Dan and I got engaged in Colmar, France in October 2016. Located in the Alsace region in France (only 30 minutes from the German border via car), Colmar is a picture perfect European town, the town Disney is said to have based Belle’s village on (seriously, you cannot deny this). It is also, arguably, the most magical Christmas town in Alsace. Colmar hosts six absolutely adorable Christmas markets every holiday season. We finally visited in early December 2025 as a day trip from Strasbourg, as part of our first trip to the European Christmas markets. This post shares everything about Colmar’s Christmas markets.

Is a day trip to Colmar worth it?

Yes, absolutely! We took the train from Strasbourg, and it couldn’t have been easier. Trains generally run 1 – 3 times per hour, at a cost of around 15 euro in second class each way (for a total round trip of around 30 euro). We booked the day-of travel and had no issues buying a ticket or finding a seat. That being said, we day tripped to Colmar on a Monday; I imagine it could have been a lot crazier on the weekend.

Colmar Christmas Market 2026 Dates and Hours

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 AM to 7:00 PM Monday to Thursday, and 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Markets are open Christmas Eve (11:00 AM to 5:00 PM), Christmas Day (10:00 AM to 8:00 PM), and December 26 (10:00 AM to 8:00 PM).

The Gourmet Market and the Place Rapp Christmas fair are open slightly longer, from November 23, 2026 through January 3, 2027 daily from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, including New Year’s Eve (closing early at 5:00 PM) and New Year’s Day.

This is all according to Colmar’s official Christmas Market website.

Colmar’s Christmas markets

Colmar hosts six traditional Christmas markets as of 2026:

1. Place des Dominicains;
2. Place de l’Ancienne Douane;
3. Place Jeanne d’Arc;
4. Petite Venise;
5. At the Koïfhus (handicraft market); and
6. the Gourmet Market.

It also hosts a “Christmas fair” on Place Rapp, which is a small carnival of sorts with children’s rides, Christmas decorations, and food stalls.

Each of the six markets, as well as the Place Rapp Christmas fair, is free to enter.

Getting to and from Colmar’s Christmas Market from Strasbourg

The Train

The easiest way to reach Colmar is to take the train. Colmar has only one train station, Gare de Colmar, which offers TGV services to Paris, and TER Grand Est regional trains to Strasbourg, Basel, Mulhouse and the wine-route villages (including Turckheim, another adorable town).

We took the train from Strasbourg. Trains run 1 to 3 times per hour depending on time of day, and the ride is around 30 minutes. We purchased tickets day of for 30 euro per person, round trip, second class. You can often save money buying tickets in advance. If you are planning a longer trip, our 6-day European Christmas market itinerary shows how we fit Colmar in with Strasbourg, Basel and Paris, all by train.

Once you arrive in Colmar, you can easily walk from the train station to the center of Colmar, where the markets are clustered. The walk takes approximately 15 minutes on flat ground. If you need a GPS location, set it for “Petite Venise”. This brings you to the heart of Colmar and its Christmas markets.

Getting between the markets in Colmar

While Colmar has six distinct markets, the markets largely run together and you often walk between them without even realizing you are entering a different market.

Two exceptions are the Gourmet Market, which is entirely food, and the Koïfhus market, which is located inside the Koïfhus building.

One other exception is the Place Rapp Christmas fair, which is located on Place Rapp, a 10 minute walk from the train station en route to the heart of Colmar.

Colmar’s Christmas decorations

Colmar goes all out for Christmas. It does not just host the Christmas markets, the entire town is decorated for the holidays. There are Christmas lights everywhere. Stores and restaurants decorate their windows with Santas and stuffed animals. You will see loads of Christmas trees. Even the bridges in town are decked out for Christmas. It’s pretty crazy, and magical. A Christmas lover’s dream.

