This castle is located at the very top of the mountain. We had to drive all the way up and then…read morewalk about 10 minutes to reach it. It's so high that, during the day we visited, we could see the clouds below us. We did a self guided tour, which was fun, going from room to room. Definitely a must see if you're in the area. Even though this castle is in France, it has a distinctly German vibe. It was originally built in the 1200s by the Roman Empire, which covered parts of what is now Germany.

We had a great time touring the castle. Definitely try to head towards the top of hill for parking…read moreas it is a fairly steep walk. Although tons of cars, it wasn't really that crowded inside the castle. €12 each. Beautifully restored with interesting features! A nice visit when in Alsace region.

Great steep hike up to castle. You can climb the additional restored steps of castle for amazing…read moreviews of area. We loved the climb, but may be sore tomorrow!!!

Breathtaking and stunning, you can see Château de Kaysersberg perched high above the city centre of…read moreKaysersberg. We did an evening self guided stroll through this small picturesque town and the evening shadows were beginning to appear which made photo taking a little more difficult. Yet nonetheless, the town is quite the quietest during the evening, so you can linger a little longer at the magnificent castle above x

A ruined castle, we discovered Château du Wineck on a whim, and the only way to get there is by…read moredriving through the wine country on a dirt path. We parked our car near the sign on the side of the road and walked our way up the hill. Surrounded by vineyards, the château was standing by itself, and we were the only visitors there which I loved as the location itself if an old ruin and quite secluded. Enchanting, mysterious, and took me back to the early 1300's, I imagine this was once a ground where the keeper must have been a baron.

Not far from Colmar you will find this castle. Sitting at 620m along the mountain border between…read moreAlsace and Lorraine. Although being a bit up on a hill, you can get and park pretty close to it. It'll be only a few minutes of walk. Of course you could park further away and make it a hike AND a visit to the castle. The entrance costs a fair 7 Euros for adults. You even can bring your dog with (except in the museum). We were happy to bring along our Bulldog. Staff was very nice and friendly. The chateau is quite big and impressive. Especially the walls are really huge and massive. The original Hohlandsbourg was built in 1279. Sitting here on top it was a very strategic important landmark. But in the last two centuries the Bourg was sadly deteriorating. Until it was saved in the 70s and restoration began in the 80s. And are still going on. There is lots of entertainment going on inside these walls. Many cater to kids. Not really our thing though. But we came for the architecture and the views. You can walk all along the castles walls. Impressive views from the top. Really a great thing to do. Quite remarkable that you're allowed to walk the whole way along the walls. All in all a good visit. If you're in the area surely worth a trip. At a fair price, it needs a lot of manpower and money to keep this castle in good shape.

If Colmar is the prettiest town in the region of Alsace, then Eguisheim is definitely the prettiest…read morevillage. And that's even quite official: Eguisheim has been ranked as "One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France" since 2003 and won the title of "France's Favourite Village" in 2013 on a TV show. And one can easily see why. After you drop your car on the massive parking lot just at the entrance of town (east-side) you'll find yourself in a fairy-tale style old village where time seemed to have stopped a long time ago. The whole village is easily walkable. Be sure to start with the "ring"-walk leading around the whole village through the nicest streets and lanes. All cobbled. Countless shops and restaurants along the way. Yes, it is very popular with national and international visitors, but there are really some good shops with high quality products. Built in 1257 Eguisheim has an endless number of beautiful and colourful old buildings and houses. When you walk along the outer ring, you really could stop every few seconds to admire the amazing architecture. After doing the ring-walk you should also walk around the center. The Château de Saint-Léon-Pfalz, Fontaine de Saint-Léon, Chapelle Saint-Léon IX, Presbytère Catholique and more sights can be found here. Along with even more restaurants to sit down and watch the world go by. A visit to Eguisheim is not complete without doing some wine tasting. For Eguisheim has many wineries. It is impossible to check them all out in one day - you'd be driven away in an ambulance if you attempt to do so. We chose the "Wolfberger" winery. Regular red, white and rosé. But also Crèmant (sparkling wine - on par with Champagne quality-wise), liquors and dessert wine. Free tasting (a flight of three) even. Get your hands on one of their Rosé-Crèmants. Tasty. Eguisheim. A real highlight on our 5-week Road Trip through France. We'll be back this spring. Can't wait.

