Waking up in the fairytale village of Colmar

♫ “Tale as old as time…” ♫ Do these words ring a bell? I am sure it does! It is the Grammy-winning famous song by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson for the movie Beauty and the Beast. I am sure you have watched the film at one point in your life, after all, it is a Disney classic. And for those of you who have not, you should probably get on that. I mean, it is only one of the best-animated classics of all time. Anyways, I am not talking about Beauty and the Beast because it's title song is one of my favorite songs of all time. I am bringing up Beauty and the Beast because Belle’s hometown was inspired by the villages of the Alsace region, where I visited this past winter break. When you walk the cobblestone streets through the colorful, half-timbered buildings, you cannot help but feel like you are in the traditional French fairytale world of Belle.

I am quite certain you have seen pictures of the Alsace villages, more specifically, Colmar, on one of those “World’s Most Beautiful Destinations” articles. At least that is how I discovered it. I was browsing through Facebook one day and an article popped up on my newsfeed, insisting I visit the picturesque town of Colmar. I fell in love and immediately started planning my trip and researching the city. Look at this place. It is so enchanting!

A brief historical/geographical background of Colmar: It is located in the Alsace region of France, near the border of Germany. The Alsace region was taken by the Germans twice during and around the time of World War I and World War II. Therefore, it was not very surprising to see the French and German cultures intertwining in the Alsatian's daily life. For instance, when dining in Alsace, I noticed the Alsatian cuisine incorporated both German and French flavors. I will get more into this in the food segment below. But first, let me share some of the best places you should see and experience!

Places to see in Colmar

I was able to walk the entire village of Colmar in a day. It is quite small and I believe the best way to experience this charming quaint town is by walking. I had originally wanted to visit Colmar during Christmas as it is known for its Christmas light decorations. I had seen several photos of the town, taken during the holiday season and it just looked like #ChristmasGoals. However, tickets from Paris to Colmar were kinda out of my price range during the holiday season so, I decided to wait until the holidays were over, and for prices to decrease. I was very lucky because even though I visited Colmar a week after the New Year’s celebration, the Christmas decorations were still up and the lights were still lit. You cannot even imagine how happy I was!

I believe that the winter holidays and springtime are probably the best times of the year to visit. During the holidays, all the Christmas decorations will be up and in the springtime, the whole town will be covered in flowers and the wineries would be open and running as well. That being said, just do not forget to hit up the following spots, regardless of when you decide to visit:

• The Old Town (refer to the 1st picture)
• Little Venice (the most picturesque spot in the village)
• The Tanner's district (where all the tanners worked and lived with their families in the 17th century)
• Musee d'Unterlinden
• Maison Pfister
• La Maison des Têtes (a very peculiar building with a facade of numerous carved stone heads; the restaurant, which is pretty pricey has been awarded Michelin stars)
• Collegiale Saint Martin de Colmar (main cathedral of the village)
• Maison Adolph (the oldest building in town, dates back to the 13th century)

What is the food culture like in Colmar?

When I was planning my trip to Colmar, I was clueless about Alsatian cuisine. I had no idea which restaurants to go to. I was planning on just winging it and being pretty much open to anything. And that is exactly what I did. Before I share the places the Mister and I dined at, I would like to mention the best known Alsatian dish- the sauerkraut. It is a mixture of fermented cabbage and different types of sausage -- pork mainly. Almost every restaurant offered this on their menu. Now back to my dining experience. I do not normally have a sweet tooth but this little cafe display of its sweets was difficult to walk away from. Unfortunately, I cannot recall the name of this sweets cafe but it was very charming and lovely.

In the evening, I had dinner at Restaurant Meistermann and everything from customer service to the food was simply excellent! I walked in not knowing I had to make reservations, but the restaurant manager was very kind to offer me a table.

The server was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant had a lovely atmosphere with some soft medleys playing in the background. I was even offered an appetizer on the house, which was a delectable assortment of smoked salmon! The Mister got a steak and it was one of the best steaks we have ever had. Very juicy and cooked to perfection. It was simply one of the best dining experiences of our lives. Certainly did not regret walking into this restaurant. We had a fabulous evening and we simply can't recommend this place enough.

Where to stay in Colmar?

Housing wise, the village of Colmar runs a little high. However, if you try to look into Airbnbs and hotels a little outside of the historic center, you are more likely to find better deals with more affordable spots. I was able to get an Airbnb approximately 25 minutes walking distance from the center of Colmar for 40 euros/night, which is a good deal. The average price is about 55- 60 euros. Our neighborhood was very quaint and peaceful. Here is an image I was able to capture of the colorful neighborhood. This picture was taken early in the morning from my Airbnb balcony:

Well, if you ever find yourself near the beautiful Alsace region, you should definitely explore the fairytale village of Colmar. I truly believe Colmar is the quintessential Alsatian town. I definitely cannot wait to visit again, hopefully in the not too distant future!