What to do during 1 week of holidays in Alsace?

In Alsace, there is so much things to do. We lived there from decades and we didn’t see everything. With this page, we want to show you what you can do during your holidays in Alsace in our holiday houses in Riquewihr. Here is an example of a typical week of holidays in Alsace. 

Day 1: Welcome to Alsace and Riquewihr 

It’s the end of afternoon and you just arrived in one of our holiday apartments in Riquewihr. 

Just relax, holidays are starting. Take possession of your guesthouse. 

For the first evening, we suggest you to go to restaurant in Riquewihr at 1 minute walking from your holiday apartment. 

In Riquewihr, you have to taste our famous “green sauerkraut”, the Riquewihrienne. It is an astonishing creamy and soft sauerkraut prepared with fresh herbs and accompanied by pan-fried charcuterie (with pork, goose and duck) invented 20 years ago by François Kiener, a Michelin star Chef at the time. Riquewihrienne sauerkraut is only found in Riquewihr. A real treat, especially for those who don’t like the acidity of traditional sauerkraut.

Of course, you can pair it with a glass of Riesling. Wine lovers will choose a Riesling Grand Cru Schoenenbourg from Riquewihr. 

You can taste this specific green sauerkraut in 6 restaurants in Riquewihr.

Le Médiéval – 55, rue du Général de Gaulle – Tél : +33 3 89 49 05 31
Le Dolder – 52 rue du Général De Gaulle – Tél : +33 3 89 47 92 56
L‘Ecurie -16 rue du Général De Gaulle – Tél : +33 3 89 47 92 48
L’Arbalétrier – 12 rue du Général de Gaulle – Tél : +33 3 89 49 01 21
Le Manala – 5 Rue du Cerf – Tél : +33 3 89 49 01 51
Le Tire bouchon – 29 Rue du Général de Gaulle – Tél : +33 89 47 91 61 

Discover our holiday vacation rentals in Alsace in one glimpse.

From the studio to the large luxury apartment: our 10 romantic gites in Alsace provide some of the best self catering accommodation in Alsace. 

Day 2 : Just relax, enjoy the place where you are Riquewihr
Start the day with a good breakfast in your holiday home. 

This is the first time since 1974 that a real baker who makes his own bread is installed in Riquewihr. There are different types of baguettes and breads, gourmet sandwiches, the famous pastries as well as good cakes. Depending on the season, there are the specialties of the moment such as galette des rois, donuts, Manala, etc.

You will find it in Riquewihr at the end of Rue de la Couronne. Kouglopf & Cie – 17 Rue de la Couronne 

After breakfast, let’s have a walk in Riquewihr and discover the charming little streets.

During the afternoon, Discover the Grand Cru around Riquewihr 

The name of that beautiful, long and large hill oriented south and facing the north side of the ramparts of Riquewihr was named Schoenenberg for more than 1000 years. It is written like that in the archives and even today on the maps of the French National Geographic Institute. The “beautiful hill” is the meaning. Schoenenburg (beautiful castle) used to be a small part on that hill. It was later changed into Schoenenbourg to make it sound more French. And finally, this was the name given to the entire hill under the Alsace Grand Cru appellation (1992).

The Schoenenbourg wines are not only robust but they also have an extraordinary corpulence and complexity. They are THE wonderful and great wine by excellence. But listen: you have to be patient. This is not a wine to be drunk young. You have to give him at least 4-5 years before opening the bottle.

Another grand cru vineyard in Riquewihr is “Sporen”. Sporen is less than half as large as Schoenenbourg (23,70 ha vs 53,40) and its location between Riquewihr and Mittelwihr is not as spectacular as Schoenenbourg but the wines that grow there are also very special and have a great reputation. They are sold under the name of Sporen for centuries. The archives of the Dukes of Württemberg already quote the Sporen in 1432. In 1580 (hey! this is the same year our house facing the Schoenenbourg was built!), the poet Fischart gave the Sporen vineyard the first place among the wines of Alsace: “Doch gegen den Reichenweier Sporen haben Sie das Spiel verloren”. At that time German was the language in Alsace and Reichenweier the name of Riquewihr. The sentence means “Compared to the Sporen of Riquewihr, they (the other wines of Alsace) lose the game.”

Finish the day with a local wine tasting

Dopff au Moulin – Tél : +33 3 89 49 09 69 – 2 Avenue Jacques Preiss 
Frédéric Engel – Tél : +33 3 89 47 83 88 – 36 rue des Remparts.
Domaine Laurence et Philippe Greiner – Tél : +33 3 89 86 04 68 – 16 rue des Prés
Domaine de la Tour Blanche – Tél +33 3 89 47 92 44 – 18 Rue de la 1ère Armée
Hugel & Fils – Tél +33 3 89 47 92 15 – 3, rue 1ère Armée Française
Maison Zimmer – Tél +33 3 89 47 85 01 – 42 rue du Général de Gaulle

Day 3 : Discover cities like Colmar, Kaysersberg and Ribeauvillé at 10 minutes from Riquewihr
Some years ago already, the Lonely Planet guides voted Alsace first among the top ten regions to be discovered in the world. Right in the middle of Alsace, there is Colmar. The wealth and fame of Colmar is dating back to the 13th century, making it a must-see historical center with prestigious monuments.

