Excursions to Haut-Koenigsbourg from Colmar

The panoramic coach: the most comprehensive day trip

A small open-top coach, audio headsets (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean) and a guide on board. Pick-up is in front of your hotel in Colmar, or in front of the Hôtel L’Esquisse near the statue of Charles Xavier Thomas if you're staying elsewhere. The day lasts 9 hours 30 minutes and follows this schedule: Eguisheim 45 minutes, Kaysersberg-Vignoble 45 minutes, a ten-minute stop at the Sigolsheim National Necropolis, Riquewihr 1 hour 45 minutes, the castle 1 hour 30 minutes with the ticket included, then a one-hour wine tasting at a winemaker’s before returning to Colmar.

This is the tour I recommend for those who want to hear explanations in their own language and not worry about the ticket. Frida, who came from Norway, would have liked more time at the castle (I understand—1 hour 30 minutes flies by when you climb up to the keep). Laurin mentions Sebastian, the guide, and the extra stops when the timing allowed. Children under 4, wheelchair users, or those with reduced mobility are not accepted. Rated 4.7 out of 108 reviews, detailed in my panoramic coach tour review.

The small group: eight people, one guide, one wine bar

Meet in front of the CGR cinema, 1 Place Scheurer-Kestner (the listing also mentions the café Au Bureau—it’s the same area). A recent minivan, eight seats, an English-speaking driver-guide, eight hours. We start with Eguisheim for a one-and-a-half-hour guided visit, then Riquewihr, with guided and free time for two hours. One hour of wine tasting at a wine bar, and the castle to finish, with a one-hour guided tour. The castle and Riquewihr visits and the tasting are included; meals and other entry fees are not.

Reviews mostly talk about the guides: Karen finds Lucas charming and funny, Helene highlights his enthusiasm, Gabriel and Amy mention Thierry’s expertise, and Diane describes Alain as exceptional. Corinne had a great day even in the rain, which says a lot about the pace. The small-group tour review page covers all this in order.

Hotel or meeting point: what changes at 8 a.m.

The coach’s hotel pick-up is comfortable, but it makes the rounds of hotels before leaving Colmar, which partly explains the 9-hour-30 duration. The small group waits for everyone at the same spot and leaves on time. If your hotel is in the centre, the difference is a ten-minute walk. If you’re staying outside the city, the coach saves you a morning taxi.

What about the day trip from Strasbourg?

The most booked guided day trip leaves from Strasbourg and spends its first two hours in Colmar, but the operator doesn’t pick anyone up along the way: you need to be at Place de la Cathédrale in Strasbourg in the morning. From Colmar, it doesn’t make sense. Both local departures cover the same villages, plus Eguisheim and Kaysersberg, which the Strasbourg option doesn’t visit.

Exploring independently from Colmar

Colmar is 26 km from the castle. By car, take the A35 to exit 17 or 18 and a short half-hour drive, then the free parking lot and the 300-metre path. By train, head back to Sélestat to take the seasonal shuttle 500. You can combine the castle with the Monkey Mountain in Kintzheim, ten minutes away, or the Eagles’ Aviary at Kintzheim Castle, fifteen minutes away; the page on the surroundings gives you ideas, though they won’t fit into a guided day trip.

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.

For details on the villages and wine-tasting stops, see the castle and Alsace Wine Route page. The comparison of the six excursions pits the departures from Colmar against those from Strasbourg and Basel.

Frequently asked questions