Key details
- There’s no train station at the castle. You can drive, take the train to Sélestat and then the seasonal shuttle 500, or join an excursion — all three options explained.
- Allow one hour inside and two hours on-site, including parking. The rooms stay cool even in summer — how to plan your visit duration.
- Six excursions go up there from Strasbourg, Colmar and Basel; they vary by guide (certified guide or driver), group size and whether castle entry is included — full comparison.
- Castle entry is included on coach departures from Colmar, from Basel and on the private excursion — what each option covers.
- 8-seater vans sell out several days ahead in July-August and during the Christmas markets. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on all six — when to visit.
What’s included in the day trip from Strasbourg
The most popular excursion: 8 hours, up to 8 people, an English-speaking driver-guide and a minivan. Meet in front of the tourist office, 17 Place de la Cathédrale.
Highlights
- 2-hour guided walk in Colmar: Pfister House, Koïfhus, Saint Martin’s Collegiate Church, Little Venice, then free time
- Riquewihr: 30-minute guided visit and 1 hour free to have lunch
- The Wine Route by van, between villages and the mountain range
- Guided tour of the castle for 1 hour 30 minutes, return to Strasbourg
What's included
- The driver-guide and the minivan for the whole day
- The guided tour of the castle as part of the day trip
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, instant confirmation
- Not included: meals, drinks, tips. Not wheelchair accessible
What you'll see in the castle, in order
The tour route is signposted and follows a one-way path. Here are the ten stages, just as you’ll experience them.
From the car park, a roughly 300-metre dirt path leads up to the lower courtyard. From there, everything follows in sequence: the main gate, the spiral staircases, the apartments, the Kaiser Hall, then the great bastion and the garden before the exit.
- Lower courtyard — The inn, the forge and the mill: the castle’s functional area, reconstructed just like the rest.
- Main gate and drawbridge — The passage to the living quarters. The drawbridge is operational.
- Spiral staircases — The steps start here. Throughout the tour, there are around 300 of them, all uneven in height.
- Lord’s apartments — Furnished with medieval and Wilhelm II-era pieces; this is where you’ll feel the chill of the stone walls.
- Lorraine Bedroom — One of the most intimate rooms in the living quarters.
- Banqueting Hall — A grand space beneath timber framing that Bodo Ebhardt designed to be taller than the original.
- Armoury — The collection of weapons and suits of armour.
- Kaiser Hall — On the second floor, the state room created for Wilhelm II, featuring early 20th-century murals and the double-headed eagle.
- Keep and great bastion — The artillery platform and the panorama: the Alsace plain, the Vosges, the Black Forest, and the Alps on very clear days.
- Windmill, medieval garden and well — Medicinal, dye and kitchen plants, followed by the 62.5-metre well. Two attempts to dig a second well were left unfinished.
Allow around one hour inside, whether you explore independently or on a guided tour. The room-by-room details are on the what to see page, and the story of the reconstruction is on the castle history page.
How to book
Select your departure point
Strasbourg, Colmar or Basel, and guide or driver: the comparison below helps you decide in a minute.
Check the dates
The calendar shows the actual availability from GetYourGuide. In summer and at Christmas, check several days in advance.
Book
Instant confirmation, free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and deferred payment on most tours.
Meet at the pick-up point
The exact address is in your confirmation. Bring an extra layer for the castle rooms.
The tour I recommend first
From Strasbourg, in a small group, with a guide who truly brings the castle to life. If you only have one day in Alsace, this is the one.
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours
- ✓ Instant confirmation
- ✓ Book now, pay later on most tours
Which tour for Haut-Koenigsbourg?
Three departures from Strasbourg, three different approaches. The middle column is the one I recommend for most people.
| From Strasbourg: Colmar, Riquewihr and Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle | My pickFrom Strasbourg: Alsace Highlights in One Day | From Strasbourg: Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle, Riquewihr and Colmar private tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departure | Strasbourg, 1 rue Mercière | Strasbourg, Cathedral Square | Hotel pick-up, Strasbourg |
| Duration | 7 h | 8 h | 6 to 7 hours |
| Group | Up to 8 per van | Up to 8 | Private, up to 4 |
| Guide | Driver, audio guide | Driver-guide | Driver, audio guide |
| Castle entrance | Purchased from the driver | Guided tour included | Included |
| Perfect for | Three stops, no commentary | A single day in Alsace | Families, your own schedule |
| Rating | 4.4 (159 reviews) | 4.8 (390 reviews) | 4.6 (49 reviews) |
| View → | Book this one → | View → |
Photo gallery
The castle and the road up to it
What you can see from the bastion, inside the rooms and in the villages below.