Eguisheim--what a remarkably charming medieval French village! It is a popular tourist…read moredestination, in part because the Alsace "Wine Route" passes the village. Its circular town formation is for both protection and commerce purposes. Unlike some other medieval fortified towns I'm familiar with this town was formed by connecting houses and businesses to form a circular town formation. Eguisheim is a medieval village in France's Alsace wine region. The narrow, concentric streets of its old town are lined with many preserved half-timbered houses. The central Château Saint-Léon dates back to the first part of the 13th century. The castle was built by the Counts of Eguisheim and taken over by the Bishop of Strasbourg during the 13th century. An episcopal bailiff occupied it until the French Revolution (1789). It has been listed since 1903 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. The village is also known as a Village Cigogne d'Alsace (in Alsatian: Elsässisches Storckadorf), meaning that there are storks in the village. Eguisheim has a park dedicated to the white stork (Ciconia ciconia) which is freely accessible.

This is a great way to see the old town of Colmar - in a silent-running battery powered boat that…read moreruns along the back of the colourful timbered, gabled sloping-roof houses backing onto the river. The boats run almost constantly and you get tickets from a riverside pub - for me, it has been the highlight of more than one trip to Colmar - just remember to mind your head as you go under the very low bridges.

The "country town" of Colmar in Alsace is sweet and charming. The colorfully painted traditional…read morehouses, canals, displays and atmosphere cast a fairy tale spell over the town and is said to be the inspiration behind Disney's Beauty and the Beast. One of my companions remarked that Howl's Moving Castle is modeled after Colmar as well. So maybe you can get a picture in your mind. You must visit to see for yourself. The half-timbered houses, the cobblestone streets, the canals (Little Venice), the historic center -- this is a very lovely town and one of the highlights of our trip. Also, we visited in December and the Christmas markets were in full swing. I'm sure that summer would be a great time to visit, but Colmar is especially magical during the Christmas season. Be prepared for crowds.

Taking a break from the big cities, Colmar is a charming gem in the Alsace region of France…read more Arriving a few days before the Christmas markets start, I find the hotel I'm staying at and the town itself busily building up it's appearance. It's a seasonal thing. But do they really need to? The town is like a medieval setting in a Disney movie! The architecture of timbered wood, houses with pointy roofs and even little nooks with Disney characters is amazing! This town has all levels of dining establishments: fine dining to snack nooks. It's the combination of French and German influences that make this region different from others in France. I just visited the Musée Underlinden. It's impressive for the Triptyque altar pieces on display. A surprise is the size of this museum (quite large!) as well as a Claude Monet piece and other better known French artists. The Petite Venise neighborhood is filled with canals which have flatboat rides cruising down the waterways. 5-star picturesque! If you happen to travel to Eastern France, I highly recommend a stay in Colmar. It's one of the nicest small towns I've seen in my travels!

Dating back as far as 1235, the Collégiale Saint-Martin was build on the site of a previous…read morebuilding. It is one of the oldest and most imposing Gothic-style churches in the Alsace region. It was the seat of the bishopric of the Haut-Rhin district during the French Revolution, which did see the interior stripped and taken elsewhere. Still, the outside of this imposing church remains. Note the interesting roofing. The tower replaces a spire that was destroyed in a fire in 1572. [Review 21177 overall - 96 in France - 140 of 2024.]

This is a beautiful church. The roof is very pretty. There are nice gargoyles. You can walk around…read more It's pretty. It's also very popular and lots of people around.

Venice Italy is still 300 miles away and it doesn't really resemble Venice much other than the…read morecourse of the Lauch River (that feeds into the Ill). It is the picture postcard district of Colmar with restored timber homes and flowers and yes, lots of tourists all seeking that perfect selfie or Insta photo. Once you've seen it, you've seen it. From the marker, "The bridge over the Lauch marks the start of the Krutenau, a community united around the memory of Martin Stockmeyer: this boatman, nicknamed the 'Hercules of Colmar', was in February 1791 responsible for the victory of the Revolution in the face of an uprising of the aristocratic party. The road owes its current name to the marshal Turenne, who used it in 1674 for his solemn entry at the head of 800 cavalrymen. The picturesque line of old houses, which are accessible by small boat, is the reason for the name 'Little Venise'." I think the restaurants are a little more expensive in this neighborhood but you'll find that they all have menus in French and English and German and probably Spanish and others. It's all about the visitors in this part of Colmar. Don't miss the "Ski Tree." I'm not sure if that's a seasonal thing. [Review 21180 overall - 99 in France - 143 of 2024.]

This is a very touristy and pretty place. It looks like something out of a postcard or movie. It's…read morereally busy with tourists from everywhere. You can see swans also.