What to buy at Colmar Christmas markets

Tourists can wander through Christmas markets without any pressure to buy. I found Colmar’s markets to be selling items very similar to those sold in Strasbourg, including lots of Christmas ornaments, pottery, mass produced imports, and sweet and savory snacks. Every stall we visited took card, but bring some cash for the smallest vendors.

For the best and most authentic souvenirs, visit the indoor Koïfhus handicraft market for actual Colmar-made goods and souvenirs.

What to Eat and Drink in Colmar’s Christmas markets

Food

Colmar’s Christmas markets offer all the classic Christmas market fare, as well as the unique Gourmet Market. The Gourmet Market in Colmar is a Christmas market dedicated entirely to delicious food. Located near the Ferris Wheel, the Gourmet Market offers nine stalls from nine real chefs selling full meals, including things such as oysters, Alsatian specialities, truffle risotto, and foie gras. Definitely visit the Gourmet Market if you are hungry in Colmar. Prices are often more than your standard tarte flambée, but still reasonable. Below are some pictures of certain Gourmet Market menus from 2025 with prices for reference.

In addition to the Gourmet Market, I enjoyed a delicious tarte flambée at the market directly next to the Gourmet Market. The tarte flambée cost between 10 and 14 euro, depending on toppings. The below is the Gratinée for 12 euro. We further split a pretzel (or “bretzel”) for 2.50 euro. Prices were generally the same across all Colmar markets.

Drinks

The classic drink at Colmar’s Christmas markets is, of course, mulled wine. It is served throughout town, at all of the markets. In Colmar, like in Strasbourg, mulled wine is served in a plastic cup that is branded “Colmar L’âme de Noël”. The deposit for the cup was 2 euro in 2025, which you get back if you turn in your cup to any stand in all of Colmar. And yes, you can really turn in your cup to any stall selling mulled wine in Colmar and receive the deposit back. If you want to keep your cup, just keep it and forgo the deposit.

While Colmar and Strasbourg are (in)famous for serving mulled wine in plastic cups, Colmar does have one stall selling ceramic Christmas mugs, which, in 2025, were red and shaped like a boot. These were used at the Carousel Bar located in the Place Rapp Christmas fair. These are for purchase only; no deposit. Don’t miss them!

Also in the Place Rapp Christmas Fair is delicious hot chocolate, which is served with or without Baileys and Chantilly cream.

What makes Colmar’s Christmas markets unique?

Three things stand out in my mind that make Colmar unique – the adorable town itself, its Ferris Wheel, and its Carousel Bar in the Place Rapp Christmas Fair.

Colmar, the town itself

First, Colmar is insanely adorable at all times (even without Christmas decor), easy to navigate, and welcoming. You can truly spend a few hours just walking around and taking in the adorableness. Unlike some other towns that dedicate a select area for Christmas markets and go about business as usual otherwise, Colmar goes all out. I don’t think there is a part of town that is not decorated. The insane level of Christmas vibes put Colmar over the top.

The Ferris wheel

Colmar’s Ferris Wheel, which is only open during the holiday period, is another really fun thing about Colmar! Taking it gives views of the entire town. The cost per person is 10 euro. Dan and I splurged and opted for the VIP ticket, which costs 80 euro and includes an entire bottle of Crémant d’Alsace with glasses to drink on the Ferris Wheel. Don’t worry – you can take the bottle to go if you don’t finish the wine on the Ferris Wheel. This package is generally meant for 4 adults, but you can do it with two.

The Carousel Bar

If you know me, you know I LOVE a spinning bar or restaurant. And, lucky me, Colmar has one at its Place Rapp Christmas Fair. The bar is a former carousel and is currently outfitted with a bar in the center and bar stool seating around the carousel. You can buy drinks from the bar to take away, or sit at the bar and enjoy. And bonus, the Carousel Bar is one of the few places that serves drinks in a ceramic mug! Prices for drinks were similar to elsewhere in Colmar, and you do not have to buy a ceramic mug to have a drink here. A picture of the prices in 2025, which I personally took, is below for reference.

When To Go to Colmar for the Christmas markets?

