1500 people and 33 wineries fill this medieval town. Almost all of the 33 wineries you can easily pop into for a free tasting. Eguisheim is roughly 7km from Colmar and can be done as either a day trip or as an overnight stay. There isn’t much in the way of public transportation between the two towns, but a cab will only set you back about 15 euros.
If you really want to go by bus, you can find time tables HERE. Buses 208 and 440 go between Colmar and Eguisheim. Alternatively, in summer some people choose to cycle through the countryside. You’re in the middle of wine country and the scenery is beautiful, so if you’re up for a bit of exercise, this might be a good option for you. If you drive yourself there is ample public parking on the outside of the town center.
If you visit during the Christmas Markets, you can grab the Christmas shuttle between Colmar and Eguisheim. A day pass costs 5 – 8 euro depending on day and lets you travel between the two all day. A pretty good deal if you ask me. There are two stops in Colmar; one by the train station and one by the parking lot Scheurer Kestner (closer to the city centre).
Where to Stay in Eguisheim
There are tons of independently owned and operated Bed & Breakfasts, airbnb style apartments and even small hotels in the town of Equisheim. Some of our favorites can be easily found on booking.com:
– Le Hameau d’Eguisheim – Chambres d’hôtes & Gîtes
– Hôtel Restaurant L’Auberge Alsacienne
– Hotel Saint Hubert – Colmar Sud
and…
The first listing, Le Hameau d’Eguisheim, is particularly nice as breakfast, served in the homes old wine cellar, is included in the price, as is free wifi in each room. Expect to pay approximately $100 per night anywhere within town.
Best Things to Do in Eguisheim
Explore the actual village of Eguisheim. Pick up a map from The Tourist Office with a suggested walk that takes you through the main streets of the village. The town’s streets consists of two concentric circles built around a central square. That’s it. Eguisheim is very much about admiring the architecture and eating nice food, not ticking off sights and the quaintness is what gives it its charm.
Electric bike rental (Alsa Cycle Tours) – Excellent bike shop right in the center of Eguisheim. They are super nice and helpful. They even built a carrier for our dog who loved being driven around the countryside. The electric bike is key. It provides power to your bike so long as you are making minimal effort to peddle. This allows you to bike up and down hills with little effort expended. The tour company will set you up with a personalized itinerary and a GPS before you leave. You just set the GPS on your bike and follow the route. The best thing to do is just drive out of the town towards the nearby vineyards and hills in the background. As you drive through the little towns dotting the hills outside Eguisheim you’ll pass one vineyard/winery after another. You can stop at all of them and do wine tastings. There’s literally dozens on the wine route. Just make sure you don’t do your e-bike wine tour on a Sunday as everything is closed down. This website provides an excellent resource for all the wineries in the area if you want to narrow it down, but to us, half the fun is just riding your bike through the towns and letting the day come to you.
A nice bonus: it is possible to order a tasting basket made up of really local products (coming from 20 km max from Eguisheim!). A perfect and tasty picnic!
Best Restaurants in Eguisheim
Click on the photos above for links to each restaurant
And, finally, drink as much Alsatian wine as possible.
