Colmar sits in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards and is one of the most photogenic small cities in France. Its historic centre is a vast pedestrian zone of medieval half-timbered houses with carved gables, painted shutters, and doors adorned with lavish woodwork — the kind of place that looks almost too perfect to be real.
The old Quartier des Tanneurs, where hides were once dried on the upper floors, and the Petite Venise canal district are the best areas for wandering. The Unterlinden Museum, housed in a former Dominican convent, is home to the Issenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald — one of the masterpieces of European art — alongside a strong collection of medieval sculpture and painting. Nearby, the Dominican Church contains Martin Schongauer's delicate "Virgin of the Rose Bush."
Colmar is also the birthplace of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, and a small museum in his family home documents the project. Other landmarks worth seeking out on a wander include St. Martin's church in the central square, the painted Renaissance façade of the Maison Pfister, and the medieval customs hall, the Ancienne Douane. The city makes an excellent base for exploring the Alsace Wine Route, which runs through the surrounding villages and vineyards.