Strasbourg or Colmar at Christmas for families? My honest opinion after multiple visits.

We get this question a lot: Strasbourg or Colmar for Christmas with kids?

So I thought it was time to answer it in a more structured way, based on our experience as a family traveling with three kids and visiting Alsace since they were babies.

To be completely honest with you we love both of them. But, in my opinion, visiting Strasbourg or Colmar are two very different experiences for families. Especially with young kids.

Anyone who has stood under the Grand Sapin in Strasbourg knows that this city is called capital of Christmas for a good reason. No doubt of that!

But if you ask me where we would keep coming back year after year as a family, the answer is Colmar.

Not because Strasbourg fall short. No way! But because Colmar is perfect for families with kids.

And here I will explain my whole, unfiltered reasoning to you so you can choose the right fit for your family.

Strasbourg is really magic – I’m not questioning that

Let’s start with the Capital of Christmas, shall we?

Strasbourg is a magical place all year round. The Grand Île, where the Christmas Markets take place, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Notre Dame Cathedral and its square is one of the most beautiful things you will see in Decembre, especially at night. And let’s not forget the Petite France.

And all the Christmas Markets and decorations make all this even more special.

Don’t forget
to check out our guide about the best things to do in Strasbourg for Christmas!

There are good reasons why millions of people make this trip every year.

And if it is your very first time in Alsace and you have several days to spend, Strasbourg definitely belongs on the list, no question there.

The thing nobody tells you about

Everybody talks about the crowds, right? But what you can’t avoid, or change is the size of it.

Yes, here is the thing nobody quite tells you before you go:  it is big!

Strasbourg’s Christmas Markets are spread across a dozen squares, through all the Grande Île.

From our experience it stretches well beyond what feels like a comfortable loop with young children.

And yes, by mid-Decembre the crowds are some of the heaviest anywhere in Europe.

But the truth is, we visited in 2020, right during the pandemic and though there was virtually nobody, Strasbourg still felt huge and super tiring with little ones.

In fact, visiting Strasbourg demands a good amount of logistics: how far is the nearest bathroom? (I answer to this in my planning guide to Strasbourg by the way!). Where is the next stroller-friendly street? Where can we rest without freezing? Instead of just wandering and enjoying the Christmas Magic.

It’s not exactly a dealbreaker, ok? It is just a different kind of experience that the one we actually want for our family.

Did you know?
Strasbourg’s Grande Île is about 3 times bigger than Colmar’s Old Town. They can be both considered compact and walkable, but this is a huge difference for little legs walking around with freezing temperatures.  

Colmar, on the other hand, feels made for families

Colmar answers beautifully to three points that I consider super important to families. At least to ours.

First, it is small enough to explore with young kids

All Colmar’s Christmas Markets take place in squares that sit a few minutes’ walk away from one another. And all of them are located inside the Old Town, witch you can easily cross on foot in 10 minutes.

This changes everything. You can wander around and really appreciate the Christmas Markets at an enjoyable pace for everyone.

You can easily double back to that stall someone liked, really stop for a vin chaud or a hot chocolate or simply make a pit stop at the hotel if you feel you need some proper rest or just warm up a little.

It doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot of beautiful things to see in Colmar. Il fact you will find plenty of amazing spots to visit in my Christmas in Colmar family guide.

I just feel that even crowds are more manageable here because you don’t have to walk kilometres submerged by waves of people.

Don’t forget
to check out our guide about where to stay in Colmar with kids!

Second, it is the perfect base to explore a handful of the prettiest villages in Alsace

This is what made up our minds since the first time we visited Colmar.

While Strasbourg sits somewhat alone at the northern part of the, from Colmar we are 10 to 25 minutes from Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim and Sélestat.

Not only these are some of the prettiest villages in Alsace, with its half-timbered cute houses, but each one of them has its own Christmas Markets too.

These markets are way smaller, authentic and absolutely amazing for families. This is pure magic! Discover the best Christmas Markets in Alsace in this guide I put together.

So instead of a trip planned around one big city, we get the perfect Alsatian Christmas loop using Colmar as home base. I like that a lot because it offers you the possibly of slowing down, or avoid the crowds, without compromising or missing out.

Travellers’ Tip :

Choose Colmar has your base and take the train to Strasbourg for a daytrip. You still get to experience all the magic without having to pack everything up for it.

