the Palais Rohan’s riverside terrace: tarte flambée, pretzels, mulled wine and Alsatian sweets.
11:48
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
11:533
Lunch, the Grande Île 75 min
Tarte flambée, choucroute or baeckeoffe in a winstub (a traditional Alsatian tavern). Book ahead even at lunchtime in December.
13:08
Walk · 5 min
On foot.
13:134
Batorama: Boat Tour on the Ill 70 minOptional
A 70-minute tour in covered boats from in front of the Palais Rohan: Petite France’s canals, a lock and the European quarter. Last December the last boat left at 5:45 pm; check the 2026 times on batorama.com.
The Strasbourg Christmas market runs 27 November – 24 December 2026: daily 11 am–9 pm; it opens at 2 pm on the first day and ends at 6 pm on 24 December. No stalls are open after 25 December. Colmar’s markets run 23 November – 29 December.
🛂
While the markets are on, there are security checks on the bridges onto the Grande Île and no car traffic on the island. Don’t bring a large bag: there’s no left-luggage on the island, so leave suitcases at the hotel or the station lockers.
⛪
The cathedral can be visited Mon–Sat 8:30–11:15 am and 12:45–5:45 pm, and Sundays 2–5:15 pm; no visits during services. Astronomical clock: a film at noon and the apostles at 12:30; tickets €2, be in the queue by 11:45. Closed on 25–26 December.
🚆
The direct TER train to Colmar takes 32 minutes, with two trains an hour in the daytime (from Strasbourg at :21 and :51). December weekend trains are packed, with extra services added: buy your ticket ahead. A Christmas shuttle runs from Colmar station to the markets. Colmar tours
🌇
The Vauban Dam’s panoramic terrace closes at 4 pm in winter, so go early in the afternoon for the view over Petite France. It gets dark around 4:30 pm.
🏛️
The museums in the Palais Rohan and Colmar’s Unterlinden Museum are closed on Tuesdays; the Alsatian Museum is closed for renovation. In Alsace most shops close on Sundays, but the market stalls stay open.
🍽️
At weekends the markets and winstubs are packed: go on a weekday if you can and book lunch and dinner. On the evening of 24 December most restaurants serve a special menu; book in November.
🧣
Alsace is cold and damp in December: bring a warm coat, hat, gloves and waterproof shoes; you’ll be standing at the markets for a long time.
Times are for Wednesday 9 December – Friday 11 December. Some are officially confirmed for 2026, others are based on the last published season (the 2026 schedule is pending); check again before you go. The table on the guide page shows the status of each time: Christmas in Strasbourg
Frequently asked questions
Is 3 days enough for Strasbourg Christmas?
Three days let you enjoy Strasbourg and Colmar without rushing; on day three, the museum in the Palais Rohan, an optional boat tour and the Carré d’Or.
Which museums and landmarks can you visit inside on a 3-day Christmas trip to Strasbourg?
Batorama boat tour at least 2 days ahead; Unterlinden Museum (Colmar) at least 1 day ahead. Queues are long in the holiday week.
I’m going on different dates; how does the route change?
Enter Strasbourg and your arrival and departure in the planner on the home page. For any date from 27 November – 24 December it builds the route around that day’s markets and opening hours: a separate route for 24 December, the markets’ last day, and closed markets are dropped.
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