Petite France
Petite France in Strasbourg is a UNESCO-listed medieval quarter with canals, boat tours, iconic bridges, and some of Alsace's best family-friendly food. A must-visit for families…
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🇫🇷Colmar
Colmar is Alsace's top family destination: a walkable medieval old town with canals, colourful half-timbered houses, great museums, and a legendary Christmas market.
Your family guide
Colmar with kids: canals, museums and Christmas markets
“Watch for locals carrying ladders in November—they're hanging lanterns for the Christmas market that turns this entire town into a snow-globe display.”
— San & Jo
Colmar looks like it stepped out of a medieval postcard. Tucked into the Alsace region of northeastern France, this town is packed with colourful half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and gentle canals that wind past flower-draped balconies. You'll find yourself stopping constantly to take it all in.
What makes Colmar so special for families is how compact and walkable it all is. The old town is almost entirely pedestrianised, which means you can let the kids lead the way without worrying about traffic. From the pastel houses of Little Venice to the grand Gothic towers of the Collégiale Saint-Martin, every corner feels like a new discovery. And yes, the Statue of Liberty connection is very real: the sculptor who designed it was born right here.
Colmar sits at a fascinating cultural crossroads between France and Germany, and that blend shows up everywhere: in the architecture, the dialect, the food, and the warm, generous spirit of the place. Whether you visit in summer for canal boat rides and sunny terraces, or in winter for one of Europe's best Christmas markets, Colmar delivers a genuinely special family experience.
Alsace, FranceNortheastern France
April to OctoberBest time to visit
Medieval old townFully pedestrianised
Best things to do
Best things to do in Colmar
Canal boat ride through Little Venice
La Petite Venise is Colmar's most iconic neighbourhood, where the Lauch River flows past pastel-coloured half-timbered houses draped in flowers. A slow boat ride along the canals is the best way to take it all in, and kids absolutely love being on the water with those colourful facades towering above them.
Go early morning for the best light and fewer crowds
30-45 minutes
Unterlinden Museum
Housed in a stunning former Dominican convent, this is one of the most visited museums in all of Alsace, drawing over 200,000 visitors a year. Its centrepiece is Matthias Grünewald's extraordinary 16th-century Isenheim Altarpiece, a genuinely jaw-dropping work of art that older kids and teens will find deeply impressive.
Pick up the family activity sheet at the entrance
1.5-2 hours
Toy Museum (Musée Jouet)
Set inside a converted cinema, Colmar's Toy Museum is a genuine treasure for families. It displays dolls, trains, cars, puppets, and games dating back to the 1800s, and younger children in particular will be wide-eyed at the sheer variety. It is one of those hidden gems that parents are quietly thrilled about too.
A perfect wet-weather backup plan
1-1.5 hours
Musée Bartholdi
Did you know the Statue of Liberty was designed by a man born right here in Colmar? The Musée Bartholdi celebrates sculptor Auguste Bartholdi with original works, scale models, and the fascinating story of how Liberty came to stand in New York Harbour. It is a genuinely engaging stop that gives kids a surprising connection to a monument they already know.
Spot the Liberty model in the courtyard before you go in
45-60 minutes
Collégiale Saint-Martin
One of the oldest buildings in Colmar and considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Alsace, the Collégiale Saint-Martin dominates the old town skyline. Step inside for a moment of quiet and let the kids look up at the soaring vaulted ceiling. It is free to enter and genuinely impressive even for the youngest visitors.
Look for the gargoyles on the exterior with your kids
20-30 minutes
Wandering the old town streets
Colmar's Vieux Colmar is a vast pedestrianised zone where every street brings a new architectural surprise. Look out for the Maison Pfister (built in 1537 with stunning Renaissance panels), the Maison des Têtes (adorned with over 100 sculpted heads), and the Koifhus customs house with its intricate decorative roof tiles. Make it a treasure hunt for the kids.
