BEST OF ALSACE WALK

Day 1 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Arrival in Strasbourg  

Strasbourg, seat of the new European Parliament, is an ancient and lively city, filled with treasures to explore. It was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988, the first city to be honoured with the title in its entirety. This tour allows you time to meander the canals, cobblestoned streets, and small boutiques of Strasbourg. Visit the old town, its picturesque quarters and half-timbered houses in the neighbourhood known as "The Petite France". Visit the Gothic cathedral and its famous astronomical clock, and the European Parliament. Be sure to sate your appetite as well with the pastries, giant soft pretzels and fresh cheeses at every corner.

Day 2 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Rosheim to Obernai 13 Km / 8 Miles

Day 3 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Mont St Odile – The Pagan Wall 17 km / 10.5 Miles

Day 4 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Haut Koenigsbourg to Ribeauvillé 15 Km / 9.4 Miles

This morning we transfer you up to the incredible castle of Haut Koenigsbourg. This impressive medieval-esque castle is nestled at a strategic location on a high hill overlooking the Alsatian plain; as a result it was used by successive powers from the Middle Ages until the Thirty Years' War when it was abandoned. In 1900 it was restored under the direction of Emperor Wilhelm II who wished to create a castle with Medieval qualities and more generally of German civilization. He hoped it would reinforce the bond of Alsatians with Germany, as they had only recently (1871) been incorporated into the German Reich. After your visit, your walk heads overall downhill, leaving the dense Vosges forest and passing along the way several lovely small villages: St Hippolyte, Rohrschwihr, and Bergheim, each worth some exploration. You finish the day descending into Ribeauville, with beautiful half-timbered buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries in the old town, and a variety of shops, wineries, and historic sites. Dinner is included this evening.

Day 5 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Ribeauvillé to Ammerscwihr: The Wine Route 14 Km / 8.7 Miles

This morning you walk southwards from Ribeauvillé along the Alsatian wine route, passing through beautiful vineyards, orchards, and charming small villages, such as Ammerschwihr, with its unique Kaefferkopf Grand Cru wines, and Kientzheim, with its medieval ramparts. One of the highlights of the day though will certainly be the town of Riquewihr. This town has much of its medieval fortifications and a castle still intact; it largely escaped damage during the Second World War, and is quite simply gorgeous. You’ll want to stop long enough to do the little walking tour of the historic centre that we provide. And then further on, you come to Kaysersberg, voted the village most loved by the French in 2017, and tucked into the fold of a valley, you can get here in time for lunch and explorations as well. The route brings you at its end to the vineyard village of Ammerschwihr. This lovely village, at the foot of the vineyard hills, offers a charming spot to relax, and perhaps have a glass of wine, before your transfer back to Ribeauvillé for a second night.

Day 6 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Voegtlinshoffen to Colmar 15 Km / 9.3 Miles

This morning you will be dropped in the small vineyard village of Voegtlinshoffen, with its half-timbered houses, and a community of pregrine falcons living on the nearby pink-granite cliffs. The morning will be spent exploring more of the vineyards and villages of the Alsace wine route, as you make your way northwards into Eguisheim. Eguisheim will enchant you, with its concentric round street setup, medieval ramparts, and half-timbered houses. It is recognized as the birthplace of winegrowing in Alsace, and you can do some tasting here, before perhaps finding some lunch. The route then turns away from the vineyards and across the plains, entering the town of Colmar on a tranquil path, following the Lauch river. The historic center of this town, where you are staying, reveals its charm: the colors and atmosphere of streets still embody much of the Middle Ages. Churches, cloisters, half-timbered houses, facades with ornate wood sculptures, paintings, and edifices from the Renaissance abound. Your final dinner is included this evening.

Day 7 of your Alsace Walking Tour : Departure from Alsace  

After a final delicious breakfast, there are easy connections out of Colmar train station for your continued travels from Alsace. Bon Voyage!