The six excursions to the castle
From Strasbourg, Colmar and Basel. Ratings and number of reviews are from GetYourGuide.
Most bookedFrom Strasbourg: Alsace’s must-sees in a day
Entry
includedFrom Colmar: Alsace castle, villages and wine tasting
Small groupFrom Colmar: Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle and villages, full-day small-group tour
Shared private driverFrom Strasbourg: Colmar, Riquewihr and Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle
PrivateFrom Strasbourg: Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle, Riquewihr and Colmar private tour
From
BaselFrom Basel: Colmar, Haut-Koenigsbourg and Ribeauvillé
What visitors have to say
Excerpts from reviews left on GetYourGuide by travellers who booked these excursions.
Perfect, thanks to our guide Laetitia.
Francesco was very funny and made the tour interesting for my teenager and my husband.
Good pace, extra stops, and the convertible bus. Sebastian was a great guide. I would have liked a bit more time at the castle.
Lucas was charming, funny and knowledgeable. The wine tasting was the perfect way to end the day.
The castle, a lovely village and Colmar. Julie was friendly and helpful.
Excellent driver. I wouldn’t say he was a guide, but he got us there safely and on time.
Ratings and number of reviews are those displayed in real time by GetYourGuide. Read our detailed reviews ›
Quick answers before you book
The four questions I’m most often asked when friends come to see the castle.
Guide or driver?
On the small-group tour from Strasbourg and on both departures from Colmar, someone explains the castle to you. On the budget tour and the private excursion, a driver drops you off with an audio guide.
Is the castle ticket included?
Yes on the coach departure from Colmar, on the private tour and on the departure from Basel. On the budget tour, you buy it from the driver on the day. Full details are on the tickets page.
Can I get there without a car or tour?
Yes, by train to Sélestat and then the shuttle bus 500, which only runs in season. The bus ticket gives you a discount on entry. Check the day’s timetable on the official website; I explain how to do it here.
What about with children?
Strollers aren’t allowed (baby carriers recommended, unsupervised cloakroom at the ticket office) and there are 300 steps. From around age six, the drawbridge, suits of armour and the Kaiser’s Hall will keep them engaged for about an hour. See who the castle is worth the detour for.
Don’t these dates work for you?
Browse other tours of Haut-Kœnigsbourg Castle and find the one that fits your schedule—with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Haut-Kœnigsbourg explained
I grew up in Sélestat, at the foot of the massif, and I’ve been up to the castle more times than I can count—on school trips by shuttle 500, on foot from Orschwiller, and with just about every friend who’s come to visit. Here’s what I tell them before they book anything.
This site is independent. It is neither the castle’s official website nor a tour operator. I compare the six day trips that go to Haut-Koenigsbourg and also explain what it’s like to visit on your own.
Why it looks so new
The first thing everyone says when they arrive in the car park is that the castle doesn’t look like a ruin. That’s because what you see mostly dates from 1900 to 1908. The rock is mentioned as early as 774 in a charter by Charlemagne, the Hohenstaufen castle is documented in 1147, it burns in 1462, the Thiersteins rebuild it after 1479 for artillery, and the Swedes burn it again in 1633. It then lies abandoned for over 250 years. In 1899, the town of Sélestat gifts the ruin to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who wants a symbol of the German Empire on his western border. He entrusts the project to Bodo Ebhardt, a young Berlin architect who studies the remaining walls, archives and other castles from the same period. Some of his choices remain debated: the keep is about 14 m taller than the original, and the roof of the banqueting hall is higher. The castle is inaugurated on 13 May 1908, passes to France in 1919, then to the département in 2007. I take it for what it is—a meticulous 1908 reconstruction. More details are on the history page.
The interior visit
Allow one hour for the guided or self-guided tour, and two hours from the moment you park to when you leave. The one-way route takes you through the lower courtyard, the main gate and its drawbridge, spiral staircases, furnished apartments, the Lorraine Room, the banqueting hall, the armoury, the Kaiser’s Hall on the second floor, the keep and the great bastion, then the windmill, the medieval garden and the 62.5 m well. Around 300 uneven steps, which rules out strollers and makes the visit difficult in a wheelchair. Two things I always mention: the rooms are cold even in August, so bring a layer, and the view from the bastion (Alsace plain, Vosges, Black Forest, and the Alps on very clear days) is worth saving ten minutes for. My favourite room is still the Kaiser’s Hall, because it sums up Wilhelm II’s entire vision in one space. The room-by-room route is on what to see at the castle.
