Colmar Christmas Market TourAlsace Day Tour From Colmar: 4 Wonders of Alsace
- 8 hoursDuration
- 4.9 · 654Reviews on GetYourGuide
- From $151per person
- Free cancellation 24hCancellation
Quick answer Price, length, stops at a glance
This Alsace day tour from Colmar costs $151 per person, lasts 8 hours and visits Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg by minivan with at most 7 guests. It holds a 4.9 rating from 654 reviews, the most reviewed village day trip in this guide.
Key takeaways
- The wine tasting at the cave and lunch are extra, so budget for both on the day. See what the price covers.
- In December the village markets open on different days, so the date decides what you meet. Check the market table by day.
- If you want the tasting included and a Christmas framing, compare the Enchanting Christmas Villages Tour at $145.
- This page is part of the guide to the Colmar Christmas market, which compares market walks and day trips side by side.
Sold and operated by Alsace Original Experiences. Booked and paid through GetYourGuide. We may earn a commission if you book through our link, at no extra cost to you. Compare all Colmar Christmas market tours
This Alsace day tour from Colmar spends 8 hours on the wine route with stops at Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg, all in an air-conditioned minivan of at most 7 guests. It suits travellers who want the villages without driving, and anyone pairing a village day with time at the Colmar Christmas market. The ride costs $151 per person, runs in English or French with a live guide, and includes pickup and drop-off in Colmar. A wine cave tasting is available to buy on the spot rather than included, and lunch is a break, not a meal. This page explains what the price covers, how the day runs, and which village markets are open on the day you pick. Compare it with the other Christmas markets in Colmar.
About This Tour
The 4 Wonders of Alsace Day Tour runs a full loop from Colmar through the wine route villages. You ride a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan with a local guide speaking English or French. The route stops at Eguisheim first, then the Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr region, then Kaysersberg, whose fortress stands above the town. A stop at a typical wine cave offers Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot noir and more, paid on site if you want it.
The price is $151 per person for 8 hours, and pickup and drop-off in Colmar are part of it. Groups are small, with the listing capping participation at 7 and the minivan at 8, and a minimum of 2 people per booking. A lunch break is scheduled around noon, but no food is provided, so bring money for a café or bakery in one of the villages.
$151 per person. Covers the guide, the minivan, a bottle of water and pickup and drop-off in Colmar.
8 hours in total, including the drive between villages.
A selected meeting point in Colmar, departing from the historical center. Confirm the exact spot with the provider after booking.
Daytime departure. Starting times are shown on the booking page. The tour itself is not Christmas themed, though in December the villages hold their own markets.
Small group, limited to 7 participants, with a maximum of 8 per minivan and a minimum of 2 per booking. Not a private tour.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, booked through GetYourGuide.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times vary, so check the calendar for your date. Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.
The Day Step by Step
The listing gives the order of the day but no clock times, so the steps below use phases rather than a timetable.
-
Meet
Pickup in Colmar
Meet at the selected meeting point in Colmar, departing from the historical center. Check availability for starting times and confirm the spot with the provider after booking.
-
Drive
The Alsace Wine Route
Ride the air-conditioned minivan through vineyards and small villages, with photo opportunities along the way.
-
First village
Eguisheim
The first of the four wonders, a circular village counted among the most beautiful in France.
-
Second stretch
Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr
Drive and visit in the region that gives these two wine villages their reputation.
-
Tasting
Typical Wine Cave
An optional paid tasting of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot noir and more. Time at the cave is not stated.
-
Around noon
Lunch Break
A break is included around noon, but no food is provided, so buy your own meal. Where it falls in the route is not published.
-
End
Kaysersberg and Return
The fortress dominates the city at the last stop, then the driver brings the group back to Colmar with drop-off included.
A typical wine cave visit, with an optional tasting of Gewurztraminer that you pay for. Photo: Michal Osmenda, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Price Covers
The $151 covers the vehicle, the guide and the Colmar transfers. Food, tips and the tasting sit outside it. Lunch is not in the price. No food is provided during the tour, only a break around noon.
