Last Updated on August 19, 2025
For the Easter holiday, we took a look at flights from Berlin and chose the cheapest option. In this case, it was Basel, Switzerland. However, knowing that Switzerland is incredibly expensive, we were fearful of spending too much time there. Luckily, Basel is on the border of France and Switzerland. We had always wanted to visit Colmar, France. Located only 46 minutes by TER train from Basel, we made our plan to visit Colmar and then continue to Strasbourg. The TER trains in France are incredibly inexpensive which is why we decided to go by train instead of rent a car in Switzerland (which would have been VERY expensive!) Read below on how you too can plan a trip to Basel, Colmar & Strasbourg, using Basel as your starting point.
Stay in Basel near the train station
Since we arrived so late in Basel and we were taking the TER train early the next day, we booked a hotel close to the Basel main train station. We stayed at the ibis Basel Bahnhof hotel in a double room for 123 EUR a night. It is conveniently located 4 minutes walking from the train station and 30 minutes from the airport by train. We booked our TER train on the SNCF app at 11:50 am the next morning. That meant we woke up, checked out, got some breakfast (outside of the hotel), went to play in a nearby park, and then went to the train station. The trains in France are so cheap! We paid 31 EUR one-way from Basel to Colmar for the 3 of us (Isabella was free).
How to plan a trip to Basel, Colmar & Strasbourg: Spend ample time in Colmar
We stayed 2 nights in Colmar in a charming Airbnb located in the city center. Colmar was beautifully decorated for Easter throughout the city. There were markets and food stalls everywhere. The buildings were adorned with flowers, eggs, bunnies and even teddy bears. We had a great time simply wandering the streets and snapping photos. Some of the most picturesque spots in Colmar are near the Canal. A photo from the bridge of Petite Venice Colmar with all the half-timbered houses is a must. You can even leave a heart lock on the bridge with your names.
When we first arrived in Colmar, we stopped to eat at Caveau Saint-Pierre, a french restaurant located right on the canal. We ordered tarte flambée, like a french thin crust pizza, and watched the boats go by. The following day we took a boat ride on the canal with this boat company which has a dock right near the restaurant. I would definitely recommend taking a ride on the canal for a different view of the city.
What and where to eat in Colmar: try typical Alsace cuisine
When eating in Colmar, you must try typical Alsace food. Since this part of France was occupied by Germany at different points in history, there are a lot of similarities with German cuisine. We dined on everything from crepes and galettes to sausages and kase spätzle. All the restaurants were very casual and very rustic. We did not make reservations ahead of time, but we did have to wait to eat several times. I will list below everywhere we ate:
For brunch: L’Artémise
For lunch: Caveau Saint-Pierre and Jadis et Gourmande
For dinner: Brasserie des Tanneurs
Travel to Strasbourg by train from Colmar
From Colmar, we took a TER train to Strasbourg. The entire journey is only 30 minutes by train and tickets cost us 28 EUR total for the three of us, one-way (Isabella was free). In front of the Colmar train station there is a beautiful carousel that Isabella enjoyed before getting on our train.
In Strasbourg we stayed at Hotel Roses which I found on Booking.com for only 93 EUR the night. It was a 30 minute walk from the train station, which was tricky with all of our luggage plus Isabella. In our journey around the city we ended up in a cat cafe (don’t ask!!!) for a coffee and crepe, and then finally at La Corde à Linge restaurant for dinner. We ate outside in front of the canal overlooking La Petite France, which was incredibly picturesque.
Take the train back to Basel before flying home
Our third and last train was from Strasbourg back to Basel. We paid 54 EUR for the three of us one-way and the trip was a bit over an hour. We spent the afternoon in Basel without an agenda, wandering the streets, enjoying the sun and waiting for our late flight home.
And that’s how we spent our time in Basel, Colmar and Strasbourg! April and Easter was a beautiful time to visit the cities. However, I have also heard that Strasbourg is the Christmas capital of Europe. So I will definitely be adding it to my wishlist for Christmas time. Have you been to the Alsace region? Are there any other hidden gems we should explore? Let us know in the comments below!
