day trip from Strasbourg - Colmar or Riquewihr
 

It appears we have an extra day in Strasbourg and I was thinking of taking a train to either of the towns above. Can anyone tell me which one would be more suitable for taking my 85 years old mum. We would just be wandering around, having some lunch etc. Or should we take two days around Strasbourg?

Hope someone can help,
Schnauzer

I liked Colmar very much, though have never been to Riquewihr.
The tall, half-timbered house and winding cobblestone streets are lined with cafes for relaxing.
Consider visits to "Little Venice" with its canals, the Bartholdi Museum (creator of the Statue of Liberty) and the Unterlinden Museum with famous Isenheim (?) altarpiece.
If you were there on a Tuesday evening they offer Alsatian Folk Music Group events during the summer. I don't know if there are any of the well-known famous (and protected) storks nests this year...
Enjoy!

Hi schnau,

Strasbourg to Colmar is a straight shot.

To get to Riquewihr you will have to take bus(es) .

See http://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com...-of-alsace.htm

Colmar is a pleasant town to visit for a day.
" took the bus to Colmar where we visited the Unterlinden Museum and Petite Venise....".

There is at least one tourist train to shuttle you around town:
http://en.colmarentrain.fr/

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Riquewihr is much smaller and could have been quaint... if not overrun by tourists. There is really one main street that goes up a gentle slope with assortment of shops and restaurants. There are many wine caves in town just like other Alsace towns. I visited Dopff & Irion on the main street.

Colmar is much spread out, relatively, but also has more things to see including the fine Unterlinden Museum, which is connected well to the train station by bus. The canal area is pretty, but it is quite small in extent. I supposed that is why it is called "little."

Bookmarking

Two days is not to much for Strasbourg - esp with an 85 year old mother. I would consider that a minimum. If you want to do a day trip I would do Colmar - which has an adorable old town and a wonderful museum - and would probably require less hill climbing than the wine towns.

With a rental car, I would have very much encouraged a stop in Obernai for a meal and the fabulous drive up to the Mont Sainte Odile convent nearby.

Ira - is the Colmar Tourist Train a hop-on hop-off train?

Hi tom,

Yes. They give you a map with the stops marked.

((I))

Thank everyone for the great responses. If it is a straight train journey then Colmar sounds like a goer. We don't have to spend the whole day there but it may make an outing. If we still have heaps left to see in Strasbourg itself then we can just stay put for the extra day. But good to know which way to jump if we want.

Schnauzer