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If you wonder what to do and what to see in Alsace at Christmas, this is your post.
Below, we show you, after our two trips to Alsace, our 20 favorite plans, which for more details you can click on the photo and see everything about that plan in a new detailed post. Plans to do and see in Alsace at Christmas or even in summer. They serve the same for most plans.
We travel as a family with our 7 and 9-year-old children and our motorhome as a means of transport and accommodation, so if you also have children or a motorhome, think that all our plans are designed and adapted for this. Although, if you do not have children or a motorhome, they will serve you absolutely the same 🙂
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They are all plans to travel to Alsace at Christmas that you will be delighted with!
This post is part of our super guide to travel to Alsace at Christmas that we have prepared for you with all our experience and where you will find tips, prices and costs, maps and even routes to visit Alsace at Christmas that will help you plan your next trip.
If what you want is to forget about organizing your route, save time and headaches, you can hire us to set up and organize your route and trust our experience in the area. Hire it here:
Map what to see in Alsace at Christmas
Before discovering the 20 essentials that we advise you to see in Alsace at Christmas, we want to show you the complete map that we made with all the places of interest and interesting towns in Alsace at Christmas to see.
This interactive map is the one that helped us to develop our last route to Alsace at Christmas and can help you finish designing your route and plans for your trip to Alsace at Christmas.
In it you will find the villages of Alsace at Christmas that have markets, the most beautiful villages in France, the main museums, castles and leisure attractions in Alsace.
Video Alsace at Christmas for the best destinations
Map of the main Christmas markets in Alsace at Christmas
We also leave you here the official tourism map of Alsace where you can see the main Christmas markets on the map.
The 20 essential plans to do and see in Alsace at Christmas
Below, now we do show you what for us are the 20 essential plans to do and see in Alsace at Christmas.
1 Traveling to Alsace at Christmas means starting at the Alsace Ecomuseum in Christmas mode
If you want to learn about the most deeply rooted traditions of Alsace, learn about its origins and have a great time, you must come to this museum. A piece of advice, it is a good starting point for your route, since in it you will be able to discover many things that will later be of use to you on your trip.
The Alsace Ecomuseum is a recreation of an Alsatian village from a couple of centuries ago. You will find different buildings with the traditional trades of the area, with actors and workshops for the little ones in the house. From an old pharmacy, the haberdashery, a train station, the church and even a castle, among many other buildings.
The visit is really worth it. In addition, at Christmas all the buildings are decorated for Christmas and the workshops are totally Christmas. A good place to discover the most authentic Alsatian Christmas traditions.
A piece of advice, check on the website of the Ecomuseum Alsace opening hours and days before you go. In winter they are not open every day, only for the Christmas school holidays they are open daily, but only on weekends.
One last tip if you buy the tickets online they are cheaper than there physically, the savings are not much, but something is something. For the family pass for two children and two adults, it costs 49 euros online and 50 euros there.
The ecomuseum has a car park without services for motorhomes and campers where they allow overnight stays and it is a two-minute walk from the entrance.
2 Visit the Christmas capital of Alsace: Strasbourg at Christmas
Strasbourg is home to the largest number of Christmas markets in Alsace. Do not miss those markets or its Cathedral or stroll through Little France. No wonder it calls itself the capital of Christmas.
Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace and one of the capitals of the European Union, with various institutional buildings. Strasbourg at Christmas is also the capital of christmas of Alsace and France, since this is where the oldest Christmas market in France, and one of the oldest in Europe.
Available various Christmas markets. Around of the cathedral The most prominent is located, but there is also the Christmas market of the Rohan Palace of traditional foods of the region, the market of the Marche-aux-Poissons square, the Mlargest ercadillo in Strasbourg, around the Place Broglie, the one of Plaça Kleber de ONGs and with the ice skating rink, etc.
If you do not want to miss any of the markets and especially if you want to know them from the hand of a local guide who will tell you all the secrets of the city, we advise you to hire the Free Tour that you can book here Strasbourg, free and a guided tour of Christmas Strasbourg that you will love!
Finally, you should know that its markets are open from the end of November to December 30 and that they close on weekdays at 20:21 p.m. and on weekends at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.
Where to spend the night in Strasbourg by motorhome
Strasbourg does not have a motorhome area, however, a neighboring German town, Kelh, has two and by tram you can reach the center of Strasbourg in 20 minutes.
3 Enjoy the best Christmas food market in Obernai
If what you are looking for is a market with good French and Alsatian cuisine, this is your Christmas market in Alsace.
4 Visit the Fairytale Castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg
The reconstruction of this Alsace Castle made it possible for one of the most beautiful and fairytale castles in France to be visited inside and out today.
5 Drink spaced mulled wine to warm the soul and hands
The blan to drink vin chau, mulled wine with spices is a must at any of the Christmas markets in Alsace at Christmas.
6 See the Christmas fir trees hanging from the ceiling of Sélestat Cathedral
The city of Sélestat is famous for hosting a World Heritage Site, its historical library. But at Christmas it is also famous for its cathedral full of fir trees hanging from the ceiling, an Alsatian tradition that is preserved here.