Colmar

Colmar is full of romantic places to enjoy: the little Venice, the quai de la Poissonnerie, the area of the Tanners …

City of Art and Culture, Colmar offers some prestigious museums including the now famous Unterlinden museum, which is a must to visit. The four seasons are marked in Colmar by events such as the famous wine fair (August), Christmas and Easter markets, music festivals including the international music (July) and jazz (September) festivals.

Kaysersberg 

Kaysersberg (the hill of the emperor) is a pretty medieval city of 2700 inhabitants located some 10 kilometres West of Colmar. In the old medieval times, Kaysersberg was in important fortified position controlling the valley which connects Colmar to Lorraine through the Vosges mountains and the pass named Col du Bonhomme.

Following the vote of viewers, Kaysersberg won the 2017 edition of the TV show Le Village préféré des Français (The favorite Village of the French). The Christmas market is a must visit.

Eguisheim

The small (1700 inhabitants) but famous wine village of Eguisheim lies at the foothill of the Vosges mountains, some 5 kilometers south-west of Colmar.

Eguisheim has pretty half-timbered houses and is one of the most beautiful villages in France. The village is famous for its wines (beautiful wine festival at the end of August) and its magnificent Christmas market. In 2013, Eguisheim was voted Favorite Village of the French by the TV show of the same name.

Ribeauvillé

15 kilometers north-west of Colmar and 4 kilometers from Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé (4700 inhabitants) is a pretty medieval town dominated by three castles. Surrounded by renowned vineyards, Ribeauvillé is known for its wine and gastronomy fair which takes place every year in July. The first weekend of September is the fiddlers’ festival, a 600-year-old event. During the first two weekends of December is held the very famous medieval Christmas market.

Day 4 : Spend one day in the mountain above Riquewihr

Just above Riquewihr you will enter in the Vosges Mountain, where you will find a lot of beautiful landscape. Beautiful and easy walk to do. Nice little Inn where you will eat the traditional mountain food. Or you can buy local product and pique-nique in nature.

Heading to the Vosges mountains, an hour by car from Riquewihr, you will find several lakes where you can enjoy a relaxing day. Located in the Valley of the Lakes, Longemer is one of the three lakes in the valley with those of Gérardmer and Retournemer. When I was a kid, we used to go there on field trips with the school. During the hot summer days, I return to this haven of freshness. The lakes are squeezed between steep banks covered with fir trees where a nice breeze always blows.

Lac Blanc Aventures Leisure Park

Are you looking for a nice family outing with children, parents and even grandparents? An experience off the beaten track with a bit of adventure and sensations? It is hot in the plain and a little cool would be welcome? So the Lac Blanc Aventures leisure park in the Alsatian High Vosges really has something to offer an unforgettable day to young and old alike. The nine tree climbing courses of increasing difficulty will take you higher and higher towards the top of the fir trees …

When it’s warm, Go Bathing!

Lake Longemer is recognized as a must-visit natural heritage and a top tourist attraction. There are some snacks where you can nibble, drink something fresh, eat ice cream and rent a skiff to go for a walk on the water. Paddle boats and boats have been known for a long time. Now there are also electric boats and paddles. So nice when it’s hot in the summer.

Day 5 : Visit the living museum of Alsace (Ecomusée d’Alsace)
Here is another must-see place when visiting Alsace, including with children. The Ecomuseum of Alsace in Ungersheim, between Guebwiller and Mulhouse, is an open-air museum where authentic Alsatian constructions have been transferred and reassembled.

The Ecomuseum of Alsace is therefore a real village. A village in Alsace as it existed at the beginning of the 20th century with its streets, its gardens, its river… With houses, farms, a school, a chapel, mills and craftsmen’s workshops… And even a train station !

In these beautiful old buildings (some dating from the 15th century) and open to the public, costumed actors, some of whom are volunteers, present the traditional work of the region using old tools: blacksmith, wheelwright, cooper, sawyer, saddler, carpenter, baker…

Day 6 : A day at the animals park and Haut-Koenigsbourg castle
Haut-Koenigsbourg medieval castle

The famous castle of Haut Koenigsbourg, the most visited site of Alsace and one of the first in France, is only about twenty minutes from our Riquewihr holiday apartments. I like to go there all year long.

Some Minutes driving from the Castle, you will find two animals parks 

An impressive show at the Eagles’ Park

It’s been almost 50 years since the venerable ruin of Kintzheim Castle on the slopes of Haut-Koenigsbourg became the sumptuous theater of the Eagles’ Show and its feathered boarders. Ladies and gentlemen, what we are proposing here is a ballet. An artistic aerial ballet in which the winged stars – these same majestic raptors that you have approached on your arrival – will embark on breathtaking high-flying shows under the guidance of their riders, the falconers.

