The short version: This 6-day itinerary covers 18 Christmas markets in Strasbourg, Colmar, Basel and Paris. Four cities, two countries, entirely by train with no rental car. Fly into Paris CDG, take the direct TGV to Strasbourg (about 2 hours), base there for four nights with day trips to Colmar (30 minutes) and Basel (1 hour 20), then finish with one night in Paris. We did this in December 2025 and paid roughly €240 per person in train fares.

Christmas Market Dates & Hours at a Glance (2026)

Last updated: August 27, 2026. Strasbourg has not published its official 2026 programme yet, so the dates below are the 2025 dates. Colmar and Basel have both confirmed 2026. I’ll update this post as soon as Strasbourg announces.

Official sources: Noël à Strasbourg · Colmar, la Magie de Noël · Basel Christmas Market

The long version: What follows is the trip exactly as we ran it in December 2025, day by day, with what we paid, what we ate and drank, what we packed, and where we stayed. The six days count your arrival and departure, so this works for anyone short on time who still wants the traditional Alsace markets. Copy it as written. If you want the pictures first, we also published a photo-heavy first look at these markets.

Trip at a Glance

Days: 6. Five on the ground, one departing Europe and flying home.

Countries visited: 2. France and Switzerland.

Cities visited: 4. Strasbourg, Colmar, Basel, and Paris.

Hotels: 3. voco Strasbourg Centre – The Garden (IHG), Hôtel Les Haras (Strasbourg), and La Fantaisie (Paris).

Transportation: Train.

Related reading: our France destination hub and our Europe hub.

Itinerary

If you are looking to do this trip, follow our exact itinerary.

Depart the USA in the Evening

Take an overnight flight from the US and land at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) the following morning.

I strongly recommend a direct flight to avoid any delays with connections, especially since weather is unpredictable in late November and December (in both the US and France) and this is a short itinerary with no room for delay. If you are flying out of New York, we have reviews of the Capital One Lounge at JFK Terminal 4, including what to eat there, and the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in the same terminal.

Day 1: Arrive in France and Train Straight to Strasbourg

Land at CDG in the morning, take the direct TGV to Strasbourg (about 2 hours), and be at your first Christmas market by mid afternoon.

After arriving at CDG, take the fast TGV train direct from CDG to Strasbourg, France, the Capital of Christmas! The direct TGV from Paris CDG Terminal 2 to Strasbourg takes about 2 hours (mine was 2 hours and 9 minutes exactly). The TGV station is called Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV and sits directly under Terminal 2, between the C/D and E/F concourses. If you land at Terminal 1 or 3, take the free CDGVAL shuttle to Terminal 2. Budget 20 minutes for the shuttle (not from the time you land).

When booking the train, ensure that you take the train directly from CDG (not one of the Paris proper stations). Going into Paris will practically cost you an extra 2 hours by the time everything is said and done (while online will say it takes less time to go into Paris, this is my personal experience doing this many times). If you ever do need to connect through the city, our guide to getting to and from CDG by train walks through the options.

Arrive in Strasbourg in the early afternoon. Check in to your hotel, drop your bags, and begin exploring Strasbourg’s eight Christmas markets! And note, definitely check your bags; the markets are too crowded for suitcases, and security does not like you bringing them into the markets. We began with Place Kléber, the closest to our hotel, and went from there.

If you are not too tired, go back out later in the evening after a brief hotel respite. The Christmas markets are completely different at night. More magical, more lights, and in my opinion, more exciting. If you are planning to have dinner at the markets, note the closing time. In my experience, the markets closed right when they say they will, and last call, for food and drink, was 15 minutes prior to closing.

For those visiting in 2026, Strasbourg has not yet released its 2026 market dates or opening hours. In 2025, Strasbourg’s Christmas markets were open daily from November 26 through December 24, with official hours from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (closing early at 6:00 p.m. on December 24). The official hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; some guides list a weekday and weekend split, but the chalets we visited kept the official hours. Strasbourg usually confirms the following year in early autumn, and I’ll update this post.

Day 2: Strasbourg, France, the Capital of Christmas

One full day on foot is enough to see all eight of Strasbourg’s Christmas markets, and you do not need a guided tour to do it.