How to get up there
There’s no train station at the castle, and that’s the real issue. Three ways to get there. By car: A35, exits 17 or 18, mountain road, free parking for about 150 cars, then a 300 m uphill dirt path. By train: to Sélestat, then shuttle 500, which only runs in season, roughly from March to December; the bus ticket gives a discount on entry. That’s how I did my school trips—check the day’s schedule on the official website and plan your day around the bus. By excursion: someone else drives the mountain road, handles parking, and in many cases the ticket too, and you can combine it with visits to villages on the Wine Route. For most visitors staying in Strasbourg, Colmar or Basel without a car, this is the simplest option. The three options are detailed on opening times and access.
Choosing your excursion
Six excursions go up to the castle, and what sets them apart isn’t the programme—very similar from one to the next—but three key points. Guide or driver: on the small-group day trip from Strasbourg and on both departures from Colmar, someone provides commentary on the castle and villages; on the budget option from Strasbourg and the private tour, it’s a driver with an audio guide, and reviews from those who expected a guide make that clear. Group size: 8 seats in the vans, a panoramic coach with headsets in eleven languages from Colmar, or 4 people for a private tour. Castle entry: included on the coach departure from Colmar, the private tour and the departure from Basel, or purchased from the driver on the budget option. My advice: if you only have one day and want to understand what you’re seeing, go for the small group from Strasbourg. If you’re staying in Colmar, choose one of the two departures from Colmar—the van if you prefer a guide, the coach if you want hotel pickup. For families or if you have a train to catch in the evening, the private tour. The full comparison is on all tours.
When to go
From May to September for the light and the views, or in the morning to have the staircases to yourself. July and August, along with the weeks of the Christmas markets, are the busiest times, and the 8-seater vans often sell out several days in advance—Easter and long weekends are also busy. In winter, opening hours are shorter, with midday closures in November and December, but entry is free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March, and the castle hosts torchlit evenings by reservation. The castle closes on 1st January and 25th and 26th December; last entry is one hour before closing. All six excursions can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance, so you can book early and change your mind if the weather turns. More details are on when to visit.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Haut-Koenigsbourg visit take?
About an hour inside, whether you have a guide or not, and roughly two hours on site between the car park, the 300-metre path and the exit. Tours spend between 1 and 1.5 hours there. More details on how long the visit takes.
Which film was shot at Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle?
Jean Renoir filmed the fortress-prison scenes of The Grand Illusion here in 1937, starring Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay and Erich von Stroheim. Jean-Pierre Mocky shot Agent Trouble here in 1987, with Catherine Deneuve and Richard Bohringer. See films shot at the castle.
Can I eat at the castle?
There’s a restaurant-café at the top of the car park, a small snack bar with a view and a covered picnic area from April to October. Tours usually include lunch during free time in Riquewihr or Colmar. Where to eat.
Who restored Haut-Koenigsbourg?
Kaiser Wilhelm II, to whom the town of Sélestat gifted the ruin in 1899, entrusted the project to the young Berlin architect Bodo Ebhardt. Work lasted from 1900 to 1908, and the castle was inaugurated on 13 May 1908. Some choices were controversial, such as the keep being about 14 metres taller than the original. The full history.
Can I drive up to the castle, and is the car park free?
Yes. From the A35, take exits 17 or 18, then the mountain road to the free car park with around 150 spaces, including coach bays and six disabled parking spots. From the car park, there’s a 300-metre uphill dirt path. Opening times and access.
What is the Kaiser’s Hall?
The grand reception room on the second floor, created for Wilhelm II, featuring early 20th-century murals and the double-headed eagle. It’s the room that most clearly shows why the emperor wanted this castle. What to see at the castle.
When is the best time to visit Haut-Koenigsbourg?
From May to September for the weather and the views, and in the morning to avoid the crowds. July and August, as well as the weeks around the Christmas markets, are the busiest; in winter, opening hours are shorter, with a midday closure in November and December. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March. When to go.
What to see around the castle?
Monkey Mountain in Kintzheim (about 10 minutes away), the Eagles' Aviary (about 15 minutes away), Sélestat and its Humanist Library, then the villages along the Wine Route: Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg, Eguisheim. Excursions combine the castle with two or three of these. The castle’s surroundings and the Wine Route.
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