Stork’s Parc – Naturoparc – in Hunawihr

Originally, Naturoparc (the new name for the Storks Park) was exclusively a captive breeding site of the White Stork. It is with the aim of safeguarding the emblematic stork of Alsace that was born in 1976 the Hunawihr Center. It is here that the creators of the Volerie des Aigles of Kintzheim, managed to find a technique to “repopulate” Alsace …

The Parc des Cigognes is open 7 days a week from the end of March to the 1st of November. For details and schedules, visit the Naturoparc website in Hunawihr

Day 7 : Last Day of Holidays, stay in Riquewihr, the heart of Alsace. The real Alsace like on the postcard
Riquewihr is nestled between the vineyard and the Vosges Mountains. Take advantage of your stay to take a walk and admire the magnificent view over the Alsace plain, or the lovely view over Riquewihr from the Grand Cru Shoenenbourg.

Each evening in Riquewihr, at 1 minute walking from your apartment, you will find 37 restaurants. If you prefer to cook yourself, all our apartments have a nice kitchen and there’s a little supermarket in Riquewihr or a bigger one in Ribeauvillé. 

Enjoy your holidays with us in Riquewihr. 

Discover our holiday vacation rentals in Alsace in one glimpse.

From the studio to the large luxury apartment: our 10 romantic gites in Alsace provide some of the best self catering accommodation in Alsace. 

As we told you before, the last 7 days we talked about were just some examples. You could of course change a day with another day trip idea. Or maybe if you stay more than a week in Riquewihr, you need more ideas of what to do in the region. Here are some more others examples of things to do in Alsace from Riquewihr. 

A day in Strasbourg

Strasbourg is just a 50 minutes driving from Riquewihr, park your car in Illkirch-Graffenstaden and take the Tram (Parking Relais – Baggersee – Avenue de Strasbourg, 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden). You will pay 4,30 EUR for the parking and Tram ticket for all the passenger of the Vehicule) You will be in the heart of Strasbourg in 20 minutes.

Place to discover: Place Kléber and Aubette + Cathedral, try to enter inside and discover the incredible architecture, visit Petite France District, walk along the river. 

Several restaurants everywhere in the city. 

A day in Germany between Kaiserstuhl, Freiburg and the Black Forest

The border between France and Germany is just 30 km from Riquewihr or La Vancelle. Don’t miss a day in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau combined with the magnificent vineyards of the Kaiserstuhl (about 16 km northwest of the city of Freiburg). Make a stop in the wine-growing village of Burkheim.

The Kaiserstuhl hills are the remains of an ancient volcano. It can be spotted from Riquewihr, when the weather is clear (our guests staying in the apartments de la Cigogne Blanche or le Grand Cerf can see the Kaiserstuhl and the Black Forest from their windows. Burkheim is a beautiful medieval village in the vineyards of the German Kaiserstuhl. When the weather permits, you can have a drink at one of the terraces in the center of the village.

But in any case, stop at the Vignerons de Burkheim cellar. They make beautiful white wines and a superb dry red.

A day in Basel, a so beautiful city in Switzerland

Basel is famous for its many museums, including the Kunstmuseum, which is the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland, the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen), the Museum Tinguely and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is the first public museum of contemporary art in Europe.[5] Forty museums are spread throughout the city-canton, making Basel one of the largest cultural centres in relation to its size and population in Europe.

If you are staying with us during end of February or beginning of March, don’t miss the Morgenstreich, the famous carnival in Basel. The event start at 04:00 a.m. and worth to put your alarm early.

Discover the major sites of WW1 : Linge Museum and Hartmannswillerkopf Memorial

If you like history, you probably know that World War 1 took place in the Mountains above Alsace. Before 1914, Alsace belong to Germany and the border between France and Germany was the Vosges Moutain.

Visit the Linge Memorial and battlefield. At this small site run by volunteers, you will get familiar with the daily life of the soldiers in the trenches. They had the heavy task of maintaining a front line located at more than 1100 meters above sea level, with extreme weather conditions in winter. After visiting the memorial, you will walk in the trenches by your own.

Visit of the Hartmannswillerkopf memorial. This is a must for history buffs. During the First World War WW1, both enemy camps wanted to control this mountain overlooking the Upper Rhine valley. Result: a real massacre. 35 000 soldiers died on this front line between 1914 and 1918. The site features a very new museum built in collaboration between French and German.

Spend your day on the Alsatian wine route

The Alsatian Wine Route is famous all over the world for its exceptional natural beauty and for the warm welcome extended to visitors by locals and winegrowers. This is especially true in the fall. The Wine Route winds from north to south of Alsace, over more than 170 kilometers, along the eastern foothills of the Vosges. If you like the pretty villages and wine tasting or walk in the vineyard, just take your car and get lost in the vineyard. Riquewihr is at the heart of the Alsatian vineyard, an important and famous stop on the Alsace wine route.

Don’t forget to spend a day for relax and enjoy the place where you are. Our Holiday apartments are just in the heart of Riquewihr. We put a lot of effort and care in the renovation and decoration of our vacation rental apartments because we want our holiday homes to be a memorable part of your travel experience to Alsace and France. 

Discover our holiday vacation rentals in Alsace in one glimpse.

From the studio to the large luxury apartment: our 10 romantic gites in Alsace provide some of the best self catering accommodation in Alsace.