Colmar

Colmar also has a "Petite Venise", or Little Venice, thanks to the location of the beautiful half-timbered houses that sit right on the river Launch and the many beautiful canals spreading like a net around the city centre, à la Venice. Try a boat trip up the river or explore the beautiful and well-preserved city, whose incredible richness and diversity is reflected in both the architecture and the city's distinctive history. Find child-friendly hotels for your trip at Risskov.

It certainly pays to bring a guidebook and read up on the charming half-timbered houses in the centre, each with a unique story to tell.

A trip to St Martin's Church in the centre of the city is certainly an experience too, and despite its large size, it is still considered just a church. Also visit the Unterlinden Museum, housed in an old monastery. It houses Issenheim's world-famous altarpiece and Martin Schongauer's Passion Altar, with its 24 paintings both front and back, among other things, and the museum's collection also houses a number of paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance. There are also a number of modern works, so there really is something for every artistic taste. The old monastery certainly adds to the unique and exciting atmosphere of both the site and the exhibitions.

There are also plenty of charming little shops in Colmar, tucked away in the small streets, but it's in the old town that you'll find the best shopping. The many small shops with exquisite goods and interesting antique shops hide interesting stories to take home, so there are great opportunities to find just the little thing to give as a gift to someone special. There are also good opportunities to get something good to eat, and the excellent wines from the Rhine Valley in particular are likely to bring a few red cheeks.