On your first full day in Strasbourg, dedicate this day entirely to exploring Strasbourg and all eight Christmas markets. Be sure to visit the markets at Place Kléber, the Cathedral market (Place de la Cathédrale), and the Place Broglie market (aka the Christkindelsmärik). Those were my favorites. Fun fact, the Christkindelsmärik dates to 1570 and is one of Europe’s oldest Christmas markets. And, start early to beat the crowds. We started when the markets opened at 11:30 a.m. with no crowds. It was uncomfortably packed by noon.

This is also your day for general Strasbourg sightseeing, which I suggest you start early and buy tickets in advance if possible. I definitely recommend a Batorama 70 minute river cruise (covered and heated!), as well as a visit to Strasbourg Cathedral. We had done both before, so we skipped traditional sightseeing and opted for an evening food tour instead with Do Eat Better (not sponsored). The food tour covered our dinner, and we ended with a vin chaud for our walk home.

Day 3: Colmar, France

Colmar is a 30 minute train ride from Strasbourg, and its six Christmas markets fill an easy full day.

The following day, take the train from Strasbourg directly to Colmar, France. Trains leave throughout the day. We booked our tickets the same day via the SNCF app, but you can also buy them in advance. We purchased same day tickets at €30 round trip per person.

Once in Colmar, you can easily walk from the train station into the heart of town in around 10 minutes to experience its six Christmas markets. This small town is truly charming, and you will likely want to spend the entire day. Don’t miss the giant Ferris wheel in the center of town near the Gourmet Market. It offers the best views of Colmar, and you can even buy a package that comes with a bottle of Crémant d’Alsace to drink on the Ferris wheel! Take the train back to Strasbourg whenever you are ready.

Have dinner in Strasbourg, or swing by one of its Christmas markets for a snack.

For those visiting the Colmar markets in 2026, with the exception of the Gourmet Market and the Place Rapp Christmas fair, the markets are open daily from November 23, 2026 to December 29, 2026. Their hours are 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Markets are open Christmas Eve (11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), Christmas Day (10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.), and December 26 (10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

The Gourmet Market and the Place Rapp Christmas fair are open November 23, 2026 to December 30, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., December 31, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and January 1, 2027 to January 3, 2027 from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Day 4: Basel, Switzerland

Basel is 1 hour 20 minutes from Strasbourg by direct train, and its three market squares take about half a day.

The following day, take the train directly from Strasbourg to Basel, Switzerland. While not in the EU, Switzerland is in the Schengen area, so there are no routine passport checks on the train or any sort of “border control” on arrival. However, it is NOT in the EU customs union, so customs officers do occasionally stop passengers and duty-free limits apply in both directions. As such, readers should still carry their passport. Switzerland further has its own currency, the Swiss Franc. You can use your credit card almost everywhere in Basel, so you probably don’t need any actual Swiss Francs. If you do, many vendors will accept euro, albeit at a poor exchange rate.

The ride is 1 hour 20 minutes; we paid €30 round trip per person in second class. We purchased our tickets the evening prior, and we may have saved some money if we had purchased them earlier. It was an easy train ride. Once in Basel, walk about 10 minutes to visit its charming Christmas markets, which are located on Barfüsserplatz, Münsterplatz and Claraplatz. These areas are easy to find from the train station. In total, there are roughly 150 stalls, or “chalets” to visit in Basel.

We only spent five hours in Basel, including a sit down lunch, as we found there was less to see than in Colmar and Strasbourg due to its smaller markets. That being said, I am very glad we went, and we also enjoyed an amazing Swiss fondue lunch while in town at Baracca Zermatt, a pop-up version of a restaurant near Zermatt. And, Basel serves its mulled wine in real ceramic mugs!

We returned to Strasbourg with enough time to visit the markets for last minute shopping. If you stay longer in Basel, or even overnight, Basel has a modern shopping street, with numerous high street shops if you are looking for gifts that can be used year-round.

For those visiting the Basel markets in 2026, the markets are open November 26 to December 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., closing early on December 23 (Barfüsserplatz at 8:00 p.m. and Münsterplatz at 6:00 p.m.).

Day 5: Paris Christmas Markets

Take the 2 hour TGV from Strasbourg into Gare de l’Est, then spend the afternoon and evening at the Tuileries Christmas market.

The following morning, and your 5th day of the trip, take the train back to Paris directly from Strasbourg. This time, however, instead of going to the airport, go directly into Paris to Gare de l’Est. The train is 2 hours. We paid €90 per person in second class, although you can probably get a better fare buying early (we bought about 2 weeks in advance).

