Where to Stay for Christmas Markets – Colmar vs Strasbourg

Why Stay in Strasbourg for Christmas Markets

Strasbourg is quite a large city for the region and offers a great variety of cuisine, bars, attractions, and more. From a convenience aspect for all things, Strasbourg comes in strong, as there really was a wealth of businesses we would’ve checked out if we had more time. (A few wine bars we wanted to visit were, unfortunately, closed on the day we visited. Darn!)

The Christmas Markets here also had a wide array of vendor types, from artisans to cuisine, and we thought there was perhaps just a bit more variety than in Colmar- particularly for handmade crafts.

Finally, Strasbourg is conveniently located on major train lines and is perhaps just a bit easier to reach than Colmar, which could require a transfer depending on where you are heading. When we left Colmar to head to Munich, for example, we had to transfer back in Strasbourg for an extra stopover.

So if you like big city amenities and easy access, Strasbourg comes in strong.

Why Avoid Strasbourg During Christmas

To us, one element about Strasbourg that caught us by surprise is simply that it doesn’t have the same charm as Colmar or other small towns nearby. Yes, they have the iconic “gingerbread houses” here and there, but after you see them in Colmar and other nearby towns, you’ll likely realize that Strasbourg has more conventional European architecture than anything else.

Perhaps the biggest downside to Strasbourg during Christmas is the security in Old Town, where all the markets are located. Every entry has manned checkpoints, and security is likely to search every bag entering. Yes, your luggage, and maybe even your personal items like purses. We heard from friends who stayed here that it was quite an extra burden they weren’t expecting.

Although the line moved quickly for us as we were some of the first people off our train into the city, we did see it fill up quickly, and it felt like just an extra headache all around that is best to avoid with luggage if you can. Coupled with the crowds, you can see why we decided to take a train in despite having a rental car– the extra burden on travel logistics is hard to ignore.

Why Stay in Colmar for Christmas Markets

The perks of staying in Colmar for the Christmas Markets are many. The town has numerous gorgeous markets to visit, is immensely walkable, and has some absolutely stunning architecture that you will see in all of our photos here. You won’t go wanting for the famous architecture here!

While we could make similar arguments for why Strasbourg is also great, we have to admit that we liked Colmar even more. It just feels that much more quaint and beautiful, perhaps in a somewhat smaller package as well, and we were here for it.

If you like food, the gourmet market by the Ferris Wheel had some truly delicious booths- a perk for staying in Colmar to enjoy this one multiple times!

If you are planning to visit Strasbourg for its market from Colmar, particularly via train, it almost felt like a reverse commute as well. During our visit, more folks took day trips into Colmar as opposed to day trips into Strasbourg (friends recounted standing room only trains going to Colmar and back, whereas we easily found seats in the reverse). Your mileage may vary here, especially as it gets closer to Christmas and on weekends, but it was just an observation we noted during our journey on the trains.

• Planning to go wine tasting while in Alsace? We found that more of our favorite wineries in Alsace were closer to Colmar as well. So if you have a car and want to explore wine regions, this is an extra point for staying in Colmar.

Why Avoid Colmar During Christmas

With its slightly smaller size, you’ll certainly notice the crowds in Colmar more, particularly on weekends and holidays. During our weekend visit in early December, Colmar was packed shoulder to shoulder everywhere we looked, whereas Strasbourg had a bit of breathing room, however minor that may be. We did notice that weeknights were a bit calmer in Colmar, but it was still busy all the same- so if you could time your visit during the week, you’re going to be in a slightly better spot here.

Next up, given its popularity, Colmar is quite expensive during the holiday season. We stayed outside of the city center (across the train tracks), which helped save some money, but those wanting to stay in the epicenter can expect a fairly expensive booking all the same.

On the food front, if you want to eat at a restaurant in Colmar, you’ll do well to book reservations far in advance. Almost every restaurant we saw was either completely full for bookings, or had incredibly long lines outside. Many patrons were even queuing up before restaurants opened! The Christmas Markets always had easy access to more food options, of course, but getting a proper restaurant meal in Colmar can be tricky during the holiday season without advanced planning.

Likewise, given that the city is smaller, traffic can also be quite busy. Although there are no security checkpoints as we saw in Strasbourg, we found that staying just outside of the old town was also a good idea for us because we could avoid Christmas market traffic, which was quite substantial, particularly on the weekends.

We hope this breakdown has helped you get an idea of whether staying in Strasbourg or Colmar is right for you, and no matter where you stay, plan to visit both cities and enjoy their excellent Christmas markets!

To book a room in Strasbourg, click here to book a hotel and here to book an Airbnb. To book a room in Colmar, click here to book a hotel and here to book an Airbnb.

Did you stay in Colmar or Strasbourg for Christmas markets in Alsace? Comment below to share what you thought about your choice!