6-Nights Switzerland, Germany & France: The Black Forest & the Alsace Wine Route from $4,045

The rich architectural heritage of Strasbourg makes it an excellent tourist city. It has always been a town of passage, and has all architectural styles. The past is written in its walls, and its streets have a timeless quality. Few people can resist the charm of its half-timbered houses and picturesque alleys. Discover the pretty colored facades and impressive portals. Strasbourg is a popular destination where one can forget his usual surroundings. The old city lies around the cathedral on an island formed by two arms of the Ill river. La Petite France is the district which is most reminiscent of old Strasbourg. It is home to many craftsmen and antiques dealers. Its narrow streets offer a series of half-timbered houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries with large inner courtyards and high sloping roofs. The exceptional warmth and hospitality of the people and the gastronomic reputation of Strasbourg makes tourists want to stay.

Picturesque little Obernai, on the D422, is the first place most people head for when travelling south along the route from Strasbourg. Miraculously unscathed during the last two world wars, Obernai has retained almost its entire rampart system, including no fewer than fifteen towers, as well as street after street of carefully maintained medieval houses.

Colmar is a gem of a town in Alsace, south of Strasbourgh. It's big enough to have lots to do, and small enough to get around easily. Some say it's the prettiest town in France, or Europe even.

The third-largest city in Switzerland, Basel stands on the Rhine at the point where the French, German, and Swiss borders meet. At the entrance to the Swiss Rhineland, Basel is the capital of the half-canton of Basel-Stadt. On its borders are the French Vosges, the German Black Forest, and the Swiss Jura Mountains. Grossbasel, or Greater Basel, lies on the steep left bank, and Kleinbasel, or Lesser Basel, is on the right bank.