On arrival, we checked into our hotel before setting off to explore the Tuileries Garden Christmas market, officially known as La Magie de Noël aux Tuileries, which is the best known market in Paris. This market, in my opinion, is a little more kitschy than those in Alsace and not nearly as nice or cute. That being said, the Christmas market was nice to visit and would certainly be fun to visit if you cannot make it further East to the more traditional Christmas markets.

I also suggest walking around Paris and seeing its magical Christmas decorations, including the large department stores such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. The major sites will also be decorated for Christmas at this time of year. You really can’t go wrong!

If you have more time in the city, we have a full long weekend in Paris itinerary, a photo tour of Paris in the off season, and a write-up of our Montmartre food tour. For a proper sit down dinner, we are still fond of Le Grand Colbert.

For those visiting La Magie de Noël aux Tuileries, it was open from November 15 to January 4 in 2025/2026 (2026/2027 dates not yet out) from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

Day 6: Travel Home

Fly home from either CDG or Orly.

Pro tip, bring some fresh macarons home from Pierre Hermé at CDG Terminal 1. While pricey, they kept well for us for about three weeks (my personal experience, just let them warm to room temp before eating).

What We Ate and Drank at the Christmas Markets

One of the most fun things about Christmas markets is eating and drinking all of the local foods. I certainly did not try everything, but we did our best. These were some of our personal favorites.

Vin Chaud AKA Glühwein AKA Mulled Wine

Warm, spiced wine, often available in both red and white, served in plastic cups in France, but adorable ceramic mugs elsewhere. You can find this everywhere at all of the Christmas markets. We drank countless glasses of this during our trip. A perfect beverage for warming up.

Note, Strasbourg and Colmar (and the Alsace markets in general) serve mulled wine in plastic cups instead of the more traditional ceramic mugs. If you are looking forward to coming home with a stack of Christmas mugs, this is not the trip for you.

A Sausage on French Bread Topped With Raclette Cheese

Just like it sounds. This dish had a bit of a viral moment in 2025, and we simply had to try one. We found ours at the Place Kléber market. The dish was quite tasty, but incredibly filling. I tried to find just the bun filled with Raclette cheese (which was kind of viral in 2025), but only saw it once during our trip at the Barfüsserplatz market in Basel. I was unfortunately too full to try it.

Tarte Flambée

A thin, rectangular pizza (although the one in the pic is round), traditionally topped with fromage blanc, onion, and bacon, incredibly popular in Alsace. These were everywhere in Strasbourg and Colmar. Much harder to find in Paris (unless you try the Alsatian market in Gare de l’Est). I am a huge fan of this dish.

Crepes

You cannot go to a French Christmas market without a crepe! Try both savory and sweet. My personal savory favorite is ham and Emmental cheese, and sweet is Nutella and Banana.

Bretzel

Pretzels, especially those topped with cheese and other things, are incredibly popular at Alsatian Christmas markets. Bretzels are usually one of the more budget friendly options one can eat.

Spätzle

Spätzle is an egg-based pasta served with cheese, kind of similar “to mac and cheese.” Sometimes served with meat or topped with parsley, it is all over the Place Kléber market.

Sweet Bread Treats

The Alsatian markets are full of sweet bread-based treats. Think gingerbread men, cakes without frosting, and the like. We tried a few different options. All were good and very festive, but these were not as sweet as one would expect in the US (for better or worse).

Bombardino

Bombardino is an Italian Alpine drink and unusual at Alsatian markets. We had one in Strasbourg at the Cathedral Christmas markets. It cost €6 with a shot of espresso (apparently the espresso is not traditional).

Chocolat Chaud

If mulled wine is not for you, chocolat chaud, or hot chocolate, is easy to find at the Christmas markets, and it’s also served in the Christmas market plastic glasses or mugs. We had a great one with Chantilly whipped cream in Colmar.

Crémant d’Alsace

This is a sparkling wine from the Alsace region, more popular here than Champagne and much more reasonably priced. My favorite place to enjoy a glass is on the Colmar market Ferris wheel.

Champagne and Oysters

In Paris only, huîtres (oysters) and Champagne! The Paris markets offer Champagne and oyster bars, which is a fun touch that differentiates them from other markets in France.