Count the sculpted heads on the Maison des Têtes together
2-3 hours
Colmar Christmas Market
Colmar hosts one of the most celebrated Christmas markets in Alsace, with hundreds of stalls set among illuminated half-timbered houses in the old town. The warm glow of the lights, the smell of vin chaud, and the festive setting create an experience families remember for years. If you can visit in late November or December, do not hesitate.
The market runs across several squares, each with its own theme
Half day to full day
Our verdict
How Colmar scores for families
Kids
The compact walkable old town, canal boat rides, Toy Museum, and picture-perfect setting make Colmar genuinely engaging for children of all ages.
Culture
Between the Unterlinden Museum, the Bartholdi connection, and centuries of French-German history layered into every building, the cultural depth here is remarkable.
Food
Tarte flambée, kougelhopf, and hearty Alsatian stews are crowd-pleasers, and the winstubs are welcoming to families. Picky eaters will find plenty of familiar options.
Nature
The canals and surrounding vineyards are lovely, but Colmar is primarily an urban experience. For hiking and outdoor adventure, the Vosges mountains are a short drive away.
Budget
Colmar is a popular tourist destination and prices reflect that, especially in peak season. That said, many of the best experiences, like wandering the old town, are completely free.
Planning your visit
How long should you stay in Colmar?
1
1 day
Day trip
You can cover the main highlights, Little Venice, the old town, and a museum, in a full day if you start early.
sweet spot
2
2 days
Sweet spot
Two days lets your family explore at a relaxed pace, visit two or three museums, take a boat ride, and actually enjoy the food.
3
3 days
Deep dive
Three days gives you time for everything in town plus a day trip into the Alsace vineyards or the Vosges mountains nearby.
Fun facts
Things to know about Colmar
The Statue of Liberty started here
Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty, was born right here in Colmar in 1834. The city has its own mini version of the statue, and the Musée Bartholdi shows the original scale models he used to plan one of the world's most famous monuments.
A house covered in 100 faces
The Maison des Têtes, built in 1609, is decorated with more than 100 sculpted heads of historical figures and fantastical creatures carved right into the facade. Looking for all of them is a brilliant game for kids, and nobody ever agrees on the final count.
French town, German soul, its own language
Colmar has changed hands between France and Germany several times throughout history. The result is a city with a unique dual identity: French street signs, Germanic architecture, and a local dialect called Alsatian that is entirely its own. It is a living reminder that borders on a map do not always match the culture of the people.
Taste Colmar
What to eat with your family in Colmar
Tarte flambée (flammekueche)
Kids love itLa Cour des Anges
Think of it as Alsace's answer to pizza: a thin, crispy flatbread topped with crème fraîche, caramelised onions, and smoky bacon lardons, baked fast in a wood-fired oven. Kids almost always love it, and it is the dish most families end up ordering twice.
Choucroute garnie
Local favouriteWistub Brenner
Alsace's most iconic dish is a generous pile of slow-cooked sauerkraut topped with sausages, smoked meats, and potatoes. It is hearty, warming, and deeply satisfying after a long day of walking cobblestone streets. Wistub Brenner serves a classic version right in the Little Venice neighbourhood.
Kougelhopf
Must tryLocal boulangeries throughout the old town
This sweet brioche-style bread, studded with raisins and almonds and baked in a distinctive ring mould, is the traditional Alsatian treat to pick up from a bakery for breakfast. It is not too sweet, which means even adults who do not usually go for pastries tend to love it.
Baeckeoffe
Safe choiceWistub Brenner
This slow-cooked stew of pork, beef, and lamb with potatoes and vegetables, braised in white Alsatian wine, is the ultimate winter comfort food. It was traditionally left to bake in communal ovens while families went to church on Mondays, and the smell alone is worth the visit.
French cuisine with a local twist
Local favouriteL'Atelier du Peintre
L'Atelier du Peintre is one of Colmar's most popular restaurants among locals and visitors alike, known for refined French cooking that uses seasonal ingredients. It is a lovely option for a slightly more relaxed family dinner after a full day of exploring.
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