Published by Jeremy.
Disclaimers: We use demographic data, email opt-ins, display advertising, and affiliate links to operate this site. Please review our Terms and Conditions for more information. This website is intended for those of legal drinking age in your jurisdiction.
If you are planning a trip to go wine tasting in Alsace, you will likely be thinking about where to make your base, as the region itself is quite large.
We went back and forth on whether we wanted to stay in Strasbourg, in the north, the smaller city of Colmar, to the south, or find an even smaller town somewhere in between. We were visiting both in tandem with Christmas markets during the holidays (which have special considerations we'll get into later), and really struggled with the best choice of where to stay.
Ultimately, we settled on Colmar, and we were quite glad that we did- it was the perfect location for wine tasting and Christmas markets!
What Wineries Are You Looking to Visit?
Perhaps the first, and most important, determining factor in choosing where to stay in Alsace for wine tasting is deciding which wineries you wish to visit. If you do this first, a clearer picture of where to stay follows.
The wine region runs from northwest of Strasbourg all the way to a fair bit further south of Colmar. Considering these two cities are almost an hour apart by car, you really can do yourself a favor simply by picking a base that is, naturally, closer to the wineries you are looking to try.
Of the six wineries we visited, five were located within a 15 to 20 minute drive of central Colmar. Only one, Albert Seltz, was located further north, and even there was only at about the halfway distance between Colmar and Strasbourg (while still being slightly closer to Colmar overall). So in our three days of wine tasting, we saved a fair bit of time starting in Colmar every day as otherwise we would have had to tack on an extra 20, 30, 40+ minutes driving each way.
Less time driving, more time enjoying the region- a perfect combination if there ever was one!
That said, we can't say Colmar is the best base 100% of the time, because it depends on which wineries you want to visit. If you are attracted to wineries towards the north near Strasbourg, well, the same logic applies- you may want to consider staying in Strasbourg. Planning around the driving logistics could swing towards either place rather quickly, and we can't really argue against that logic.
Big City Vibe or Smaller Town Feel
One element of exploring Alsace that we quickly noticed was that Strasbourg had a fairly different feel from Colmar or other smaller towns we visited, like Ribeauville.
To us, Strasbourg is a major French city. It has more traditional European architecture, more restaurants, more wine stores and bars, easier long-distance train access, and more amenities overall. We wish we could've stayed longer to try out more restaurants and wine bars, as our day trip really only allowed for a sampling. But, at the end of the day, it felt like any other city to us.
The smaller towns and villages, like Colmar, Ribeauville, and others, are where things start to get quaint in all the best ways. Yes, Strasbourg is also home to the famous regional house designs (the “gingerbread houses” as we've heard others call them), but you'll see way more of them elsewhere in Alsace. So if ambiance and mood are important to you, that warrants getting out of Strasbourg and staying elsewhere.
Colmar was a nice compromise as it was still fairly large to offer amenities, but while being smaller and having an excellent ambiance. Other towns like Ribeauville were even more picturesque, but for us, were perhaps a bit too small for amenities we wanted after wine tasting all day. So we kept those for visits on day trips (which, in Ribeauville's case, we visited several times as it was home to two wineries we visited- Trimbach and Cave de Ribeauville).
Admittedly, we still would've been just as happy staying in Strasbourg if the winery logistics played out any differently. But there is one other notable concern that we should discuss in more detail- visiting during the Christmas market season is a lot of fun, but can also be a pain!
A Final Caveat About Holiday Visits
So far, we really haven't had a major downside to share about any of the locations in Alsace when visiting for wine tasting. We loved Colmar. We loved Strasbourg. In all honesty, the proximity to wineries is by far the biggest factor in deciding between the two- except if you are visiting during Christmas.
Christmas in Alsace is, well, special. Chaos, even. Take the normal level of busyness you expect in a popular tourist region and multiply it by 10. There is a reason why the markets in Alsace are among the most popular in the world, and the crowds come in droves.
During this time, and especially so on weekends, Strasbourg, Colmar (which had our favorite markets), and every small town with a Christmas market become inundated with visitors. We couldn't even visit some Christmas markets in the more rural towns because parking was just that crazy, and we only got to check out a few others because nearby wineries let us keep our car in their lot after a tasting. It is wild how many people show up for the markets! (So, if you want to check out more rural towns for Christmas markets, perhaps book a day tour.)
So if you are visiting during the holiday season, we have a few extra considerations to note.
Strasbourg, for example, had gated security around most of the old town. Security personnel check bags for everyone entering and leaving the historic center, and we've heard from friends that it was especially frustrating when visiting with luggage after arriving at the train station. We got through security just fine after leaving our train, but we did note the line got pretty long shortly thereafter- we were one of the first ones through.
Likewise, car traffic into either town center can be quite heavy. We stayed on the outskirts of Colmar (across the train tracks) during our stay, and even took the train up to Strasbourg with the express purpose of avoiding driving in city centers. If you are visiting during the holidays, it is critical to plan around traffic and parking logistics. If there is a Christmas market, expect crowds, crowds, more crowds, and, on weekends, even more crowds, and that's all there is to it. Staying on the outskirts, at a rental with dedicated parking, really did wonders for our sanity.
But we suppose we would also make one final note that is a bit tangential to crowds- the price. Staying in a major town center during the Christmas season is also quite expensive, and you may do well by sacrificing proximity to the town center with a longer walk and a slightly cheaper hotel or apartment rental. We did, and, honestly, the 15-20 minute walk to the city center in Colmar every day was worth it to save a bit of money and have an easier time with our car when going wine tasting- a win-win, really.
Although we really enjoyed Colmar, and have the highest of praise for it as a base, when it comes down to it, choosing where to stay in Alsace for wine tasting still really depends on the wineries you are going to visit. So find a base that has easier driving logistics, keep tangential concerns (like Christmas markets) in mind if visiting over the holidays, book your trip, and have a great time!
Where did you stay in Alsace when going wine tasting? Comment below to share!
To book an Airbnb in Colmar, click here. To book an Airbnb in Strasbourg, click here.