What to Wear to the Alsace Christmas Markets

First off, the weather. We were extremely lucky and experienced temperatures in the low 50s Fahrenheit, with evening temperatures only dropping about 10 degrees. I understand this was unseasonably warm. While warm, we received a decent amount of rain our first two days, which I understand is common. I also note that it gets dark at this time of the year around 4:30 p.m., which is great for Christmas lights but means that you only get the benefit of a few hours of sunlight.

Second, the vibes. Christmas markets are casual. Locals wear casual clothes (by European standards anyway, not American standards) and loads of families come to the market together. Jeans and a sweater are totally fine. I would point out that unlike in the US, athleisure is neither popular nor common. Similarly, locals were not wearing any sort of Christmas themed attire, including “tacky Christmas sweaters.” Leave those at home for your US Christmas party.

For outfits, Dan and I both wore jeans or pants (black for me and khaki for him) on the bottom. This was plenty warm, especially paired with the warm socks we brought. For tops, we both wore sweaters daily. I layered another shirt under my sweater for extra warmth, which I stopped doing due to the warm weather (again, not normal).

For jackets, we both brought our winter parkas, which have hoods and are waterproof. This was very helpful the one evening it was cool and rained, but they were too warm every other day. I often carried my jacket around, which was kind of annoying.

For shoes, wear something comfortable that you can stand in for hours, extra points if they are also waterproof. While you may not do a ton of walking at the Christmas markets, you do a lot of standing. There are very few seats available, and most dining spaces are standing only around a small table. You will be standing in your shoes a lot. I wore Blundstone Original High-Top Boots. They are waterproof (truly, from experience) and pretty comfortable (not as cute as I would like though!). Dan wore water repellent Allbirds without issue.

For the rain, bring waterproof disposable ponchos. The markets are largely uncovered and there is little space to hide from the rain. Umbrellas are also not a great choice due to the crowds. Also, bring more socks than you think you will need. If socks get wet, they are done.

Other notes, bring a cross body bag, you will want both of your hands free to hold food and mulled wine. Also, bring gloves, a scarf, and a winter hat. These are easy layering pieces that you can easily carry around in a purse.

Finally, bring a disposable shopping bag for your purchases. Several of the bags I was provided by vendors were not of good quality or not properly sized, making them difficult to carry around.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in 3 hotels over this trip, 2 in Strasbourg and 1 in Paris. We split the hotels up this way because we both had Citi Travel credits that we needed to use, and the voco was not available all 4 days. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize this until we booked the first two nights.

voco Strasbourg Centre – The Garden (IHG)

A functional IHG hotel a 10 minute walk from Strasbourg station, with small rooms and a very good basement spa.

The first hotel we stayed in was the voco Strasbourg Centre – The Garden (IHG). This hotel is located a 10 minute walk from the train station. This is great for arrival and departure, as well as day trips in and out of Strasbourg. I liked this hotel, but the room was tiny and breakfast cost extra. That being said, it has spa facilities in the basement, including a heated pool and a hot sauna. This more than made up for the small room.

Hôtel Les Haras

The nicer of our two Strasbourg hotels, a converted estate a 20 minute walk from the train station with its own spa.

The second hotel in Strasbourg was Hôtel Les Haras. This hotel was much, much nicer, more of an estate than a hotel. It is located a 20 minute walk from the train station, or a 7 minute drive. The hotel is its own complex, providing privacy and security (although Strasbourg is very safe in my experience). Like the voco, Les Haras also has lovely spa facilities in its basement, including a room temperature pool and a hot sauna.

La Fantaisie

A colorful, garden themed hotel in central Paris that we booked through AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts.

Our final hotel was in Paris, La Fantaisie. We found this hotel through AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts, as we had another credit to use. This was a particularly good option, as with Fine Hotels and Resorts you only need to stay one night to use the credit. La Fantaisie is truly a fantasy hotel, done in a colorful garden-esque theme located in the center of Paris. This is a perfect hotel for a couples’ getaway or a girls’ trip to Paris.

Christmas Market Itinerary Quick FAQ

How many days do you need for the Alsace Christmas markets?

Five days on the ground is the sweet spot, which is what this itinerary does. Two full days in Strasbourg, one in Colmar, one in Basel, and one in Paris. You could compress it to three days by cutting Basel and Paris, but you’d be rushing Strasbourg, and Strasbourg is the reason you came.

