Unterlinden Museum
Museum, Art Museum
Make the Isenheim Altarpiece your first major indoor visit, then explore the museum’s wider art collection if it interests you. Starting here leaves the afternoon and evening for the old-town Christmas markets.
Colmar Christmas Markets: A 2-Day Weekend
Colmar is small enough to spend a Christmas weekend on foot. Browse the old-town markets, follow the canals through Little Venice and step inside the Unterlinden Museum between evenings under the lights.
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Day 1 — Old Town
Day 1 — Old Town
Maison des Têtes
Attraction, Core Attraction
Look up at the carved faces on the facade as you walk towards the Dominican church. This is a brief architectural stop on the route, not a museum visit.
Église des Dominicains
Place of Worship, History Landmark
Step inside for Martin Schongauer’s Madonna of the Rose Bower. The square outside is one of the Christmas-market settings; return in the evening if you want to see its lights.
St Martin's Church
Place of Worship, History Landmark
The church sits at the centre of the old town, close to the decorated lanes around Place de la Cathedrale. Visit the interior, then continue towards Maison Pfister rather than doubling back through the shopping streets.
Maison Pfister
Monument
Pause at the painted facade and corner balcony, then follow Rue des Marchands towards the Koifhus. Several of Colmar’s best-known buildings sit close together here, so this part of the day works as one short walk.
Koïfhus
Monument
The old customs house and Place de l’Ancienne Douane form one of the main Christmas-market areas. Colmar’s main markets run 23 November–29 December 2026; browse the craft stalls before continuing south towards the canals.
Marché couvert
Marketplace, Market Shopping
Use the covered market for a food stop between the old town and Little Venice. It is the everyday market, with produce and regional food, rather than a separate Christmas event.
Little Venice
Attraction, Core Attraction
Follow the canal-side streets towards the bridges around Rue Turenne. This is a good final walk as the decorations light up; linger in the nearby Christmas-market area instead of treating the canals as a quick photo stop.
Day 2 — Canals & Bartholdi
Day 2 — Canals & Bartholdi
Musée Bartholdi
Museum
Begin the second day in the sculptor’s former home. The museum gives context to Bartholdi’s work beyond the Statue of Liberty and makes a compact indoor visit before another afternoon in the markets.
Museum of toys
Museum
A good choice for families or anyone who enjoys model railways and old toys. Make this your second museum if the subject appeals; otherwise use the time for the decorated streets and shops nearby.
Champ de Mars
Park, Park Nature
Take a short walk through the park towards Place Rapp, where the Christmas programme brings seasonal attractions. The park is a connection between parts of town, not the main reason for a winter visit.
Église Saint-Matthieu
Place of Worship, History Landmark
This former Protestant church adds another historic interior to the eastern side of the old town. Pair the surrounding streets with the food-focused Christmas stalls around Place Jeanne d’Arc.
Place des Dominicains
Public Plaza
Return to this market square after the daytime sights, when the church provides a backdrop to the stalls. It is a useful final stop for gifts and a warm drink without leaving the compact old-town route.
Optional extras
Optional extras
Musée Hansi
Museum, Museum Gallery
An optional indoor visit for illustrated Alsatian scenes and local imagery. Choose it if the prints and regional story appeal, or swap it for the toy museum; there is no need to squeeze every museum into the weekend.