Things to do
Things to Do in Alsace: Strasbourg, Colmar & Obernai
Quick answer
Give Strasbourg’s cathedral and canals a day. Take the train to Colmar for the Isenheim Altarpiece, and save Obernai for the morning you want a short walk and a long lunch.
Sources for this answer · Checked
| Base or day trip | What to build the day around |
|---|---|
| Strasbourg | The cathedral and Petite France. Check the clock presentation before setting a lunch time. |
| Colmar | Unterlinden and the old town. Move the museum visit off Tuesday. |
| Obernai | A market-square walk and lunch. Set your return train before you sit down. |
Plan this trip
- Sleep in Strasbourg near the station for easy day trips by train.
- Put Colmar on a day Unterlinden is open (it closes on Tuesday).
- Keep Obernai flexible for a shorter afternoon.
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Strasbourg and the cathedral clock
If you’re coming specifically for the astronomical clock, check the cathedral’s presentation page before planning anything else around midday. The presentation has its own same-day ticket and uses the Saint-Michel door on Place du Château. The cathedral also publishes ordinary visiting hours. Look at both pages if you want to see the nave and catch the presentation. On a Sunday, during a service, or around the Christmas market, check the posted exceptions before you queue. Clock presentation · Cathedral visiting hours
For a short first day, start in the square outside the cathedral, then walk toward the canals in Petite France. The Ponts Couverts make a natural turnaround. Keep this part of the day loose. You can come back to the lanes after lunch if you spend longer inside the cathedral, or do the walk on its own if you arrive in the afternoon. Visit Strasbourg’s Petite France guide
Colmar with or without the museum
If the Isenheim Altarpiece is what drew you to Colmar, go to Unterlinden first. The altarpiece was made for the chapel of a monastery hospital. Give yourself time to look at the separate painted and sculpted panels. Unterlinden’s collection entry
The train from Strasbourg can take about half an hour, and the museum puts the walk from Colmar station at about 15 minutes. Add time for the station at each end. The museum flags uneven paving on the approach and publishes a nearby drop-off address. Read its access notes before assuming the station walk will suit everyone in your group. Fluo’s regional rail timetable · Unterlinden access and hours
Unterlinden normally closes on Tuesday. If that’s your only day in Colmar, give the town the morning. Walk past Maison Pfister and keep going south to Rue Turenne for the view along Petite Venise. Save a rainy day for the museum when its calendar allows. On a short visit, choose one of those two plans first, then see what time is left after lunch. Colmar’s municipal heritage guide
When Obernai is the better half-day
Pick Obernai if you’d like one small town to walk through before coming back to Strasbourg for dinner. The tourist office puts the station about 500 meters from the center. Walk into the old town, have lunch, then turn toward the ramparts if you have time. Check the train back before you take a table. A gap in service can turn a short outing into most of the afternoon. Obernai Tourism’s station and transport information
With one open day, go to Colmar for the art and a bigger old-town walk, or choose Obernai for an easier afternoon. If you have room for both, put Colmar on an Unterlinden opening day and leave Obernai flexible. The seven-day rail itinerary shows how both fit with the nights in Strasbourg. See the route map.
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Sources and check dates
The astronomical clock presentation has separate tickets sold on the day, with entry via the Saint-Michel door on Place du Château.
Strasbourg Cathedral · Astronomical clock presentation and same-day tickets ↗Checked · Scheduled presentations only.The cathedral publishes separate access hours for ordinary visits.
Strasbourg Cathedral · Cathedral visitor access and hours ↗Checked · The cathedral interior. Check its current notices.Petite France and the Ponts Couverts are part of Strasbourg’s canal-side old center.
Visit Strasbourg · Petite France and the covered bridges ↗Checked · A suggested walk. Check local detours on the day.Fluo’s K200 timetable shows direct Strasbourg–Colmar trains of about half an hour, roughly every 30 minutes for much of the day.
Fluo Grand Est · K200 timetable between Strasbourg and Colmar ↗Checked · Station-to-station. Walking and waiting are additional.Unterlinden normally closes Tuesday. It is about 15 minutes on foot from Colmar station. The museum flags the paving and lists a nearby drop-off.
Musée Unterlinden · Access, mobility and museum hours ↗Checked · Confirm hours and approach before your visit, especially if you use wheels.Unterlinden publishes admission terms and current visitor information.
Musée Unterlinden · Admission and closing days ↗Checked · Check admission for your party and date.Colmar’s municipal heritage guide lists Maison Pfister and Petite Venise near Rue Turenne.
City of Colmar · Architectural heritage and Petite Venise ↗Checked · Exterior sightseeing. Check local access on the day.Obernai Tourism places the rail station about 500 meters, or a 6-minute walk, from the center.
Obernai Tourism · Regional train and the walk from the station ↗Checked · Approximate distance. Use a dated schedule for the return.The Isenheim Altarpiece at Unterlinden was made for a monastery hospital chapel.
Musée Unterlinden · The Isenheim Altarpiece ↗Checked · Permanent collection. Check museum notices before planning around the work.