When talking about the best places to visit in Alsace, everyone knows of the famous Colmar and Strasbourg. Here I share with you some smaller, cute, little towns which you should not miss when visiting the home of the storks.
Best Places to Visit in Alsace
1- Eguisheim
Listed among the most beautiful villages in France, Eguisheim stole our hearts from the moment we stepped foot on its narrow cobble stoned streets. A medieval village in the Alsace wine region, the old town is lined with many preserved half-timbered houses.
It is so pleasant to wander around the little village and admire the houses with geranium-bedecked wooden windows and balconies. The central square is also magnificent with its fountain, the Eguisheim castle and the colourful Saint-Léon-IX chapel.
Don’t miss exploring the ruins of the Three Castles of Eguisheim which date from the Middle Ages just a short drive away. In August, the village comes alive with its stork festival and wine growers festival.
2- Riquewihr
Riquewihr is another cobbled street medieval village on the Alsace Wine Route in eastern France dotted with half-timbered winemakers’ shops and tasting rooms. Had it not been for the quintessentially Alsatian architecture, I would have thought we were in the US from the overbearing American accent of the hugely American tourists.
Strolling past the colourful, bright, cheery houses while spotting storks above the rooftops, I can get why the filmmakers of Beauty & the Beast were inspired by this place to create Belle’s “provincial town”.
3- Ribeauville
Also situated between vineyards and mountains, Ribeauville is another charming town worth visiting – particularly as it has Gilg – my favourite patisserie.
Do not forget to visit the 3 fortified castles, the ruins of which still majestically dominate the town and surrounding hills to this day.
All three are accessible via a hiking footpath, on the mountainside:
- the Saint Ulrich castle (the oldest and the most important of the 3 castles)
- the Girsberg castle
- the Haut-Ribeaupierre castle, (as its name suggests, is the highest of the 3 castles).
It is a delight to see the preserved part of its town walls and some of its defensive towers dating back to the 13th century, but rebuilt in the 18th century.
Strolling along the Grand’rue (Main street) and following the signs that said picturesque route, I could have walked up and down its little streets all day. This beautiful town with buildings dating back to the 15th and 18th century was dotted with little squares and Renaissance style fountains.
I will be revisiting this town on the first Sunday of September 2020 now that I know there will be the Fiddlers’ Festival, the oldest festival in Alsace, that perpetuates the memory of the meeting of the fiddlers’ brotherhood who gathered since 1481 in Ribeauvillé in order to elect their king .
4- Chateau du Haute-Koenigsbourg
5- Kaysersberg
6- Ecomuseum of Alsace
Ecomuseum of Alsace is an outdoor museum whereby authentic Alsantian buildings were moved and reassembled to form a living village: half-timbered houses, workers’ houses, shop, town hall, fortified tower, party hall, farm, school, gardens, fields, etc.
We paid this place a visit just before Christmas 2019 and had a really wonderful time. There was lots to see and do – have a look in the video below.
7- Ruine Landskron
Situated in Leymen, France, merely 2 minutes drive away from the Swiss border town of Flüh, Ruine Landskron is the perfect day outing for the family.
Besides getting a great view of Switzerland, Germany and France from the top of the castle tower, the castle grounds was also so much fun to explore.
