I’m obsessed with fairy tales. I spent much of my childhood watching Disney princess movies and reading fantasy novels, 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 elegantly on the walls…every corner of the village looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. Seriously, it’s one of the most picture perfect places I’ve ever visited! Check out my guide to visiting Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Related post: 5-Day Germany Romantic Road Trip
Fun fact: Much of the imagery in the Disney movie Pinocchio was inspired by sketches of Rothenburg.
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 (check out my related post about Munich and Oktoberfest here). We stayed 2 nights in Rothenburg during our drive along the Romantic Road, and it was one of our favorite stops from the trip. Check out my Rothenburg recommendations below!
How to Get to Rothenburg
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. 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) just to say we did, and it was pretty exhilarating (Note: I’m not necessarily 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.
What to Do in Rothenburg
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.
Plonlein Square
Visit Plonlein Square, 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.
Market Square
Pay a quick 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 cutest buildings I’ve ever seen. I dare you to try and not take a picture!
A bit-off-the-beaten path
Walk the Town Walls
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 (read about our past trips where we walked the walls in Dubrovnik and in York), and I have to say that the walls in Rothenburg offer the largest variety of scenery and viewpoints.
For example, the wall offers breathtaking views of the Bavarian countryside.
You can also get cute street views like this…
Christmas Village
Are you curious to why we hang glass ornaments on Christmas trees? Want to learn about other Christmas traditions? Visit the fun Christmas museum above the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village Shop which features a museum filled with interesting Christmas artifacts and history. Christmas fanatics (like myself) won’t be able to resist buying a few of the beautiful Christmas ornaments in the shop, most of them handmade in Germany.
Where to Eat in Rothenburg
Traditional German Breakfast
Have a leisurely breakfast at Brot and Zeit, which serves a traditional German breakfast. The breakfast spreads are extravagant and filling, a good option for those seeking fuel for a full day of exploring!
Walter Friedel
You can’t go to Rothenburg without trying a Schneeball, a local dessert specialty. Cafe Walter Friedel is located on the main stretch in Rothenburg and is famous for their schneeballs. We tried schneeballs in a couple of places on our road trip through Bavaria and the best ones we had were at Cafe Friedel. Schneeballs are essentially fried balls of dough covered in sugar…but there’s nothing wrong with that.
A 900-year Old Restaurant
An amazing restaurant option for dinner is Zur Holl, the oldest restaurant in Rothenburg (it’s over 900-years old!). This medieval tavern offers a cozy dining atmosphere and specializes in old world Bavarian cuisine and wine. Note: You WILL need a reservation to dine here. We tried to go without reservations on our first night in Rothenburg and got turned away!
While at Zur Holl, we took the opportunity to order the recommended fresh Franconian wine and it was absolutely delicious. In fact, it was so good that we asked whether we could buy some wine from the restaurant…and they came out with an old, empty water bottle filled to the brim! How cute is that?! Check out the proof below…
Michelangelo
If you’re sick of sausages and pork knuckles and are looking for something other than Bavarian cuisine, try Michelangelo, an authentic Italian restaurant on the outskirts of the town. They have a tasty bolognese.
Where to Stay in Rothenburg
We stayed at an amazing AirBnB right in the heart of Rothenburg. Seriously, I couldn’t believe how amazing the location of this apartment was! It even included a free parking spot.
I’ve also heard great things about the Burg Hotel, a romantic ivy-covered hotel featuring a variety of spacious suites and a garden terrace for enjoying breakfast with views over Rothenburg.
Other Things to Know
Rothenburg is a major tourist hot spot (especially with Japanese tour agencies). It’s totally worth staying the night (or arriving bright and early in the morning) to experience a more ‘local’ Rothenburg without the crowds.
There are multiple Rothenburgs in Germany! Make sure you are visiting the Rothenburg ob de Tauber (translates to the Rothenburg on the Tauber River).
Want to learn more or have questions about visiting Rothenburg? Send me a comment below!
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