Included, Extra and Not Included
The table below splits what is in the price from what you pay for on the day.
| Item | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local guide | Yes | Live guide in English or French |
| Bottle of water | Yes | Bottle of water included |
| Pickup and drop-off in Colmar | Yes | Contact the provider after booking if your accommodation is far from a pickup location. One reviewer reports a $11.13 (€10) surcharge for a hotel about 3 km outside Colmar |
| Lunch | No | No food is provided, only a break around noon |
| Wine cave tasting | No | Available to purchase at the stop, with Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot noir and more |
| Museum or entry fees | No | Any fees are paid separately |
| Gratuities | No | At your discretion |
The Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr region is part of the drive, with Riquewihr set among its vineyards. Photo: JopkeB, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Book It If, Skip It If
Book it if
- you want the most reviewed village day trip, with a 4.9 rating from 654 reviews
- you want all four villages, Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg, covered in one 8-hour loop from $151 per person
- you prefer a minivan of at most 7 guests over a coach crowd
Skip it if
- you want the tasting included and a Christmas framing, then the Enchanting Christmas Villages Tour at $145 fits better
- you use a wheelchair, because the tour is not wheelchair accessible
- you travel solo, since a minimum of 2 people per booking applies
Strengths and Trade-offs
An honest read of the listing, including the points where it asks something of you.
What we genuinely like
- The most reviewed village day trip in this guide, with a 4.9 rating from 654 verified bookings
- At most 7 participants and a maximum of 8 per minivan, so no coach crowds at the stops
- All four named villages in one 8-hour loop with pickup and drop-off in Colmar
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, and reserve-now-pay-later booking
The honest downsides
- The wine tasting is not included, it is bought at the cave, so the headline price understates the real cost of the day
- No lunch, only a break around noon
- Stop times per village are not stated, so you cannot know in advance how long you get in Riquewihr or Kaysersberg
- One reviewer reports a $11.13 (€10) surcharge for a pickup about 3 km outside Colmar, so confirm your pickup spot after booking
- A minimum of 2 people per booking applies, and solo travellers cannot book it
Who it's NOT for: If you want the tasting included and a Christmas framing on the same four-village route, book the Enchanting Christmas Villages Tour at $145 instead.
Before You Go
A few practical points decide how smooth the day is: the pickup spot, the season's dates, and money for the extras the price leaves out.
Dates That Matter
The tour is not a Christmas-only product. If you want the village markets on top of it, the window runs from 27 November to 20 December for Riquewihr and Kaysersberg, to 30 December for Eguisheim, with Ribeauvillé on 5-6 and 12-13 December only. The Christmas markets in Colmar themselves run 23 November to 29 December, which matters if you plan market time around your tour day.
Money and the Euro
The tour is priced in dollars at $151 per person, but your extras on the day are in euros. The tasting, lunch and any market purchases are paid locally. The European Central Bank reference rate stands at 1 EUR = 1.1130 USD for converting as you go.
Pickup, Rules and What to Bring
Pickup is in Colmar, and the listing tells you to contact the provider after booking if your accommodation is far from a pickup location. One reviewer reports a $11.13 (€10) surcharge for a hotel about 3 km outside Colmar, so confirm your exact pickup arrangement when you book. Children must be accompanied by an adult and unaccompanied minors are not allowed.
The tour is not wheelchair accessible. No minimum age is stated. Bring money for extra water and lunch, comfortable shoes for cobbled village streets, and cash or card for the tasting.
If you drive into Colmar that morning, the covered Rapp and Gare/Bleylé car parks are open 24/7.
Source: European Central Bank.
How the Tour Runs
The day is a single loop from Colmar with four village stops and a wine cave in between. The listing gives the order of the stops but no clock times beyond the lunch break around noon, so the table shows the sequence rather than a timetable.
The Route in Order
Pickup happens at the selected meeting point in Colmar, departing from the historical center. The minivan then follows the Alsace wine route through vineyards and small villages, with photo opportunities along the way. Eguisheim comes first among the four villages.
The drive continues into the Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr region for the second visit, and the wine cave stop sits in this stretch of the day. Kaysersberg closes the circuit, with its fortress above the town, before the driver returns you to Colmar.
| Part of the tour | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup in Colmar | Not stated | Selected meeting point, check availability for starting times |
| Wine route drive | Not stated | Vineyards and small villages, photo opportunities |
| Eguisheim | Not stated | First of the four villages |
| Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr region | Not stated | Drive and visit |
| Wine cave stop | Not stated | Optional paid tasting of Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot noir and more |
| Lunch break | Around noon | No food provided, buy your own |
| Kaysersberg | Not stated | Fortress overlooks the city |
| Return to Colmar | Not stated | Drop-off included |
The Villages One by One
Which of the four villages gets the most time is not stated in the listing. The order is clear, the minutes per stop are not, so plan around the shape of the day rather than a fixed schedule in each town.
Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé on Video
A look at Riquewihr and Ribeauvillé, two villages on the Alsace Wine Route. Third-party video by Tourist Friend. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Which of the Four Villages Gets the Most Time
The listing names no minutes per stop, so the honest answer is that Eguisheim, Ribeauvillé, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg each get a visit and the split depends on your guide and the day's pace. What you can plan is what each village offers in the time you have there.
What Each Village Is Known For
Riquewihr is described as a perfectly preserved 16th-century village, an open-air museum, so even a short stop fills itself with the streets alone. Kaysersberg is dominated by its castle and sits between vineyards and forest, and the tour specifically points you to the fortress that overlooks the city. Eguisheim is a circular village, one of the most beautiful villages in France according to the listing, and its round layout means you are never far from the center.
Ribeauvillé is visited together with Riquewihr on the route and shares the region's wine reputation.
Source: Alsace Tourism.
The day follows the wine route through vineyards and small villages. Photo: Nicolas Torquet, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Christmas Markets Around It
This tour does not bill itself as a Christmas market product and names no markets in its stops. In December, though, the four villages carry their own markets, and the Colmar Christmas market itself runs through the season at either end of your day.
Colmar Before or After the Tour
The six markets of Colmar run from 23 November to 29 December, open Monday to Thursday 11:00-19:00 and Friday to Sunday 10:00-20:00. They hold about 180 stalls across Place des Dominicains, Place de l'Ancienne Douane, Place Jeanne d'Arc, the children's market in Petite Venise, the Koifhus craft market and the Gourmet Market. An evening in Colmar after an 8-hour village day is an easy pairing, and a 2-hour guided market walk at $23 shows you the town and its markets.
What the Villages Offer in December
Each stop on this route has a market of its own with its own calendar, and the days matter more than the dates. Kaysersberg opens Friday to Sunday only. Ribeauvillé's medieval market runs on just two weekends.
Riquewihr has dates but no published hours. Eguisheim is open almost daily.
Source: Colmar Magic of Christmas.
Village Christmas Markets by Day
The same tour meets a different set of markets depending on the day of the week you book. This table gathers the official dates and opening days for the four villages so you can see the consequence before choosing a date.
Dates, Days and Hours
The figures come from the Colmar and Region tourist offices. Riquewihr's hours are not published on the official page, so none are printed here.
| Village | Market dates | Days and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Eguisheim | 27 Nov - 30 Dec, closed 24, 25 and 26 Dec | Every other day. Fri-Sun 10:00-19:00, Mon-Thu 12:00-19:00 to 10 Dec then 10:00-19:00 from 14 Dec |
| Kaysersberg | 27-29 Nov, 4-6, 11-13 and 18-20 Dec | Friday to Sunday only, 10:00-20:00 |
| Riquewihr | 27 Nov - 20 Dec | Hours not published |
| Ribeauvillé | 5-6 and 12-13 Dec | Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-18:00 |
What This Means for Your Booking
Book a Friday, Saturday or Sunday within their dates and Eguisheim, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr are all open, and on 5-6 or 12-13 December Ribeauvillé joins them. Book a weekday early in December and Kaysersberg and Ribeauvillé will be closed, leaving Riquewihr and Eguisheim. If markets are the point of your day rather than a bonus, Christmas in 4 Alsatian Villages visits the same four villages with a guide.
Sources: Tourist office, Eguisheim, Tourist office, Kaysersberg, Tourist office, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr.
Reaching the Villages Without a Tour
You can reach these villages from Colmar without a tour, and in December there is a shuttle network built for exactly this route. Weigh the fares and the coordination against the $151 and the single vehicle of the tour.
The Christmas Shuttles From Colmar Station
From 27 November to 20 December, Christmas shuttles run from Colmar station to the same villages this tour visits. Lines 1 and 2 serve Kaysersberg, Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr on Friday to Sunday at $18.92 (€17). Line 3 serves Eguisheim Monday to Thursday at $8.90 (€8) and Friday to Sunday at $18.92 (€17).
