Walk Through the Real-World Beauty and the Beast Setting 🕯️📚

If you have ever wanted to step straight into a storybook, this is the place. Alsace is home to Colmar, often called one of the prettiest villages in Europe and honestly, it earns the title.

This is truly one of my favorite cities in Europe. Walking through Colmar feels like wandering onto a Disney film set, complete with pastel houses, flower boxes everywhere, and mornings that start with a cheerful “bonjour” from local pastry shops. You can stay right near the historic center at Greet Hotel Colmar (rated 4.1 out of 5 on TripAdvisor) with rooms from $95 per night for up to four guests.

It's the kind of place that makes you slow down, explore without a plan, and seriously consider extending your stay just one more night.

🏴‍☠️ Pirate Tip: Visit between September and October to catch Alsace’s wine harvest festivals, when villages across the region celebrate with tastings, music, and street stalls. Do not miss stops in Eguisheim and Riquewihr, two of the prettiest wine towns in Alsace and often cited as inspiration for Beauty and the Beast.

Details

Rates are lowest in late winter and early spring, rise through summer with a July peak, then drop again in fall. The October and November dates are especially good value, with lower prices even during the wine harvest season.

Example of Cheapest Rate:

Hotel Highlights: Greet Hotel Colmar

• Eco-friendly, thoughtfully designed hotel with quirky recycled and vintage decor

• Rated 4.1 out of 5 on TripAdvisor with consistently strong guest reviews

• Family rooms available, with more space than standard doubles

• Excellent breakfast featuring local products and homemade items

• On-site restaurant using regional ingredients (closed Sundays)

• Free, secure on-site parking, a rare perk in Colmar

• About a 15 to 20-minute walk to Colmar’s historic center and Little Venice

• Dog-friendly and equipped with electric car charging stations

• Relaxed bar and shared lounge for unwinding in the evenings

Other Options

How to Get Here

Alsace is much easier to reach than it looks on a map. Colmar sits right at the crossroads of France, Germany, and Switzerland, which makes it an easy add-on to a bigger European trip.

The closest airport is in Basel, about an hour away by train or car. You can also easily pair Colmar with a visit to Paris or cross the border from Germany, especially if you are already exploring southern Germany or the Rhine Valley.

We have even spotted rare festival-season rates in Colmar from $109 per night, which is notable since many hotels sell out far in advance during peak dates.

Colmar, Strasbourg, Eguisheim, and Riquewihr were the four must-sees in my opinion. You can see them all in 2-3 days and I highly recommend booking a Free Guru Walk for Colmar and Strasbourg if you have time.

Many people cycle through the region following the Wine Route which is roughly 105 miles long. But you can also just rent a bike for the day and cycle to a couple of villages near Colmar.

Additional Information

All of our deals are available at the time of publishing, but prices are subject to fluctuate and change at any time.

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