Also, you limit the time among the crowds and the fatigue that comes with it.

Direct trains run about every half hour and take about 30 minutes (instead of 1 hour driving).

Third, Colmar still feels like a town celebrating Christmas, not just staging it

Ok, this is hard to put into words, but I’m pretty sure you will feel it the moment you arrive in Colmar.

The Christmas Market in Strasbourg is so big and so famous that everything has to be meticulous planned, super controlled. Sometimes over produced.

I’m not saying it’s not beautiful and magical. Because it is. But it feels grand. Not warm and cozy.

Colmar, on the other hand, still feels like a small town that happens to be beautifully decorated for Christmas. Not a full-on, big production, built to welcome the immense volume of visitors coming through it.

And you know what? When I think about it, we visited Strasbourg and Colmar other times of the year, and the feeling is quite the same. Strasbourg already feels super touristy, while Colmar has a calmer, more relaxed feeling to it. All year round.

Family-friendly accommodations in Colmar

Appart Hotel Odalys City

Entire Family Studio

Hôtel Maison Turenne

Family rooms in a great location

At Home in Colmar

Entire apartment, Perfect for big families

Find more family friendly hotels in Colmar >

So, when would I actually choose Strasbourg over Colmar?

All that said I don’t want to make you believe Colmar wins it all in every given situation. Simply because it doesn’t.

There are a number of situations I would definitely choose Strasbourg for a family trip with my kids.

There are some specific cases where we would book Strasbourg first without any hesitations.

Strasbourg or Colmar? You should choose Strasbourg if:

1.     You don’t feel like driving around

The big advantage of Colmar having those beautiful villages nearby only matters if you are willing to drive during your trip.

If road trips are out of your radar for your Christmas Markets’ visit and all you want is to land in a single place and walk around the whole trip, so Strasbourg is definitely the easier choice.

You can assign a different Christmas Market to each day of your stay for example. Like this you can reduce the number of kilometres made per day and manage your kids’ tiredness levels.

2.     You only have a small weekend

From what we could experience, Colmar rewards a slower trip. It is built for wandering around the Old Town and explore the small villages nearby at a quiet pace over several days.

If you only have a couple of days, you will barely take advantage of that cluster of Alsatian villages.

That’s why I think you would be better off spending that limited time somewhere full packed into one place. And Strasbourg definitely offers you that. Multiple Christmas markets, the cathedral, the Grand Sapin. All in the same place.

I honestly think that Strasbourg is perfect for a short weekend. For me that’s the only situation where its scale becomes a real asset and less of a downside.

>> Discover the best areas to stay in Strasbourg with kids and all our favourite family-friendly hotels in my guide

3.     You want more than just the Christmas Markets

I think you got it: Colmar is, at is heart a fairytale village. The perfect Christmas market town. Wonderful if you want to live the magic. But it doesn’t offer what a big city like Strasbourg can offer.

I’m talking about museums, art galleries, different styles of architecture, multiple gastronomic experiences. You know what I mean, right?

Strasbourg will of course offer you all that, beyond the Christmas Markets and Decorations.

The cathedral and its astronomical clock, the Alsatian Museum, boat tours on the Ill, the Palais Rohan and so much more. Strasbourg is perfect for a city break all year round.

So, if your family wants a more diverse trip where Christmas markets are just a part of the experience, I definitely recommend Strasbourg over Colmar.

Our favourite family-friendly accommodations in Strasbourg

voco Strasbourg Centre

Free stay for both children, breakfast included

Hotel Beaucour

Family suite, amazing location

Hôtel Garrigae Villa La Florangerie

Family rooms and suite available in an idyllic setting

Find more family friendly hotels in Strasbourg >

Last thoughts on Strasbourg or Colmar at Christmas for families

Please don’t think this is an argument against Strasbourg with kids. Far from that.

I think it is more about the pace and the type of trip you are looking for and better suites your family pace.

Strasbourg is loud, crowdy, and grand. It definitely deserves a full, dedicated day or even two if you absolutely want to stay there with your kids. (Check out our favourite places where to stay in Strasbourg!)

Colmar, on the other side, is the quieter base where you can live the Alsatian Christmas without rushing.

I hope this article can help you make up your mind.

And if you have any questions, please leave them on the comments below or come chat with me on Instagram.

Safe family travels!