Alsace

1. 1

   Strasbourg Cathedral & Petite France

   Strasbourg’s Gothic cathedral took over 400 years to build and its single spire rises 142 meters — the tallest structure in the world until the 19th century. Inside, the 16th-century astronomical clock performs an automaton parade at 12:30 PM daily. The surrounding Petite France quarter is a labyrinth of canals and pastel half-timbered houses once home to tanners, millers, and fishermen. A boat tour on the River Ill threads beneath covered bridges and past the Barrage Vauban for unforgettable perspectives.

2. 2

   Colmar Old Town & Petite Venise

   Colmar’s remarkably preserved medieval and Renaissance center feels like an open-air museum of Alsatian architecture. Cobblestone streets are lined with painted half-timbered houses decorated with flowers, window boxes, and carved wooden signs. The Petite Venise (Little Venice) canal district is best explored by flat-bottomed boat or on foot along the quais. The Musée Unterlinden, housed in a former Dominican convent, holds the powerful Issenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald, one of Northern Europe’s most important artworks.

3. 3

   Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg

   Perched on a rocky spur 757 meters above the Rhine plain, this imposing medieval fortress was painstakingly restored by Kaiser Wilhelm II in the early 1900s to its 15th-century glory. The castle offers sweeping views across the Alsatian vineyards, the Black Forest, and on clear days, the Alps. Inside, rooms furnished with period weapons, armor, and painted ceilings evoke its turbulent history of sieges and sieges during the Thirty Years’ War. An essential half-day excursion from either Strasbourg or Colmar.

4. 4

   Alsace Wine Route

   France’s oldest wine route stretches 170 km through the foothills of the Vosges from Marlenheim to Thann, passing through over 70 villages and some of the country’s finest vineyard terroir. The route produces distinctive white wines — Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Muscat — plus the sparkling Crémant d’Alsace. Visitors can drive the route in a day, but spending 2-3 days allows for wine tastings at family domaines, lunch in village winstubs, and exploration of hilltop castle ruins. Cycling the dedicated paths between villages is equally rewarding.

5. 5

   Eguisheim

   Twice voted France’s favorite village, Eguisheim wraps in a perfect concentric circle around a central square with a fountain and the Château des Comtes. Its narrow streets are lined with colorful half-timbered houses covered in geraniums, and the entire 850-meter perimeter walk takes about 20 minutes. The village produces excellent Grand Cru wines and hosts a particularly atmospheric Christmas market in December. Located just 7 km from Colmar, it makes an easy day trip or a peaceful base for wine country.

Editor-curated picks carried over from our original guide. Where a full place guide exists, the card links to it.