An altarpiece, 106 stone heads and Bartholdi's house
Colmar's old town is small enough to cross on foot in an afternoon, and most of what you'll want sits between Unterlinden and Petite Venise. Park once and leave the car.
1. Give Unterlinden two hours
The Musée Unterlinden holds the Isenheim Altarpiece. Entry is €14, open 09:00–18:00, closed on Tuesday, and I'd go at opening time.
2. See Schongauer's Madonna at the Dominicans
The Madonna of the Rose Bower, painted in 1473, hangs in the choir of the Église des Dominicains. It was stolen from St Martin's in January 1972 and recovered in June 1973.
3. Count the heads on the Maison des Têtes
The Maison des Têtes was built in 1609 and has 106 small stone heads on its façade. Look for Bartholdi's cooper, added in 1902.
4. Visit Bartholdi's family home
The sculptor of the Statue of Liberty was born in Colmar on 2 August 1834. The Musée Bartholdi occupies the family house where he lived.
5. Find Bartholdi's fountains on foot
The Schwendi fountain on Place de l'Ancienne Douane dates from 1898; the Roesselmann fountain on Place des Six Montagnes Noires from 1888. Both are free.
6. Walk Petite Venise in the morning
Petite Venise follows the canals of the Lauch through the old butchers', tanners' and fishmongers' quarter. Morning light, before the coaches, is when I'd go.
7. Spot the Statue of Liberty copy
A replica of Bartholdi's statue was inaugurated in 2004 for the centenary of his death. It's free and needs only a stop.
Tarte flambée under the heads, munster at the market
1. Graze at the covered market
The Marché Couvert opened in 1865 on the Petite Venise canal. One guide gives Sunday hours as 10:00–14:00 and Monday as closed. Look for munster with cumin and tarte flambée from the stalls.
2. Eat at the Maison des Têtes brasserie
La Brasserie Historique serves tarte flambée with black pudding and apples, plus choucroute garnie. The starred Restaurant Girardin is in the same building.
3. Book the Wistub de la Petite Venise
Wistub de la Petite Venise does classic Alsatian dishes; National Geographic says save room for the Linzer tart.
4. Order baeckeoffe once
Baeckeoffe is the Alsatian meat-and-potato stew baked in a sealed pot. I'd order it on a cold day, not after a tarte flambée.
5. Take a savoury kougelhopf away
The market sells kougelhopf with bacon and walnuts. It travels well in a car.
Six Christmas markets and a cloister light show
1. Plan around 23 November–29 December
The six Christmas markets run from 23 November to 29 December 2026: Monday to Thursday 11:00–19:00, Friday to Sunday 10:00–20:00, closing at 17:00 on 24 December. A guide quoting the tourist office says the centre is closed to all vehicles for the whole period. I'd park at the Parc des Expositions.
2. See Once Upon a Night at Unterlinden
The museum's cloister show runs 25 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, from 17:00, closed Tuesdays and on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January. It's €8, free under 12.
3. Check the wine fair dates in spring
The 2027 dates of the Foire aux Vins d'Alsace weren't published when I checked. Look again before you book a summer trip.
What's on
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 23 November – 29 December 2026 | Six Christmas markets in the old town; Mon–Thu 11:00–19:00, Fri–Sun 10:00–20:00, 24 December until 17:00. The gourmet market runs to 3 January 2027 |
| 25 November 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Once Upon a Night, the sound and light show in the Unterlinden cloister, from 17:00; €8, free under 12 |
| 2027, dates not yet published | Foire aux Vins d'Alsace, the Alsace wine fair |