Do I need a rental car for this itinerary?

No, and I’d actively discourage one. Every city on this route is on the rail network, Strasbourg’s centre is pedestrianised during the markets, and parking is a nightmare in December. We did the whole trip on trains and our own feet. A car only makes sense if you’re adding the smaller Alsace villages.

Should I add Riquewihr, Eguisheim or Kaysersberg?

Only if you have a car or a spare day for a tour. These villages are genuinely lovely and smaller than Colmar, but several run limited schedules. Kaysersberg’s market, for example, operates on select weekends rather than daily, and Riquewihr ends before Christmas. Public transport to these towns is slow or nonexistent. We skipped them to give Strasbourg the time it deserved, and I don’t regret it on a quick trip.

Do I need cash at the Christmas markets?

In France, less than you’d think. Most stalls accept credit cards, though a few smaller ones are cash-only and some cup deposits are cash. In Basel you’re dealing with Swiss francs, not euros. Cards are widely accepted in Basel, so you can realistically skip the ATM entirely. Some Basel vendors will take euros, but the exchange rate they give you is poor enough that it’s worth using a card instead.

What is the mug deposit at the Christmas markets?

When you order vin chaud you’ll pay a small refundable deposit on top of the drink price, returned when you hand the cup back. It was €2 in 2025 in Strasbourg and Colmar, and 3 CHF in Basel. The deposit varies by city, but all stalls in Strasbourg use the same type of mug (a plastic cup), and the Colmar stalls all use the same type of mug (a different plastic cup). As such, you can return your plastic glass (i.e., mug) to any stall in the city and get your refund back.

Are there security checks at the Christmas markets?

It depends on the market. In Strasbourg, we walked through an entrance with armed guards, but our bags were not searched and neither were we. We did not see any security in Colmar or Basel. We never took large bags into the markets (like a suitcase or backpack), but I have heard those will be searched or precluded entirely. As such, be sure to leave your luggage at the hotel.

When are the Christmas markets least crowded?

Mondays and Tuesdays. Strasbourg’s own visitor data shows peaks on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays in 2025, and Mondays and Tuesdays are consistently the quietest. Mornings beat evenings on any day. The markets open at 11:30 a.m. and the crowds build steadily until they’re shoulder-to-shoulder after dark. We visited Colmar on a Monday and while busy, it was comfortably busy with everything open but not insane.

Can you do the Christmas markets with kids?

Yes, we saw lots of families attending the Christmas markets. Everything is outdoors and walkable, there’s food every twenty metres, and Colmar’s market has a Ferris wheel that’s worth the ticket on its own. The two things to plan around are the early darkness and the cold. Build in indoor breaks, and the Batorama river cruise in Strasbourg is covered and heated, which makes it a genuinely good warm-up stop rather than just a sightseeing box to tick.

Can you do the Christmas markets with dogs?

Absolutely. We saw so many doggies having so much fun! They must be leashed and know that it will be crowded. Seeing all the dogs was one of my favorite parts!

More winter Europe from us: Hogmanay in Edinburgh, Assisi at Christmastime, and, if Europe is not happening this year, the Christmas markets in Quebec City.

Steal Our Trip

SNCF: This is the website of France’s train lines. You can purchase tickets here. I suggest downloading the app on your phone so that you can easily pull up your tickets on the train.

Strasbourg Christmas markets: This is Strasbourg’s official website on its Christmas markets. Go here for official information on open hours, rules, etc.

Colmar: English website with practical information about its Christmas markets.

Basel: Basel’s official website concerning its Christmas markets.

voco Strasbourg Centre – The Garden (IHG): 9 Rue des Magasins, 67000 Strasbourg, France.

Hôtel Les Haras: 23 Rue des Glacières, 67000 Strasbourg, France.

La Fantaisie: 24 Rue Cadet, Paris.

Batorama Strasbourg: 18 Pl. de la Cathédrale, 67000 Strasbourg, France. Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in December (hours vary by month and can be found on the Batorama website, linked). Covered and heated, so it operates year round.

Strasbourg Food Tour: We took this food tour, which is offered year round at a cost of €89.95 a person. The price included all food and drinks.

Baracca Zermatt: This is the main restaurant’s website. I do not know if the pop-up will return to Basel this year. I will update this post if I find out otherwise.