Strasbourg and Colmar
5th – 8th June 2026
Strasbourg sits at the crossroads of France and Germany, its identity shaped by centuries of changing rule and cultural exchange. During our visit, we will explore the city’s historic centre and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Grande Île. This picturesque island is the perfect place to amble down cobbled streets that wind past medieval timber-framed houses, between the river Ill and below the Gothic Cathedral.
We will also take a day trip to Colmar, one of the best-preserved towns in Alsace to see the extraordinary Isenheim Altarpiece and go on a boat trip through ‘Little Venice’. We will stay at the Hôtel Cour du Corbeau, a beautifully restored 16th-century building wrapped around a tranquil courtyard and within walking distance from the main attractions.
Itinerary
Friday 5th June
We will arrive in the early afternoon. Once we’ve settled into our hotel, we will discuss the history of Strasbourg as we walk around the city. Starting in the French quarter, ‘Petite France’, we will wind our way along the narrow lanes lined with timber framed houses overlooking the canals, where Medieval artisans plied their trades. We will go on to the Barrage Vauban, a triumph of 17th century military engineering which functions as both a weir and a bridge stretching across the River Ill. We will then continue to the railway station to discuss Strasbourg’s complex history of switching between German and French control over the 19th and 20th centuries. Supper will be at a good restaurant on the Grande Île, which we can wander to through the atmospheric lantern-lit streets.
Saturday 6th June
We will spend the morning at the splendid Musée des Beaux-Arts, with a fine collection of Western European paintings including all the ‘greats’ from Giotto to Raphael, and Zurbarán to Goya. We will cherry pick our way through the history of European painting.
After a well-earned lunch, we will feel rejuvenated and ready to visit the Église Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune. We will explore the historic buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grande Île, with its twisting lanes and sherbet-coloured timber-framed houses. The day will end with a visit to the hospital in Strasbourg, which has a rather unusual department: a wine cellar! We will visit and discover the fascinating history of the Cave Historique des Hospices with a tour and wine tasting. Supper will be at a good restaurant near the hotel.
Sunday 7th June
Our coach will take us to Colmar, a beautifully preserved Alsatian town, famous for its colourful architecture and fairy-tale charm. In the morning, we will visit the Unterlinden Museum, home to the extraordinary Isenheim Altarpiece— whose expressive, sometimes unsettling imagery was created for a monastery hospital treating patients with skin diseases.
After lunch, we will enjoy a walk through the town. Starting at the grand Gothic Church of St Martin, we will meander through cobbled streets past the richly decorated Maison Pfister, a picturesque medieval merchant’s house, and continue towards Colmar’s own ‘‘Little Venice’, crisscrossed by canals. If time and weather permit, a short boat trip there would offer a lovely way to take in the scenery from the water. We will end the afternoon at the covered market, where there will be time to browse for local specialities before we travel back to Strasbourg for supper.
Monday 8th June
On our final morning, we will turn our attention to Strasbourg’s crowning architectural achievement—the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. We will take time to admire the stained glass, the famous astronomical clock and soaring spire. We will also visit the neighbouring Cathedral Museum, which houses an excellent collection of sculptures, liturgical objects, and architectural fragments related to the cathedral. After a good lunch, we will begin our journey home from Strasbourg.
Further Details
Tuition – Richard Stemp and Tina Corri will lead the trip, both of whom are experts in their field and have led trips for AHA for many years.
Hotels – We will stay at the Hotel Cour du Corbeau, a centrally located hotel set in a historic 16th century Alsatian building within easy walking distance of the Cathedral, museums and Petite France. We will be staying in the ‘Deluxe’ rooms which are beautifully furnished and overlook the hotel’s quiet courtyard.
Travel – We do not book the travel to and from Strasbourg thus allowing you to travel to suit your budget, use airmiles, travel from different places or on different dates. We recommend travelling by train via Paris, however the train timetable has not yet been released. We will let you know as soon as it is. There may also be an option to fly but there are not currently any direct flights that have been released.
Transport – There will be coach or taxi transfers to meet the recommended travel arrangements.
Ability – There is quite a lot of walking on this trip, as well as slopes and uneven cobbles. As many of the streets are small you will need to walk from the coach to the churches and museums. As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Lunches and Dinners – Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks. Dinner is by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone. Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this. We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.
Cost – The fees are £1700 which includes accommodation and breakfast, all lunches, transfers for the recommended flight, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees, tuition, reading lists and local advice. The single occupancy supplement is £200 (double room for single use). Not included are the flights, all suppers, travel insurance. The group will not exceed 16 people and we will divide in to two smaller groups wherever possible.
To register – Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions and pay a deposit of £600 via bank transfer. Your place is not confirmed until we have received the deposit.
If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or call 01379 871800 (302)
NB you must buy your own trains or flights.
