Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber guide
What a place this is!
I spent much of my childhood watching Disney movies , so you can imagine my delight when I entered the storybook village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. With the cobblestone streets, half-timbered buildings, and flowers and ivy growing up the walls…every corner of the village looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. Seriously, it’s one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever visited!
Fun fact: Much of the imagery in the Disney movie Pinocchio was inspired by sketches of Rothenburg.
Brief Overview
Located in the heart of Bavaria, Rothenburg is a small town enclosed within medieval walls that date back to the 1200s. Much of the town was actually destroyed by bombs during World War 2, but donations from around the world helped restore it back to its former style and glory.
The town is the most popular attraction along the Romantic Road, and also makes for a great day trip from Munich. We stopped off at Rothenburg on our way down to Reutte, Austria, and it was one of our favourite stops from the trip. Check out our Rothenburg recommendations below!
How to get there
Getting to Rothenburg is relatively easy. You can take a train directly from Munich (2.5 hours), Nuremburg (1 hour), or Frankfurt (3.5 hours). However, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND renting a car and driving to Rothenburg, as we did this option. There are so many sights to see nearby that having a car makes it super convenient to explore the sights on your own time. Plus, it’s definitely an experience driving on the Autobahn – the officially recommended speed is 130 km/h (80mph) but that is considered slow by most German drivers! At one point we hit 200 km/h (120mph) Note: I’m not recommending you drive this fast. Safety first!
You can also take a bus tour day trip to Rothenburg. Popular options on Tripadvisor can be found here. A day trip is a good option for those who have a limited amount of time for sightseeing.
When you arrive, park outside the towering walls, don’t worry there is plenty of parking spaces all the way around the outside.
Must-Visit Attractions
The best thing to do in Rothenburg is just to walk and explore the shops and streets. The town is relatively small so you could explore most of the city in 2-3 hours.
1.
Visit Plonlein Square (pictured below), the most photographed spot in Rothenburg. This postcard-worthy square features a half-timbered house (and yes, apparently someone lives there!), cobblestoned streets, and a great view of the town gate.
2.
Pay a visit to the Rothenburg Town Hall and enjoy the buzz of the Market Square. Right on the Market Square are the historic Fleisch-und Tanzhaus – these blue and red half-timbered buildings are some of the best buildings I’ve ever seen.
3.
Walk the – 2.5 mile long medieval town walls to get amazing views of the city. We’ve walked our fair share of medieval walls, and I have to say that the walls in Rothenburg offer the largest variety of scenery and viewpoints.
4.
Visit the Medieval Crime Museum
The fascinating Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum) deals with more than 1,000 years of crime and punishment in Europe. Particular focus is placed on the medieval period.
Highlights include artifacts used to extract confessions and inflict punishment, many of them extremely gruesome. Also interesting is the fascinating documentation and details pertaining to the often-flawed logic behind their use.
Numerous notorious criminal cases are depicted in woodcuts and copper etchings, while another exhibit deals specifically with the terrible witch-hunts that once gripped Bavaria.
Address: Burggasse 3, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber
More information can be found on the official website here
5.
Visit the German Christmas Museum
Rothenburg’s Marktplatz is the scene of one of Germany‘s most popular Christmas markets, a tradition that can be traced to medieval times. But you can experience some of the season’s color and traditions all year-round at the German Christmas Museum (Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum).
Part store and part museum, it displays seasonal decorations and artifacts focusing on local traditions in towns like Rothenburg. Highlights include tree ornaments, nativity scenes, and numerous old figurines, including 150 figures of Father Christmas himself.
Address: Herrngasse 1, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber
6.
Visit St James Church
Just a short stroll from the Town Hall is St. James’s Church (Kirchengemeinde St. Jakob in German, which is why the church is also known as St. Jacobs). Completed in 1485, it’s widely considered to be one of the finest such pilgrimage churches in Germany.
Highlights of a visit to this historic landmark are the Altar of the Holy Blood, a superb wood carving dating from 1505 depicting the Last Supper, and the 700-year-old stained glass in the East Choir. The Twelve Apostles Altar shows the oldest known representation of Rothenburg.
Address: Klostergasse 15, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber
7.
Visit Burggarten and Burgtor
Heading to the western end of town down from Martkplatz you’ll soon reach another tower, the Burgtor. What makes this tower special is that provides access to the pretty Burggarten gardens. This is the rare green space within the walls of Rothenburg and it’s quite a lovely spot.
Besides the gardens, it also features a stellar viewpoint with views of the far end of the Old Town. It’s here that you can really see how the town conforms with the landscape of the river valley. The other great part of the view is that you can look down the hillside to the Tauber River below. With trees and small vineyards dotting the hillside, it’s exceptionally pretty.
Tips for visiting Rothenburg
When to Visit
Seeing as it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bavaria, it’s best to expect crowds when you visit Rothenburg. Mornings are the best time to go sightseeing it seems, as most tourists have yet to arrive. The town centre would get quite busy during the middle of the day even visiting in early spring. I shudder to think though what it’s like in high season during summer.
Day Trip or Overnight?
Many travellers make a day trip to Rothenburg, but is it worth staying overnight? We only stayed for a day but wish we had stayed much longer! Having two days in Rothenburg would make it much easier to thoroughly explore the town. It also mean that you would have time to wander down into the Tauber River Valley. Still, you can see a lot of the town in a single day.
If you do choose to stay in Rothenburg, you have plenty of options open to you. Many of the nicer hotels and guesthouses are found inside the town walls which is nice. A more budget-friendly option is Hotel Rothenburger Hof by the train station.
Book Tours and Purchase Tickets
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We loved Rothenburg! A fairy-tale medieval gem! Make sure its on your list!
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