7 See the small town of Bergheim, one of the most beautiful in France
If you want calm and tranquility in a fairytale town, this town is one of the least crowded with people and has a beautiful Christmas market.
8 Enjoy the medieval Christmas market in Ribeauvillé
Ribeauvillé is beautiful, but it is also the medieval emblem of Alsace at Christmas. Of course, its market only works the first two weekends of December only.
Ribeauville is our next stop on this route through Alsace at Christmas. Ribeauville in Alsace is a beautiful town with a very special Christmas market and many activities on its streets during Christmas. There is no corner that does not give off Christmas magic. You'll love it.
Ribeauville is also known as the City of the Violinists, since in the past it was inhabited by many musicians and troubadours. And it is also known as the City of the Three Castles, due to Castle St-Ulrich, Castle Girsberg and Castle Haut-Ribeaupierre.
These strengths are found in the nearby hills and you can climb them, as long as you are in good shape, after completing a 6,50-kilometer route, or what is the same, three hours out and three hours back.
Ribeauvillé, a walled city, but, is above all is known for its medieval Christmas market held during the second and third weekends of December and in which he recreates the medieval period in detail with disguised characters and their great dragon. It is one of the most different Christmas markets in the area, however it only lasts for that couple of weekends.
Where to spend the night in Ribeauville in a motorhome
In Ribeauville there is a motorhome area so it will be easy for you to park and spend the night in this beautiful town.
Ribeauville Motorhome Area Coordinates: 48º 11´32.33´´ N / 7º 19´43.60´´ E
9 Discover another of the most beautiful villages in France: Hunawihr
Another of the most charming calm and quiet towns in Alsace at Christmas.
10 Send a Christmas card from Alsace
Sending Christmas postcards is a tradition, no matter how much e-mails want to replace it. Don't forget and send them from Alsace!
11 Stroll through the streets of the town that inspired Beauty and the Beast: Riquewhir, another of the most beautiful towns in France
A beautiful town that inspired Beauty and the Beast and that is decorated at Christmas as if you were in a story. Here do not forget to visit the Dolder Tower and in front of the Käthe Wohlfahr Christmas shop.
Riquewihr is one of the most beautiful villages in France and Alsace, or so they say. It is not for less. It is a beautiful walled town, with all its streets adorned with bright decorations, illuminated facades and monuments and its traditional Christmas market.
The Riquewihr Christmas market in Alsace is concentrated in Place Fernand Zeyer and the main street of the town. It is open every day during practically all of December, including weekdays.
Here you can try the famous mulled wine, buy some handicrafts or try typical sweets from the region, such as the bredalas, typical Alsace butter pastes.
Where to spend the night in Riquewihr by motorhome
Another town with a motorhome area although shared with the car park and difficult to park. In addition, it has a fairly well-priced municipal campsite and next to the campsite they put up a free parking lot for motorhomes at Christmas to park and spend the night, just behind the soccer field and next to the campsite.
Riquewihr motorhome area coordinates: 48º 9´58.05´´ N / 7º 18´6.18´´
12 Visit the Kayserberg Christmas market around its river
A beautiful place that is surrounded by mountains, vineyards and a river that make this town an essential visit at Christmas.
Kayserberg is a lovely little town. Kaysersberg, is a small municipality crossed by the Weiss river and located just over 12 kilometers from Colmar. In 2017 he was chosen as the Favorite town of the French.
An ideal place to include in your route through the Alsace, especially at Christmas, since it is one of the most beautiful and decorated cities in the region.
13 Discover the famous Turckheim advent calendar among its elf flea market
If you want to discover elves among Christmas stalls, this is your place. In addition, in its small Christmas market you will find the famous giant Advent calendar, where its new window opens every day at 17:XNUMX p.m.
14 Enjoy the beautiful and absolutely essential Colmar at Christmas
If there is a must on this route, it is Colmar. Summer or winter or at Christmas this city is beautiful. Its canals, half-timbered houses and decorated squares make Colmar a place to dream.
15 Stroll through the beautiful Eguisheim, the most beautiful village in France more than deserved
Another of the towns with which they were inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Don't miss the fountain square with its beautiful church and castle.
16 Visit the World Heritage Site of the Neuf-Brisach fortress
The UNESCO World Heritage fortified city is a historical and urban must-see in France.
17 Stop in Thann to see a quiet Christmas market around its pretty church
If you want a nice and quiet market in Tahnn you will find a perfect one around its beautiful church.
18 Enter one of Mulhouse's railway or automobile museums
Mulhouse is a large city with a lot of industry and perhaps not very pretty, but its many museums and its flea market in the center are a good visit to the south of our route through Alsace.
19 Eating typical things at the Christmas markets, a must when traveling to Alsace at Christmas
And so much flea market, it will surely whet your appetite. Do not forget to eat Manalas, brioche bread dolls typical of Advent or bredeles biscuits or spiced bread, among many other delicacies that you will find in the Christmas markets of Alsace at Christmas
20 Walk through the enchanted forest of Altkirch
Finally, a different place, Alkirch in the south of Alsace, where apart from a small Christmas market, its town becomes an enchanted forest decorated during these Advent dates.