I had heard that Colmar’s Christmas markets are insanely busy, to the point they were kind of miserable. We did not have this experience at all. We visited on Monday, December 8, 2025 during the day and while busy, it was not insane and we could easily move around Colmar and never felt too crowded or overwhelmed. Lines were manageable. This contrasted sharply with our experience on a Sunday in Strasbourg, so I think Monday is an excellent time to visit.

How long to stay at the Colmar Christmas markets?

We arrived in Colmar around 11:00 AM and stayed until about 4:00 PM. This allowed us time to explore all of the markets, as well as the Christmas fair, eat lunch, and ride the Ferris Wheel, which is located right in town. We felt like we had plenty of time, although I, of course, could always stay longer.

What to bring to the Christmas markets in Colmar?

We were incredibly lucky and weather was in the mid-50s Fahrenheit (~12–13°C) during our visit. That being said, it can be very cold this time of the year. As such, my biggest recommendation is wearing layers and comfortable shoes. There is minimal seating at Colmar’s Christmas markets, as most tables are standing only, and you will not likely have a break unless you eat at a sit down restaurant.

In addition to layers and comfortable shoes, I recommend bringing the following:

1. Credit cards;
2. ATM card or euros;
3. Camera/phone (you WILL want to take pics);
4. A back-up phone charger (the pics will run down your battery);
5. A plastic bag to carry home your used mulled wine glass (so wine remnants do not spill all over your things);
6. A rain poncho or umbrella;
7. Gloves; and
8. Sunglasses.

Where to Stay in Colmar

We stayed in Strasbourg and day-tripped to Colmar for the Christmas markets. However, on a previous visit, we stayed at Hotel Turenne in Colmar. It was a fine hotel in a fine location; nothing too fancy, but nothing too bad either. For the two Strasbourg hotels we used as our base in 2025, see where we stayed on our Christmas market itinerary.

Colmar or Strasbourg?

Ah, Colmar or Strasbourg. The classic Alsatian Christmas market question. We stayed in Strasbourg, solely for ease of travel between it and CDG airport in Paris (where we flew in from EWR). Both cities are wonderful, and given that they are only 30 minutes apart, you should try to see both, doing one as a day trip from the other. For a further comparison, I am writing an entire post on which is better. Stay tuned.

Colmar Christmas Market FAQ (2026)

When is the Colmar Christmas market in 2026?

The Colmar Christmas markets run from November 23 to December 29, 2026, and the Gourmet Market and Place Rapp Christmas fair stay open through January 3, 2027.

What are the Colmar Christmas market hours?

The markets are open 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday to Thursday and 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Friday to Sunday, while the Gourmet Market and Place Rapp Christmas fair are open 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily.

Is the Colmar Christmas market open on Christmas Day?

Yes, the markets are open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on December 25 and 26, 2026, and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Christmas Eve.

Does it cost money to enter the Colmar Christmas market?

No, all six Colmar Christmas markets and the Place Rapp Christmas fair are free to enter.

How do you get from Strasbourg to Colmar for the Christmas market?

Take the TER regional train, which runs 1 to 3 times per hour and takes about 30 minutes; we paid 30 euro per person round trip in second class, buying our tickets the same day.

How long do you need at the Colmar Christmas market?

About five hours is enough to see all six markets and the Place Rapp Christmas fair, eat lunch, and ride the Ferris Wheel.

What is the best day to visit the Colmar Christmas market?

A weekday is best; we visited on Monday, December 8, 2025 and it was busy but never overwhelming, unlike our Sunday in Strasbourg.

How much is the mulled wine cup deposit in Colmar?

The cup deposit was 2 euro in 2025, and you can return your cup to any mulled wine stall in Colmar to get it back.

How much does the Colmar Ferris Wheel cost?

The Ferris Wheel costs 10 euro per person, or 80 euro for a VIP ticket that includes a bottle of Crémant d’Alsace to drink on the ride.