Group Tour Operator for Holidays to Strasbourg & Alsace, France
Strasbourg Christmas Markets
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Strasbourg Christmas Market at night ©Vincent Muller, Office de Tourisme de Strasbourg
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Strasbourg Christmas Market illuminated at night ©Daniel Schoenen, Office de Tourisme de Strasbourg
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Christmas illuminations on Mercier Street with the Cathedral in the background ©Cedric Schell, Office de Tourisme de Strasbourg
Wind through the striking hills of Alsace on a group tour taking in the Strasbourg Christmas markets, Alsatian Wine Route and the enchanting village of Riquewihr. Few places on the planet have better claim to be more festive than a midwinter Strasbourg with its 450-year-old Christmas markets. The smell of gingerbread, mulled wine and chocolate ease from the city windows, filling the quaint squares with a uniquely festive appeal.
Beyond the city, your group can experience the Château de Haut-Koenigsbourg, which offers unparalleled panoramas of the Alsace region, stretching all the way to the Alps. The steep hills of the region offer up some of France’s most evocative imagery and undoubtedly some of its best traditional cuisine.
Read MoreStrasbourg: Capital of Christmas and Contradictions
Dating back to 1570 and among Europe’s oldest, the Strasbourg Christmas markets fully justify the Strasbourgian claim to be the capital of Christmas. Over 300 wooden chalets span from the grand Gothic Cathedral at Place Broglie to the Great Christmas Tree of Place Kléber, lording it over the weaving alleyways of the UNESCO-listed Grand Île.
The festive attitude bubbles warmly releasing the comforting aromas of mulled wine and freshly baked gingerbread into the city air. The nearby modern glitz of the European Quarter – home to the European Parliament, Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights – seems a world away as you cosy up into a traditional Alsatian Winstub tavern.
The timber-framed houses of La Petite France hearken back to the city’s medieval trades of tanning and dyeing, contrasting the modern culture beating at the heart of France’s second largest student population. Strasbourg is truly a city of contrasting identities split between modernity and medieval, French and German, and it is all the more fascinating for it.
The Alsatian Wine Route and Riquewihr
With its red-sandstone turrets standing tall among the Vosges Mountains, Château de Haut-Koenigbourg offers up spectacular views across the hills and vineyards below. On a clear day, it is possible to see far across the Black Forest to the distant Alps. The 900 year history of the castle lives on in its distinctly medieval feel, despite the fact it was reconstructed by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1908.
Approximately once every mile, as the Route des Vins d’Alsace winds through the castles and vineyards of the Alsatian countryside, the doors to a traditional winery beckon. If not a winery, the routes throws up an enchanting village of medieval heritage promising all the patisserie delectations of chocolate, gingerbread and macarons.
Among the many impossibly beautiful villages en route, Riquewihr stands out as special with its twisting lanes and medieval ramparts. One of the few local towns and villages mostly undamaged during World War Two, Riquewihr is mostly unchanged since the 16th century.
Fancy travelling by EUROSTAR?
From London St Pancras International, there is a quick change in Paris, then on to Strasbourg making the Strasbourg Christmas markets a convenient and relaxing destination to travel to by train.
Dates
End of November - December 2025 and 2026
Suggested itinerary by coach
Day 1
Travel to Strasbourg
Travel through France to your hotel in Strasbourg. This evening, if time permits, why not begin exploring this wonderful town and catch your first glimpse of the intoxicatingly festive Christmas markets?
Day 2
Strasbourg and Markets Galore!
With over 300 wooden chalets set up in the city’s historic centre waiting for you to discover. The markets are spread across the centre of the town, focused around Cathedral square and Place Broglie. Here, browse over the different ornaments and toys, whilst you enjoy the festive food and mulled wine. As well as this, explore the pretty canals and medieval half-timbered houses contrast with the ultra-modern buildings of the European Parliament.
Day 3
Wine and Castles
Today, why not visit the nearby Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, the most-visited attraction in the Alsace, situated high in the Vosges Mountains. Return via the famous Alsatian Wine Route, where you will discover some of the most beautiful small cities of this picturesque region, such as Riquewihr which rightfully deserves its nickname as the “pearl of the vineyard”. Afterwards, head back to Strasbourg to enjoy your final evening at the markets.
Day 4
Departure
Your festive frolics in Strasbourg have come to an end. Begin your homeward journey.
Suggested hotels
Ibis Strasbourg Centre Historique ***
Overlooking the River L’Ill, this hotel is a 2-minute walk from Le Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain contemporary art museum and 2 km from Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg. Rooms have free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, as well as desks, custom-designed beds and wooden floors. There’s a 24-hour bar and a casual barbecue restaurant with a terrace.
Mercure Strasbourg Centre ****
The Mercure Strasbourg Centre in the heart of Strasbourg, 700 yards from Notre Dame Cathedral and the picturesque district known as Petite France. The hotel features a unique panoramic view from the 7th floor where the buffet breakfast is served. Guests have free access to the fitness centre which is open daily. Guest rooms are decorated with modern furniture. All air-conditioned rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV and Wi-Fi access, while a bottle of water is also provided in the room. Each room has a private bathroom with bath or shower.
| Date | Half Twin | Single Supplement |
| November – December 2025 | Price on request | Price on request |
| November – December 2026 | Price on request | Price on request |
