Thinking next year after a RS tour which ends in Vienna, after traveling to Budapest, then through Salzburg, Bolzano, Verona, Milan, Varenna, taking the train through Switzerland to Colmar. This will be at the tail end of a long vacation, beginning in late August, through early October. How many days in Colmar vs. Strasbourg, should one or the other be a home base for 3-4 nights or split it between both locations? We will end our journey with a 4-5 night stay in one of our top five cities, Paris. Any advice welcome as to favorite places to stay in particular, restaurants, etc.
Posted by
3245 posts
Here's a link to a recent discussion about hotels in Strasbourg.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france-reviews/hotel-in-strasbourg
Here is a link to the website of an Alsatian restaurant that I really enjoyed in 2015.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8440 posts
They are close enough to stay in one. I prefer Colmar. Strasbourg is a big cosmopolitan city, and other than the cathedral I think the old town is pretty similar, IMO. Visit some of the wine towns near Colmar.
Posted by
Washington DC
27111 posts
I usually prefer to base in the larger of two city choices myself, but I want to mention two positive things about Colmar:
The Unterlinden Museum in Colmar is very good; the Isenheim Altarpiece is verging on "must-see" territory--though I don't think anything is truly a must-see (it depends on each traveler's interests).
Colmar is closer to the little wine villages most often mentioned as tourists' targets: Riquewihr, Ribeauville, etc. Although it isn't easy to string a bunch of them together on a single day without a rental car (or bus tour), there is public-bus and/or rail service to some of them, so they are individually more easily seen from Colmar than from Strasbourg.
Posted by
11156 posts
From Strasbourg move to one of the charming Alsatian wine villages rather than staying in Colmar.
Two nights in beautiful Strasbourg, two nights in a charming village on the Wine Route. We went to visit Colmar for a day because of Rick Steves’ guidebook but we’re so glad we stayed in a wine village instead. We did not care for Colmar.
Posted by
San Francisco
14507 posts
Hi,
I have stayed in both Colmar and Strasbourg. In Strasbourg staying both times in one of the small two star hotels close to the train station was adequate and nice enough. Both stays in Colmar and Strasbourg were at least 4 nights or more. Both cities are well worth visiting and lovely to explore and marvel at.
Posted by
Freedonia
14998 posts
I left Colmar a few days ago. I liked it.
If you do stay there, for dinner (or lunch), I can reccomend Wistub Brenner. Make reservations. It's in the Little Venice area. Alsatian cuisine.
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1371 posts
Can't address Strasbourg but two years ago in early December we stayed in Colmar for 5 nights and also visited a few of the Route du Vin towns. Can highly recommend Colmar.
Posted by
OP
Buffalo
110 posts
Thanks all for the suggestions. I am now thinking 3 nights in Colmar, spending half days exploring a nearby town, and half day exploring colmar. (really 2 full days). maybe add a fourth night. Then three full days in Strasbourg.