Tickets are sold online only, on sale from midday on the day the sale opens, with extra tickets released 3 days before travel. Children under 12 ride free but need a ticket.
What the Tour Saves You
A shuttle day means matching market days and shuttle lines, buying tickets the moment sales open, and building your own sequence across four villages. By car you need to find village parking. The tour bundles the routing, the guide and the transfers into one booking, with a minimum of 2 people per booking and no more than 8 per minivan.
If you prefer to keep your own schedule, the shuttles do the job. If you want one decision and one vehicle, the tour does it.
What Travelers Said
Dider was very considerate for the safety of the group given there were 1 senior who needed more attention at times. The wine tasting was fabulous in my opinion. Very well worth the time and money to do this trip.
Didier is very knowledgable, very helpful, very fun and all together a superb guide. He always answered questions very throughly and always kept an eye on our safety. I also recommend this itinerary.
We enjoyed our tour! Lot of fun. Highly recommended
Our guide Laura was wonderful and so accommodating. It was a lovely day trip.
Questions About This Tour
How much does this Alsace day tour from Colmar cost?
It costs $151 per person for 8 hours, with the wine tasting, lunch, gratuities and any entry fees paid separately. Compare it with other village day trips from Colmar.
Is the wine tasting included in the $151?
No, the tasting at the wine cave is available to purchase, covering Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot noir and more. If you want the tasting inside the price, the Enchanting Christmas Villages Tour includes wines at a cellar in Ribeauvillé.
Does the tour include the Christmas markets?
The tour names no markets among its stops, but the four villages hold their own markets in December on different days, which the market table by day sets out. The Colmar Christmas market itself runs separately from 23 November to 29 December.
Where does the tour start and how do I get to the pickup?
Pickup is at a selected meeting point in Colmar, departing from the historical center, and one reviewer reports a $11.13 (€10) surcharge for a hotel about 3 km out, so confirm with the provider after booking. The old town is closed to vehicles during market hours, which affects driving to a pickup.
What is the most beautiful town in Alsace on this route?
The listing calls Eguisheim one of the most beautiful villages in France and describes Riquewihr as a perfectly preserved 16th-century open-air museum, so beauty is split across the stops. Each village's character is set out in the village section.
Is it better to do Alsace by tour or by bus?
In December the Christmas shuttles from Colmar station reach the same villages from 27 November to 20 December, at $18.92 (€17) Friday to Sunday on lines 1 and 2 and $8.90 (€8) Monday to Thursday on line 3 to Eguisheim. The tour saves the ticket hunt and the sequencing, as covered in reaching the villages without a tour.
What happens if the tour is cancelled?
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If the minimum number of participants is not met or the tour cannot run, you are offered a different date or experience or a full refund. See the availability and booking details.
What are the best winery tours in Alsace?
From Colmar, this 4 Wonders of Alsace day tour at $151 per person includes an optional paid tasting at a typical wine cave with Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Pinot noir. Shared wine tours also depart from Colmar, and multi-day breaks such as Essential Colmar offer tastings at several estates plus village visits. Most wineries sit far from train stations, so a tour or car is the practical way to reach them.
What not to miss in Colmar?
The six Christmas markets across the old town are the headline, with about 180 stalls at Place des Dominicains, Place de l'Ancienne Douane, Place Jeanne d'Arc, Petite Venise, the Koifhus and the Gourmet Market, running 23 November to 29 December. A 2-hour guided market walk at $23 covers the town and its markets, and free walking tours of 2 to 2.5 hours with morning starts from 10:00 are another option.
Compare with
Christmas Markets Across 3 Borders
One day, three countries: Christmas markets in Germany, Switzerland and France from Colmar in a small group of up to 7.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Alsace Original Experiences
Enchanting Christmas Experience
A small group of 7 maximum with hotel pickup, three market villages in one day and a Ribeauvillé wine cellar tasting included.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Alsace Original Experiences
The Magic of Christmas in 4 Alsatian Villages
A 7.5-hour small group of no more than 8 people covering four Christmas villages with door-to-door pick-up from Colmar accommodation.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- OneDay Explorer
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure