Self-Guided Walk in Rothenburg
Traditional German Restaurants
Wine-Drinking in the Old Center
In the Middle Ages, when Berlin and Munich were just wide spots on the road, Rothenburg ob der Tauber was a “free imperial city” beholden only to the Holy Roman Emperor. During Rothenburg’s heyday, from 1150 to 1400, it was a strategic stop on the trade routes between northern and southern Europe. Because of its privileged position, along with the abundant resources of its surrounding countryside (textile-producing sheep and fertile farmlands), Rothenburg thrived. With a whopping population of 6,000, it was one of Germany’s largest towns. But as with many of Europe’s best time-warp towns, Rothenburg’s fortunes tumbled. With no money to fix up its antiquated, severely leaning buildings, the town was left to languish in this state. Today, it’s the country’s best-preserved medieval walled town, enjoying tremendous tourist popularity without losing its charm.
Rothenburg’s great trade these days is tourism: Two-thirds of the townspeople are employed to serve you. While 2.5 million people visit each year, a mere 500,000 spend the night. Rothenburg is yours after dark, when the groups vacate and the town’s floodlit cobbles wring some romance out of any travel partner.
Too often, Rothenburg brings out the shopper in visitors before they’ve had a chance to see the historic town. True, this is a fine place to do your German shopping. But appreciate Rothenburg’s great history and sights, too.
If time is short, you can make just a two- to three-hour midday stop in Rothenburg, but the town is really best appreciated after the day-trippers have gone home. Spend at least one night in Rothenburg (hotels are cheap and good). With two nights and a day, you’ll be able to see more than the essentials and actually relax a little.
Rothenburg in one day is easy, with three essential experiences: Tilman Riemenschneider’s wood carving in St. Jakob’s Church, a walk along the city wall, and the entertaining Night Watchman’s Tour. With more time, you could visit several mediocre but entertaining museums (the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum is the most interesting), take some scenic hikes and bike rides in the nearby countryside, and enjoy the town’s plentiful cafés and shops.
Rothenburg is very busy through the summer and in the Christmas Market month of December. Spring and fall are a joy, but it’s pretty bleak in November and from January through March—when most locals are hibernating or on vacation. Legally, shops are only allowed to remain open 40 Sundays a year; this means that many close on Sundays during the slow off-season months.
There are several Rothenburgs in Germany, so make sure you are going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (not “ob der” any other river); people really do sometimes drive or ride the train to other nondescript Rothenburgs by accident.
To orient yourself in Rothenburg, think of the town map as a human head. Its nose—the castle garden—sticks out to the left, and the skinny lower part forms a wide-open mouth, with the youth hostel and a recommended hotel in the chin. The town is a delight on foot. No sights or hotels are more than a 15-minute walk from the train station or each other.
Most of the buildings you’ll see were in place by 1400. The city was born around its long-gone castle—built in 1142, destroyed in 1356—which was located where the castle garden is now. You can see the shadow of the first town wall, which defines the oldest part of Rothenburg, in its contemporary street plan. Two gates from this wall still survive: the Markus Tower and the White Tower. The richest and biggest houses were in this central part. The commoners built higgledy-piggledy (read: picturesque) houses farther from the center, but still inside the present walls.
Although Rothenburg is technically in Bavaria, the region around the town is called by its medieval name, Franken (Franconia).
The TI is on Market Square (May-Oct and Dec Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00; Nov and Jan-April Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sat 10:00-13:00, closed Sun; Marktplatz 2, tel. 09861/404-800, tourismus.rothenburg.de). If there’s a long line, just raid the rack where they keep all the free pamphlets. The free city map comes with a walking guide to the town. The free RoTour monthly magazine lists all the events and entertainment (mostly in German), while a thinner, yearly Events booklet covers the basics in English. Also look for current concert listing posters here and at your hotel. Ask about their English walking tour (see “Tours in Rothenburg,” later). For Internet access, the TI has one free public computer (15-minute maximum).
Visitors who arrive after closing can check the handy map highlighting which hotels have rooms available, with a free direct phone connection to them; it’s just outside the door. A pictorial town map is available for free with this book at the Friese shop, two doors west from the TI (toward St. Jakob’s Church; see “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later).
By Train: It’s a 10-minute walk from the station to Rothenburg’s Market Square (following the brown Altstadt signs, exit left from station, turn right on Ansbacher Strasse, and head straight into the Middle Ages). Day-trippers can leave luggage in station lockers (€2-3, on platform) or at a local shop (try the Friese shop just off Market Square, listed on here). Free WCs are behind the snack bar next door to the station. Taxis wait at the station (€5-6 to any hotel).
By Car: Be aware that the driving and parking regulations in Rothenburg seem to change constantly—ask your hotelier for advice. In general, you’re always allowed to drive into the old town to get to your hotel. Otherwise, driving in the central section around Market Square (roughly, the area within the earlier town walls) is only permitted 6:00-11:00 and 16:00-19:00. There are no restrictions on driving in the outer parts of the old town (toward the train station and along Spitalgasse). Some hotels offer private parking (either free or paid), while others help you find street parking nearby (though this may change as parking regulations evolve). If you want to avoid the potential confusion and hassle of driving inside the old town (navigating one-way streets and distracted tourists), just plan to park in one of the lots—numbered P-1 through P-5—that line the outside of the town walls (€5/day, buy ticket from Parkscheinautomat machines and display, 5-10 minute walk to town). On weekdays, designated areas of P-5 and P-4 are free.
Festivals: For one weekend each spring, Biergartens spill out into the street and Rothenburgers dress up in medieval costumes to celebrate Mayor Nusch’s Meistertrunk victory (the story of the draught that saved the town is described under “Meistertrunk Show” on here, more info at meistertrunk.de). The Reichsstadt festival every September celebrates Rothenburg’s history.
Christmas Market: Rothenburg is dead for much of the winter except for December (its busiest month), when the entire town cranks up the medieval cuteness with concerts and costumes, shops with schnapps, stalls filling squares, hot spiced wine, giddy nutcrackers, and mobs of earmuffed Germans. Christmas markets are big all over Germany, and Rothenburg’s is considered one of the best. The market takes place each year during Advent. Virtually all sights listed in this chapter are open longer hours during these four weeks. Try to avoid Saturdays and Sundays, when big-city day-trippers really clog the grog.
Internet Access: All of the recommended hotels have Wi-Fi. The TI has one free terminal for brief use (maximum 15 minutes).
Laundry: A handy launderette is near the station, off Ansbacher Strasse (€5.50/load, includes soap, English instructions, owner isn’t always around to make change so it’s smart to bring coins, opens at 8:00, last load Mon-Fri at 18:00, Sat at 14:00, closed Sun, Johannitergasse 9, tel. 09861/2775).
Bike Rental: Consider renting a bike to enjoy the nearby countryside; you can follow the route described on here. Two shops, both outside the old town, rent bikes. Fahrradhaus Krauss is a little cheaper but farther out (€5/6 hours, €10/24 hours, €18/all weekend; electric bike-€25/day, must be reserved; no helmets, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun but ask about arranging return, Ansbacher Strasse 85, tel. 09861/3495, fahrradhaus-krauss.de); to reach it from the old town, head toward the train station, then continue along Ansbacher Strasse, bearing right over the train tracks. Rad & Tat is somewhat closer to town (€9/6 hours, €12/24 hours; electric bike-€26/day; Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun, Bensenstrasse 17, tel. 09861/87984, mietraeder.de); leave the old town toward the train station, but take a right on Erlbacher Strasse, cross the tracks, and look for the shop across the street from the Lidl supermarket.
Taxi: For a taxi, call 09861/2000 or 09861/7227.
Best Views: Rothenburg’s classic street scene is the Plönlein (“Little Square”), a picture-perfect tableau of a yellow house wedged between two towers at a diverging road (three blocks due south of Market Square). Coming in a close second is the view back on Markus Tower, from Rödergasse (two blocks east of Market Square).
Haircuts: At Salon Wack (pronounced “vack,” not “wack”), Horst and his team speak English and welcome both men and women (wash and cut: €21 for men, €32-39 for women; Tue-Fri 8:00-12:00 & 13:30-18:00, Sat 8:30-14:00, closed Sun-Mon, in the old center just off Wenggasse at Goldene Ringgasse 8, tel. 09861/7834).
Swimming: Rothenburg has a fine swimming complex, with a heated outdoor pool (Freibad) from mid-May to mid-September, and an indoor pool and sauna the rest of the year. It’s about a 15-minute walk south of the Spitaltor along the main road toward Dinkelsbühl (adults-€4, kids-€2; outdoor pool Fri-Tue 9:00-20:00, Wed 6:30-20:00, Thu 10:00-20:00; indoor pool Mon 14:00-21:00, Tue-Wed 9:00-21:00, Thu 6:30-21:00, Fri-Sun 9:00-18:00; Nördlinger Strasse 20, tel. 09861/4565).
This tour is flat-out the most entertaining hour of medieval wonder anywhere in Germany. The Night Watchman (a.k.a. Hans-Georg Baumgartner) jokes like a medieval Jerry Seinfeld as he lights his lamp and takes tourists on his rounds, telling slice-of-gritty-life tales of medieval Rothenburg (€7, teens-€4, free for kids 12 and under, mid-March-Dec nightly at 20:00, in English, meet at Market Square, nightwatchman.de). This is the best evening activity in town. Night Watchman fans can often meet him in person at his wife’s store, Kleiderey, during the day (see “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later). Or you may see him zipping around the park outside the wall on his Segway.
The TI offers 1.5-hour guided walking tours in English (€7, Easter-Oct and Dec daily at 14:00, no English tours in Nov or Jan-Easter, departs from Market Square). Take this tour for the serious side of Rothenburg’s history, and to make sense of the town’s architecture; you won’t get as much of that on the fun—and completely different—Night Watchman’s Tour. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this informative tour just because you took the other.
A local historian can really bring the ramparts alive. Prices are standardized (€68/1.5 hours, €86/2 hours). Reserve a guide by emailing the TI (info@rothenburg.de; more info at tourismus.rothenburg.de—look under “Tourism Service,” then “Guided Tours”). I’ve had good experiences with Martin Kamphans, who also works as a potter (tel. 09861/7941, stadtfuehrungen-rothenburg.de, post@stadtfuehrungen-rothenburg.de).
Map: Rothenburg Self-Guided Walk
Historical Town Hall Vaults (Historiengewölbe)
▲▲St. Jakob’s Church (St. Jakobskirche)
▲Imperial City Museum (Reichsstadt-Museum)
(See “Rothenburg Self-Guided Walk” map, page 5311.)
This one-hour circular walk weaves Rothenburg’s top sights together.
• Start the walk on Market Square.
Stand at the bottom of Market Square (10 feet below the wooden post on the corner—watch for occasional cars) and spin 360 degrees clockwise, starting with the Town Hall tower. Now do it again, this time more slowly, following these notes:
Town Hall and Tower: Rothenburg’s tallest spire is the Town Hall tower (Rathausturm). At 200 feet, it stands atop the old Town Hall, a white, Gothic, 13th-century building. Notice the tourists enjoying the best view in town from the black top of the tower (€2 and a rigorous but interesting climb, 214 steps, narrow and steep near the top—watch your head, April-Oct daily 9:30-12:30 & 13:00-17:00, Jan-March Sat-Sun only 12:00-15:00, closed Nov-Dec, enter on Market Square through middle arch of new Town Hall). After a fire in 1501 burned down part of the original building, a new Town Hall was built alongside what survived of the old one (fronting the square). This half of the rebuilt complex is in the Renaissance style from 1570.
Meistertrunk Show: At the top of Market Square stands the proud Councilors’ Tavern (clock tower from 1466). In its day, the city council—the rich guys who ran the town government—drank here. Today, it’s the TI and the focus of most tourists’ attention when the little doors on either side of the clock flip open and the wooden figures (from 1910) do their thing. Be on Market Square at the top of any hour (between 10:00 and 22:00) for the ritual gathering of the tourists to see the less-than-breathtaking re-enactment of the Meistertrunk (“Master Draught”) story:
In 1631, in the middle of the Thirty Years’ War, the Catholic army took the Protestant town and was about to do its rape, pillage, and plunder thing. As was the etiquette, the mayor had to give the conquering general a welcoming drink. The general enjoyed a huge tankard of local wine. Feeling really good, he told the mayor, “Hey, if you can drink this entire three-liter tankard of wine in one gulp, I’ll spare your town.” The mayor amazed everyone by drinking the entire thing, and Rothenburg was saved.
While this is a nice story, it was dreamed up in the late 1800s for a theatrical play designed (effectively) to promote a romantic image of the town. In actuality, if Rothenburg was spared, it happened because it bribed its way out of a jam. It was occupied and ransacked several times in the Thirty Years’ War, and it never recovered—which is why it’s such a well-preserved time capsule today.
For the best show, don’t watch the clock; watch the open-mouthed tourists gasp as the old windows flip open. At the late shows, the square flickers with camera flashes.
Bottom of Market Square: At the bottom end of the square, the cream-colored building on the corner has a fine print shop around back (described under “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later). Adjoining that is the Baumeister Haus, featuring a famous Renaissance facade with statues of the seven virtues and the seven vices—the former supporting the latter. The statues are copies; the originals are in the Imperial City Museum (described later on this walk). The green house below that is the former home of the 15th-century Mayor Toppler (it’s now the recommended Gasthof Goldener Greifen).
Keep circling to the big 17th-century St. George’s fountain. It had long metal gutters that could slide to route the water into the villagers’ buckets. Rothenburg had an ingenious water system. Built on a rock, it had one real source above the town, which was plumbed to serve a series of fountains; water flowed from high to low through Rothenburg. Its many fountains had practical functions beyond providing drinking water (some were stocked with fish on market days and during times of siege). Water was used for fighting fires, and because of its plentiful water supply—and its policy of requiring relatively wide lanes as fire breaks—the town never burned entirely, as so many neighboring villages did.
Two fine buildings behind the fountain show the old-time lofts with warehouse doors and pulleys on top for hoisting. All over town, lofts were filled with grain and corn. A year’s supply was required by the city so they could survive any siege. The building behind the fountain is an art gallery showing off work by members of the local artists’ association (free, Tue-Sun 14:00-18:00, closed Mon). To the right is Marien Apotheke, an old-time pharmacy mixing old and new in typical Rothenburg style.
The broad street running under the Town Hall tower is Herrngasse. The town originated with its castle (built in 1142 but now long gone; only the castle garden remains). Herrngasse connected the castle to Market Square. The last leg of this circular walking tour will take you from the castle garden up Herrngasse and back here. For now, walk a few steps down Herrngasse and stop by the arch under the Town Hall tower (between the new and old town halls). On the wall to the left of the gate are the town’s measuring rods—a reminder that medieval Germany was made of 300 independent little countries, each with its own weights and measures. Merchants and shoppers knew that these were the local standards: the rod (4.3 yards), the Schuh (“shoe,” roughly a foot), and the Ell (from elbow to fingertip—four inches longer than mine...try it). Notice the protruding cornerstone. These are all over town—originally to protect buildings from reckless horse carts (and vice versa).
• Under the arch, you’ll find the...
This grade-schoolish little museum gives a waxy but interesting look at Rothenburg during the Catholics-vs.-Protestants Thirty Years’ War. With helpful English descriptions, it offers a look at “the fateful year 1631,” a replica of the mythical Meistertrunk tankard, an alchemist’s workshop, and a dungeon complete with three dank cells and some torture lore.
Cost and Hours: €2.50, daily May-Oct 9:30-17:30, shorter hours April and Nov-Dec, closed Jan-March, tel. 09861/86751.
• Leaving the museum, turn left (past a much-sketched-and-photographed venerable door), and walk through the courtyard to a square called...
Once a produce market, this parking lot fills with Christmas shops during December. Notice the clay-tile roofs. These “beaver tail” tiles became standard after thatched roofs were outlawed to prevent fires. Today, all of the town’s roofs are made of these. The little fences keep the snow from falling and catch tiles that blow off during storms. The free public WC is on your left, the recommended Friese shop is on your right, and straight ahead is St. Jakob’s Church.
Outside the church, under the little roof at the base of the tower, you’ll see 14th-century statues (mostly original) showing Jesus praying at Gethsemane, a common feature of Gothic churches. The artist is anonymous, because in the Gothic age (pre-Albrecht Dürer), artists were just nameless craftspeople working only for the glory of God.
Five yards to the left (on the wall), notice the nub of a sandstone statue—a rare original, looking pretty bad after 500 years of weather and, more recently, pollution. Most original statues are now in the city museum. The better-preserved statues you see on the church are copies.
If it’s your wedding day, take the first entrance. Otherwise, head toward the church’s second (downhill) door. Before going inside, notice the modern statue at the base of the stairs. This is St. James (a.k.a., Sankt Jakob in German, Santiago in Spanish, and Saint-Jacques in French). You can tell this important saint by his big, floppy hat, his walking stick, the gourd on his hip (used by pilgrims to carry water), and—most importantly—the scallop shell in his hand. St. James’ remains are entombed in the grand cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in the northwestern corner of Spain. A medieval pilgrimage route called the Camino de Santiago (which has recently come back into vogue) passed through here on its way to that distant corner of Europe. Pilgrims would wear the scallop shell as a symbol of their destination (where that type of marine life was abundant). To this day, the word for “scallop” in many languages carries the name of this saint: Jakobsmuschel in German, coquille Saint-Jacques in French, and so on.
• Go ye.
Rothenburg’s main church is home to Tilman Riemenschneider’s breathtaking, wood-carved Altar of the Holy Blood.
Cost and Hours: €2, worthwhile 45-minute audioguide-€2, daily April-Oct 9:00-17:15, Dec 10:00-16:45, Nov and Christmas-March 10:00-12:00 & 14:00-16:00, on Sun wait to enter until services end at 10:45, free helpful English info sheet, concerts and tour schedule posted on the door; guided tours in English for no extra charge Sat at 15:00 April-Oct.
Visiting the Church: Built in the 14th century, this church has been Lutheran since 1544. The interior was “purified” by Romantics in the 19th century—cleaned of everything Baroque or not original and refitted in the Neo-Gothic style. (For example, the baptismal font—in the middle of the choir, behind the main altar—and the pulpit above the second pew look Gothic, but are actually Neo-Gothic.) The stained-glass windows behind the altar, which are most colorful in the morning light, are originals from the 1330s.
At the back of the church, take the stairs that lead up behind the pipe organ. In the loft, you’ll find the artistic highlight of Rothenburg and perhaps the most wonderful wood carving in all of Germany: the glorious 500-year-old, 35-foot-high Altar of the Holy Blood. Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers, carved this from 1499 to 1504 to hold a precious rock-crystal capsule (set in a cross) that contains a scrap of tablecloth miraculously stained in the shape of a cross by a drop of communion wine. The altar is a realistic commotion, showing that Riemenschneider—while a High Gothic artist—was ahead of his time. Below, in the scene of the Last Supper, Jesus gives Judas a piece of bread, marking him as the traitor, while John lays his head on Christ’s lap. Judas, with his big bag of cash, could be removed from the scene (illustrated by photos on the wall nearby), as was the tradition for the four days leading up to Easter.
Everything is portrayed exactly as described in the Bible. In the relief panel on the left, Jesus enters a walled city. Historians dispute whether it’s Jerusalem, in keeping with the altar’s Holy Week theme (there’s a red carpet, but no palm fronds), or Jericho—notice the man in the tree, who could be Jericho’s shy tax collector Zacchaeus. Notice the fun attention to detail—down to the nails on the horseshoe. In the relief panel on the right, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Before continuing on, take a moment to simply linger over the lovingly executed details: the curly locks of the apostles’ hair and beards, and the folds of their garments; the delicate vines intertwining above their heads; Jesus’ expression, at once tender and accusing. Walk back and forth in front of the altar, keeping an eye on the relief panels on the sides. Notice that as you move, different details pop into the foreground, and the focus of your attention (for example, which figure’s face you’re watching) subtly shifts with each step.
Head back down the stairs to the church’s main hall. Go up front to take a close look at the main altar (from 1466, by Friedrich Herlin). Below Christ are statues of six saints—including St. James (a.k.a. Jakob), with the telltale shell on his floppy hat. Study the painted panels—ever see Peter with spectacles (below the carved saints)? Go around the back of the altarpiece and look at the doors. In the upper left, you’ll see a painting of Rothenburg’s Market Square in the 15th century, looking much like it does today, with the exception of the full-Gothic Town Hall (as it was before the big fire of 1501). Notice Christ’s face on the veil of Veronica (center of back side, bottom edge). It follows you as you walk from side to side—this must have given the faithful the religious heebie-jeebies four centuries ago.
The small altar, high on the wall immediately to the left, is also worth a look. It’s a century older than the main altar. Notice the unusual Trinity: The Father and Son are literally bridged by a dove, which represents the Holy Spirit. Stepping back, you can see that Jesus is standing on a skull—clearly “overcoming death.”
Before leaving the front of the church, notice the old medallions above the carved choir stalls. They feature the coats of arms of Rothenburg’s leading families and portraits of city and church leaders.
• Leave the church. From its outside steps, walk around the corner to the right and under the chapel (built over the road). Go two blocks down Klingengasse and stop at the corner of the street called Klosterhof. Looking down Klingengasse, you see the...
This cliff tower was Rothenburg’s water reservoir. From 1595 until 1910, a copper tank high in the tower provided clean spring water (pumped up by river power) to the privileged. To the right of the Klingentor is a good stretch of wall rampart to walk. To the left, the wall is low and simple, lacking a rampart because it guards only a cliff.
Now find the shell decorating a building on the street corner next to you. Remember, that’s the symbol of St. James, indicating that this building is associated with the church.
• Turn left down Klosterhof, passing the shell and, on your right, the colorful, recommended Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof pub, to reach the...
You’ll get a scholarly sweep through Rothenburg’s history at this museum, housed in a former Dominican convent. Cloistered nuns used the lazy Susan embedded in the wall (to the right of the museum door) to give food to the poor without being seen.
Cost and Hours: €4, daily April-Oct 9:30-17:30, Nov-March 13:00-16:00, pick up English info sheet at entrance, additional English descriptions posted, Klosterhof 5, tel. 09861/939-043, reichsstadtmuseum.rothenburg.de.
Visiting the Museum: Just follow the Rundgang/Tour signs, watching for the following highlights. First, on the ground floor, before going upstairs, are the sandstone statues from the church and Baumeister Haus (the seven vices and seven virtues). Upstairs you’ll find the Baumann collection of weapons and armor, old furniture (including some remarkably detailed chests), and the Baroque statues that decorated the organ loft in St. Jakob’s Church from 1669 until the 19th century, when they were cleared out to achieve Gothic purity.
After passing through the Gemäldegalerie (with romantic paintings of the town), head back downstairs and circle around the cloister to see an exhibit of Jewish culture in Rothenburg through the ages (Judaika); a 14th-century convent kitchen (Klosterküche) with a working model of the lazy Susan and a massive chimney; and the grand finale (in the Konventsaal), the Rothenburger Passion, a 12-panel series of paintings from 1492 showing scenes leading up to Christ’s crucifixion.
• Leaving the museum, go around to the right and into the Convent Garden (when locked at night, continue straight to the T-intersection and see the barn three doors to the right).
This spot is a peaceful place to work on your tan...or mix a poisoned potion. Monks and nuns, who were responsible for concocting herbal cures in the olden days, often tended herb gardens. Smell (but don’t pick) the Pfefferminze (peppermint), Echte Kamille (disinfectant), Heidewacholder (juniper/gin), Rosmarin (rosemary), and Lavandel (lavender). Don’t smell the plants that are poisonous (potency indicated by the number of crosses, like stars indicating spiciness on a restaurant menu).
Cost and Hours: Free, daily April-Oct 8:00-19:30, closed Nov-March.
• Exit opposite from where you entered, angling left through the nuns’ garden (site of the now-gone Dominican church), eventually leaving via an arch along the side wall. Turn right and go downhill to the...
This part of the wall (view through bars, look to far right) takes advantage of the natural fortification provided by the cliff, and is therefore much smaller than the ramparts. Angle left along the wall to the big street (Herrngasse), then right under the Burgtor tower. Notice the tiny “eye of the needle” door cut into the big door. If trying to get into town after curfew, you could bribe the guard to let you through this door (which was small enough to keep out any fully armed attackers).
Step through the gate and just outside the wall. Look around and imagine being locked out in the year 1400. This was a wooden drawbridge (see the chain slits above). Above the inner gate, notice the “pitch nose” mask—designed to pour boiling Nutella on anyone attacking. High above is the town coat of arms: a red castle (roten Burg).
• Now explore deeper into the...
The garden before you was once that red castle (destroyed in the 14th century). Today, it’s a picnic-friendly park. The chapel (50 yards straight into the park, on the left) is the only bit of the original castle to survive. In front of that building is a memorial to local Jews killed in a 1298 slaughter. A few steps beyond that is a grapevine trellis that provides a fine picnic spot. If you walk all the way out to the garden’s far end, you’ll find a great viewpoint (well past the tourists, and considered the best place to kiss by romantic local teenagers). But the views of the lush Tauber River Valley below are just as good from the top end of the park—and those of the town are even better. Face the fine view of fortified Rothenburg. On the left, a path leads down to the valley, eventually reaching Toppler Castle and the village of Detwang—a town even older than Rothenburg (not visible from here; see “A Walk in the Countryside,” here). The little settlement in the valley just below, huddled around the stout stone church by the sturdy bridge, is called Herronmühle. Stretching to the right is the “Tauber Riviera.”
• Return to the tower, cross carefully under the pitch nose, and hike back up Herrngasse to your starting point.
Many towns have a Herrngasse, where the richest patricians and merchants (the Herren) lived. Predictably, it’s your best chance to see the town’s finest old mansions. Strolling back to Market Square, you’ll pass the old-time puppet theater (German only, on left) and—a block farther up, on the right—the Franciscan church (from 1285, oldest in town). Roughly across the street, the mint-green house at #18 is the biggest patrician house on this main drag. The family, which has lived here for three centuries, disconnected the four old-time doorbells. Their door—big enough to allow a carriage in (with a human-sized door cut into it)—is typical of the age.
Farther up, on the right, is Hotel Eisenhut, Rothenburg’s fanciest hotel and worth a peek inside. Next up, on both sides of the street, the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shops (at Herrngasse 1 and 2; described later, under “Shopping in Rothenburg”) are your last, and perhaps greatest, temptations before reaching your starting and ending point: Market Square.
Museums Within a Block of Market Square
▲Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)
Doll and Toy Museum (Puppen- und Spielzeugmuseum)
▲German Christmas Museum (Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum)
▲The Allergic-to-Tourists Wall and Moat Walk
▲Tradesman’s House (Alt-Rothenburger Handwerkerhaus)
Franconian Open-Air Museum (Fränkisches Freilandmuseum)
Specializing in everything connected to medieval criminal justice, this exhibit is a cut above all of the tacky and popular torture museums around Europe. In addition to ogling spiked chairs, thumbscrews, and shame masks, you’ll actually learn about medieval police and criminal law. The museum is more eclectic than its name, and includes exhibits on general history, superstition, biblical art, and so on. While the collection feels dated, exhibits are described in English.
Cost and Hours: €5, daily April 11:00-17:00, May-Oct 10:00-18:00, Nov and Jan-Feb 14:00-16:00, Dec and March 13:00-16:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, fun cards and posters, Burggasse 3-5, tel. 09861/5359, kriminalmuseum.rothenburg.de.
Visiting the Museum: Follow the yellow arrows—the one-way traffic system makes it hard to double back. From the entrance, head downstairs to the cellar to begin your education. Discover how Miranda rights and habeas corpus weren’t even a wild fantasy in the Middle Ages, when torture was widely used to coerce confessions (as evidenced by the rack, “stretching ladder,” thumb screws, spiked leg screws, and other items that would make Dick Cheney proud). Medieval torturers also employed a waterboarding-like technique—but here, the special ingredient was holy water.
Upstairs, on the first and second floors, the walls are lined with various legal documents of the age, while the dusty glass cases show off law-enforcement tools—many of them quite creative. A neck violin—like a portable version of a stock—kept the accused under control. (The double neck violin could be used to lock together a quarrelsome couple to force them to work things out.) The chastity belts were used either by a traveling husband to keep his wife loyal, or as protection by women in a time when rape was far more commonplace. To safely capture potential witches, lawmen used a device resembling a metal collar—with spikes pointing in—that was easy to get into, but nearly impossible to get out of. Another technique was to humiliate wrongdoers publicly, often accomplished by tying them to a pillory and covering their faces in an iron shame mask. The mask’s fanciful decorations indicated the crime: Chicken feathers meant promiscuity, horns indicated that a man’s wife slept around (i.e., cuckold), and a snout suggested that the person had acted piggishly. A gossip might wear a mask with giant ears (heard everything), eyeglasses (saw everything), and a giant, wagging tongue (couldn’t keep her mouth shut). When all else failed, those in charge could always turn to the executioner’s sword.
Your ticket also includes temporary exhibits (usually unrelated to crime and punishment) in an adjacent building—to find it, exit the museum and turn left.
Nearby: If you insist on trying the overrated Schneeball pastry (described on here), the museum café (located in the next building down Burggasse) sells cheap mini ones (open May-Oct and Dec Tue-Thu and Sat-Sun at 13:00, closed Mon and Fri year-round, usually closed Nov and Jan-April, no museum admission required for café).
This dated museum, which is crying out for a makeover, stuffs historic Kinder cuteness into three floors of glass display cases. You can pick up the free English binder, just past the ticket desk, for an extensive but very dry description of the exhibits. Less kid-friendly and more nostalgic for grandparents, it may be worth a look for those fascinated by the evolution of playthings. (Kids will be more entertained by the twitching Steiffs in the Käthe Wohlfahrt shop.)
Cost and Hours: €4, kids 12 and under-€1.50, family ticket-€10, daily March-Dec 9:30-18:00, Jan-Feb 11:00-17:00, just off Market Square, downhill from the fountain at Hofbronnengasse 11-13, tel. 09861/7330, spielzeugmuseum.rothenburg.de.
This excellent museum, upstairs in the giant Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village shop, tells the history of Christmas decorations. There’s a unique and thoughtfully described collection of tree stands, mini-trees sent in boxes to WWI soldiers at the front, early Advent calendars, old-time Christmas cards, Christmas pyramids, and a look at the evolution of Father Christmas as well as tree decorations through the ages—including the Nazi era and when you were a kid. The museum is not just a ploy to get shoppers to spend more money, but a serious collection managed by professional curator Felicitas Höptner.
Cost and Hours: €4, April-Dec daily 10:00-18:00, Jan-March Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00 and irregularly on weekdays, last entry at 17:00, Herrngasse 1, tel. 09861/409-365, christmasmuseum.com.
Just longer than a mile and a half around, providing great views and a good orientation, this walk can be done by those under six feet tall in less than an hour (unless your camera can’t stop snapping). The hike requires no special sense of balance. Most of the walk is covered and is a great option in the rain. Photographers will stay very busy, especially before breakfast or at sunset, when the lighting is best and the crowds have dissipated.
You can walk in the covered area at the top of the wall most of the way around. However, the western edge of town lacks a clearly defined wall with a gallery on top to walk under (logically, since that side overlooks a steep cliff and required less elaborate fortifications). Therefore, to go all the way around, you’ll have to descend from the wall and follow surface streets and alleys for part of the way—basically, the stretch between the youth hostel (at the southern tip of town, just above the Spitaltor) and near the Imperial City Museum (at the northwestern edge of town, just below the Klingentor). You can enter or exit the ramparts at nearly every tower. The best fortifications are in the Spitaltor (south end). The names you see along the way belong to people who donated money to rebuild the wall after World War II, and those who’ve more recently donated €1,000 per meter for the maintenance of Rothenburg’s heritage.
While enjoyable, the wall-top walkway can get crowded midday. For a less congested alternative, see the next listing.
For a quiet and scenic break from the tourist crowds and a chance to appreciate the marvelous fortifications of Rothenburg, consider this hike: From the Castle Garden, go right and walk outside the wall to the Klingentor. At the Klingentor, climb up to the ramparts and walk on the wall past the Galgentor to the Rödertor. Then descend, leave the old town, and hike through the park (once the moat) down to the Spitaltor. Explore the fortifications here before hiking a block up Spitalgasse, turning left to pass the youth hostel, popping back outside the wall, and heading along the upper scenic reaches of the river valley and above the vineyards back to the Castle Garden. Note that on the west (cliff-top) side of town, some of the outside-the-walls sections are steeper and harder to hike than the wall-top walkway.
If all of the higgledy-piggledy buildings make you curious about how people lived way back when, stop into this restored 700-year-old home to see the everyday life of a Rothenburger in the town’s heyday. You’ll crouch under low ceilings as you explore a house that doesn’t have a single right angle—kitchen (with soot-blackened ceilings); tight, shared bedrooms; and attic workshop. Ponder the rugged reality of medieval Bürger life. While the house itself is fascinating, information (in any language) is scarce; pick up the free, paltry English handout, or shell out €0.50 for a better one.
Cost and Hours: €3; Easter-Oct Mon-Fri 11:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00; Dec daily 14:00-16:00; closed Nov and Jan-Easter; near Markus Tower at Alter Stadtgraben 26, tel. 09861/2098.
This fortified Gothic church (which feels like a pale imitation of St. Jakob’s) is built into the medieval wall at the Klingentor. While it sounds intriguing—and looks striking from the outside—its dungeon-like passages and shepherd’s-dance exhibit are pretty lame.
Cost and Hours: €1.50; April-Sept Wed-Mon 10:00-13:00 & 14:30-17:00, closed Tue; Oct Wed-Mon 10:00-16:00, closed Tue; Dec Sat-Sun only 11:00-16:00, closed Mon-Fri; closed Nov and Jan-March.
This pleasant stroll—easy and downhill at the start, with an uphill return at the end—takes you through the tranquil countryside below Rothenburg, including stops at a characteristic little “castle,” a Biergarten, and a historic church.
From the Burggarten (castle garden), head into the Tauber Valley. As you come through the Burgtor into the castle garden, veer left to find the path that leads out of the garden; after leaving the wall, at the first big fork, turn right and head down and around the garden, keeping the castle and town on your right. The trail becomes quite steep, taking you down to the wooden covered bridge on the valley floor. Across the bridge, the road goes left to Toppler Castle and right (downstream, with a pleasant parallel footpath) to Detwang.
Toppler Castle (Topplerschlösschen) is cute, skinny, sky-blue, and 600 years old. It was the castle/summer home of the medieval Mayor Toppler. The tower’s top looks like a house—a sort of tree fort for grownups. It’s in a farmer’s garden, and it’s open whenever he’s around and willing to let you in (€1.50, normally Fri-Sun 13:00-16:00, closed Mon-Thu and Nov, one mile from town center at Taubertalweg 100, tel. 09861/7358). People say the mayor had this valley-floor escape built to get people to relax about leaving the fortified town...or to hide a mistress. After leaving the castle, you can continue straight along the same road to reach the big bridge in the valley just below town; from here, various roads and paths lead steeply back up into town.
Or, to extend your stroll, walk back to the small footbridge and follow the river downstream (passing the recommended Unter den Linden beer garden) to the peaceful village of Detwang. One of the oldest villages in Franconia (one of Germany’s medieval dukedoms), Detwang dates from 968. Like Rothenburg, it has a Riemenschneider altarpiece in its Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. Founded more than a millennium ago, this church has a dimly lit Romanesque interior with some Gothic frills. Riemenschneider’s Altar of the Holy Cross depicts the moment when Christ, upon the cross, takes his last breath. While the central figures carry the same level of detail and emotion as any of Riemenschneider’s work, the side panels (praying in Gethsemane on the left, the Resurrection on the right) exhibit a bit less mastery than the altarpiece in St. Jakob’s. Originally carved for a church in Rothenburg, the altar was later trimmed to fit this smaller space. Notice the soldier on the right looking at an angle into thin air. Before being scooted in, his gaze fell on the dying Christ. Angels and other figures were cut out entirely (€1.50, daily 8:30-12:00 & 13:30-17:00, June-mid-Sept until 18:00, shorter hours off-season, closed to tourists Sun 9:00-10:00 during Mass).
From Detwang, you can hike steeply back up into Rothenburg (arriving at the northern edge of town), or backtrack to the wooden footbridge—or all the way to Toppler Castle—and head up from there.
To get a fun, breezy look at the countryside around Rothenburg, rent a bike (see “Helpful Hints” on here). For a pleasant half-day pedal, escape the old town through the Rödertor, bike along Topplerweg to the Spitaltor, and follow the curvy road down into the river valley. Turn right at the yellow Leutzenbronn sign to cross the double-arcaded bridge. From here a peaceful road follows the river downstream to Detwang, passing the cute Toppler Castle (described earlier). From Detwang, follow the main road to the old mill, and turn left to follow the Liebliches Taubertal bike path signs as far up the Tauber River (direction: Bettwar) as you like. After 2.5 miles, you’ll arrive in the sleepy farming town of Bettwar, where you can claim a spot among the chickens and the apple trees for a picnic or have a drink at one of the two restaurants in town.
A 20-minute drive from Rothenburg—in the undiscovered “Rothenburgy” town of Bad Windsheim—is an open-air folk museum that, compared with others in Europe, is a bit humble. But it tries very hard and gives you the best look around at traditional rural Franconia.
Cost and Hours: €6, daily mid-March-Sept 9:00-18:00, Oct-mid-Dec 10:00-16:00, closed mid-Dec-mid-March, last entry one hour before closing, tel. 09841/66800, freilandmuseum.de.
Be warned...Rothenburg is one of Germany’s best shopping towns. Do it here and be done with it. Lovely prints, carvings, wine glasses, Christmas-tree ornaments, and beer steins are popular. Rödergasse is the old town’s everyday shopping street. There’s also a modern shopping center across the street from the train station.
Rothenburg is the headquarters of the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas trinkets empire, which is spreading across the half-timbered reaches of Europe. In Rothenburg, tourists flock to two Käthe Wohlfahrt stores (at Herrngasse 1 and 2, just off Market Square). Start with the Christmas Village (Weihnachtsdorf) at Herrngasse 1. This Christmas wonderland is filled with enough twinkling lights (196,000—mostly LEDs) to require a special electrical hookup. You’re greeted by instant Christmas mood music (best appreciated on a hot day in July) and tourists hungrily filling little woven shopping baskets with goodies to hang on their trees (items handmade in Germany are the most expensive). Ask for a discount off all official KW products when you show this book. (OK, I admit it, my Christmas tree sports a few KW ornaments.) Let the spinning flocked tree whisk you in, and pause at the wall of Steiff stuffed animals, jerking uncontrollably and mesmerizing little kids. Then head downstairs to find the vast and sprawling “made in Germany” section, surrounding a slowly spinning 15-foot tree decorated with a thousand glass balls. The Christmas Museum upstairs is described earlier, under “Sights in Rothenburg.” The smaller Christmas Market (Christkindlmarkt), across the street at Herrngasse 2, specializes in finely crafted wooden ornaments. A third, much smaller store is at Untere Schmiedgasse 19. Käthe started the business in Stuttgart in 1964, and opened her first storefront here in Rothenburg in 1977. The company is now run by her son Harald Wohlfahrt, who lives in town (all stores open Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, May-Dec also most Sun 10:00-17:00, Jan-April closed Sun but museum and museum shop open, tel. 09861/409-150, wohlfahrt.com or bestofchristmas.com).
Cuckoo with friendliness, trinkets, and souvenirs, the Friese shop has been open for more than 50 years (commemorated by a plaque on the town wall)—and they’ve been welcoming my readers for more than 30 of those years (on the smaller square just off Market Square, west of TI, on corner across from free public WC). They give my readers tremendous service: Show your book for a discount and a free pictorial map (normally €1.50). Anneliese Friese, who runs the place with her son Bernie and granddaughter Dolores (a.k.a. “Mousy”), charges only her cost for shipping and lets tired travelers leave their bags in her back room for free (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-18:00, Grüner Markt 8, tel. 09861/7166, anneliese-friese@gmx.de).
The Ernst Geissendörfer print shop has sold fine prints, etchings, and paintings on the corner of Market Square since 1908. To find the shop, walk a few steps down Hafengasse (it’s on your right, just before the Bosporus Café). If you’re interested in more expensive prints and etchings than those on display, ask Frau Geissendörfer to take you upstairs—she’ll offer you a free shot of German brandy while you browse. Show this book for a discount off marked prices (May-Dec daily 11:00-18:00; March-April Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00, closed Sun; closed Jan-Feb; Obere Schmiedgasse 1 at corner of Hafengasse, tel. 09861/2005, geissendoerfer.de).
At the Kleiderey, an offbeat clothing store, the Night Watchman sometimes hangs out during the day (it’s run by his wife). He’s happy to sign autographs (May-Dec Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00; Jan-April open only Sat 11:00-17:00; just below Market Square at Untere Schmiedgasse 7, tel. 09861/938-633). For details on the Night Watchman’s entertaining tour, see “Tours in Rothenburg,” earlier.
For characteristic wine glasses, winemaking gear, and the real thing from the town’s oldest winemakers, drop by the Glocke Weinladen am Plönlein (daily 9:00-19:00, Untere Schmiedgasse 27—see here for info on wine-tasting). You’ll recognize local Franconian wines by the shape of the bottle—short, stubby, and round.
Several bookshops line Rödergasse, past Marcus Tower. The first one, Rothenburger Büchermarkt, at the corner with Alter Stadtgraben, has the best selection (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:30, Sun 10:30-18:00, Jan-April closed Sun, Rödergasse 3).
Mailing Your Goodies Home: You can get handy yellow €2.50 boxes at the old town post office (Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:30, Wed 9:00-13:00, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, inside photo shop at Rödergasse 11). The main post office is in the shopping center across from the train station.
Rothenburg is crowded with visitors, but most are day-trippers. Except for the rare Saturday night and during festivals (see here), finding a room is easy throughout the year. Competition keeps quality high. If you want to splurge, you’ll snare the best value by paying extra for the biggest and best rooms at the hotels I recommend. In the off-season (Nov and Jan-March), hoteliers may be willing to discount.
Train travelers save steps by staying in the area toward the Rödertor (east end of town). Hotels and guesthouses will sometimes pick up tired heavy-packers at the station. If you’re driving, call ahead to get directions and parking tips (particularly because local traffic regulations change frequently). Once under way, if you’re unable to find where you’re sleeping, stop and give them a call. They will likely come rescue you.
Keep your key when out late. Rothenburg’s hotels are small, and they often lock the front entrance at about 22:00, asking you to let yourself in through a side door.
$$$ Hotel Kloster-Stüble, deep in the old town near the castle garden, is my classiest listing. Rudolf does the cooking, while Erika—his energetic first mate—welcomes guests. Twenty-one rooms fill two medieval buildings, connected by a modern atrium. The hotel is just off Herrngasse on a tiny side street (Sb-€58-78, traditional Db-€88-108, bigger and more modern Db-€134-144, Tb-€108-146, see website for suites and family rooms, kids 5 and under free, guest computer, free Wi-Fi in most rooms, Heringsbronnengasse 5, tel. 09861/938-890, klosterstueble.de, hotel@klosterstueble.de).
$$$ Hotel Spitzweg is a rustic-yet-elegant 1536 mansion (never bombed or burned) with 10 big rooms, new bathrooms, open beams, and endearing hand-painted antique furniture. It’s run by gentle Herr Hocher, whom I suspect is the former Wizard of Oz—now retired and in a very good mood (Sb-€65-70, Db-€90-100, Tb-€115, Qb apartment-€150, non-smoking, elegant old-fashioned breakfast room, free parking, pay guest computer and Wi-Fi at son-in-law’s nearby hotel, Paradeisgasse 2, tel. 09861/94290, hotel-spitzweg.de, info@hotel-spitzweg.de).
$$$ Gasthof Goldener Greifen, once Mayor Toppler’s home, is a big, traditional, 600-year-old place with 14 spacious rooms (that lack personality) and all the comforts. It’s run by a helpful family staff and creaks with rustic splendor (Sb-€48, small Db-€65, big Db-€85-98, Tb-€105-139, Qb-€125-158, price depends on size, 10 percent less for 3-night stays, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi in public areas, full-service laundry-€8, free and easy parking, half a block downhill from Market Square at Obere Schmiedgasse 5, tel. 09861/2281, gasthof-greifen-rothenburg.de, info@gasthof-greifen-rothenburg.de, Brigitte and Klingler family). The family also has a couple of free loaner bikes for guests and runs a good restaurant, serving meals in the back garden or dining room.
$$$ Hotel Gerberhaus mixes modern comforts into 20 bright and airy rooms that still maintain a sense of half-timbered elegance. Enjoy the pleasant garden in back (Sb-€65-85, Db-€79-130, Tb-€139-150, Qb-€145-185, Quint/b-€195-205, prices depend on room size; 2-room suite in separate building-€130/2 people, €195/4 people; discount off the second and subsequent nights and a free Schneeball if you book direct and pay cash, non-smoking, 4 rooms have canopied 4-poster Himmel beds, guest computer, free Wi-Fi with this book, laundry-€7, close to P-1 parking lot or pay €7 for their garage, Spitalgasse 25, tel. 09861/94900, gerberhaus.rothenburg.de, gerberhaus@t-online.de, Inge).
$$ Hotel Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof is the place for well-heeled bohemians. Mario, Hanne, and their lovely daughter Viktoria rent seven cozy rooms above their dark and evocative pub in a 600-year-old building. It’s an upscale Lord of the Rings atmosphere, with TVs, modern plumbing, open-beam ceilings, and some canopied four-poster beds. They also have two similarly decorated rooms of equal quality in another building a couple of doors away (Sb-€65, Db-€69, bigger Db-€78, Db suite-€98, Tb-€98, cash preferred, kid-friendly, free Wi-Fi, off Klingengasse at Klosterhof 7, tel. 09861/6404, altfraenkische.de, info on second building at am-klosterhof.de, altfraenkische-weinstube@web.de). Their pub is a candlelit classic—and a favorite with locals, serving hot food to Hobbits (see listing later, under “Eating in Rothenburg”). Drop by on Wednesday evening for the English Conversation Club (see “Meet the Locals” on here).
$$ Pension Elke, run by spry Erich Endress and his son Klaus, rents 12 modern and comfy rooms above the family grocery store. Guests who jog are welcome to join Klaus on his half-hour run around the city every evening at 19:30 (S-€35, Sb-€45, D-€45-55, Db-€62-65, price depends on room size, extra bed-€18, ask about a discount with this book if you plan to stay at least 2 nights, cash only, guest computer, free Wi-Fi; reception in grocery store until 19:00, otherwise go around corner to back of building and ring bell at top of stairs; near Markus Tower at Rödergasse 6, tel. 09861/2331, pension-elke-rothenburg.de, info@pension-elke-rothenburg.de).
$$ Gästehaus Raidel rents eight rooms in a 500-year-old house filled with beds and furniture all handmade by friendly, soft-spoken Norry Raidel himself. The ramshackle ambience makes me want to sing the Addams Family theme song—but the place has a rare, time-passed family charm. Norry, who plays in a Dixieland band, has invented a fascinating hybrid saxophone/trombone called the Norryphone...and loves to jam (Sb-€45, Db-€69, Tb-€90, Qb suite-€120, cash only, free Wi-Fi, Wenggasse 3, tel. 09861/3115, Norry asks you to use the reservations form at romanticroad.com/raidel).
$$ Kreuzerhof Hotel offers nine pleasant rooms surrounding a courtyard on a quiet side street near the Rödertor (Sb-€48, Db-€72, large Db-€92, Tb-€95, Qb-€124, 6-bed room-€159, family deals, non-smoking, guest computer, free Wi-Fi, laundry-€6/load, parking in courtyard-€3/day, Millergasse 2-6, tel. 09861/3424, kreuzerhof.eu, info@kreuzerhof.eu, Heike and Walter Maltz).
$$ Hotel Café Uhl offers 12 fine rooms that are an afterthought to their busy pastry shop (Sb-€42-65, Db-€72-95, Tb-€95-115, Qb-€122-135, price depends on room size, ask about a discount with this book if paying cash and booking direct, reception in café, pay guest computer, free Wi-Fi, parking-€6/day, closed Jan, Plönlein 8, tel. 09861/4895, hotel-uhl.de, info@hotel-uhl.de, Paul and Robert the baker).
$$ Gästehaus Flemming has seven tastefully modern, fresh, and comfortable rooms and a peaceful terrace and garden behind St. Jakob’s Church (Sb-€49, Db-€64, Tb-€88, family suite, non-smoking, pay Wi-Fi, Klingengasse 21, tel. 09861/92380, gaestehaus-flemming.de, gaestehaus-flemming@t-online.de, Regina).
$$ Gästehaus Gerlinger, a fine value, has four comfortable rooms in a pretty 16th-century house with a small terrace for guests (Sb-€49, Db-€62, Tb-€78, cash only, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, easy parking, Schlegeleinsweth 10, tel. 09861/87979, mobile 0171-690-0752, pension-gerlinger.de, info@pension-gerlinger.de, Hermann).
$ Pension Pöschel is simple and friendly, with six plain rooms in a concrete but pleasant building, and an inviting garden out back. Only one room has a private shower and toilet (S-€30, D-€50, Db-€55, T-€65, Tb-€70, small kids free, cash only, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, Wenggasse 22, tel. 09861/3430, mobile 0170-700-7041, pensionpoeschel.de, pension.poeschel@t-online.de, Bettina).
$ Frau Liebler rents two large, modern, ground-floor rooms with kitchenettes. They’re great for those looking for real privacy—you’ll have your own room fronting a quiet cobbled lane just below Market Square. On the top floor is an attractive two-bedroom apartment (Db-€44, apartment-€55, extra bed-€12, show this book and ask for a discount for stays of 2 or more nights, breakfast-€6, cash only, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, laundry-€5, behind Christmas shop at Pfäffleinsgässchen 10, tel. 09861/709-215, gaestehaus-liebler.de). Frau Liebler also has three more apartments on Rödergasse, a couple blocks away.
$ Rossmühle Youth Hostel rents 186 beds in two buildings. While it mostly has four- to six-bed dorms, this institutional yet charming hostel also has 15 doubles. Reception is in the droopy-eyed building—formerly a horse-powered mill, it was used when the old town was under siege and the river-powered mill was inaccessible (dorm bed-€25, bunk-bed Db-€58, guests over 26 pay €4 extra unless traveling with a family, nonmembers pay €3 extra, includes breakfast and sheets, all-you-can-eat dinner-€6, free Wi-Fi in common areas, self-serve laundry including soap-€5, close to P-1 parking lot, entrance on Rossmühlgasse, tel. 09861/94160, rothenburg.jugendherberge.de, rothenburg@jugendherberge.de).
$$$ Hotel Hornburg, a grand 1903 mansion, is close to the train station, a two-minute walk outside the wall. With groomed grounds, gracious and colorful sitting areas, and 10 spacious, tastefully decorated rooms, it’s a good value (Sb-€65-90, Db-€78-125, Tb-€105-145, price depends on size of room, non-smoking, family-friendly, dogs welcome—ask for pet-free room if you’re allergic, guest computer, free Wi-Fi; if walking, exit station and go straight on Ludwig-Siebert-Strasse, then turn left on Mannstrasse until you’re 100 yards from town wall; if driving, the hotel is across from parking lot P-4; Hornburgweg 28, at intersection with Mannstrasse, tel. 09861/8480, hotel-hornburg.de, info@hotel-hornburg.de, Gabriele and Martin).
$$ Pension Fuchsmühle is a guest house in a renovated old mill on the river below the castle end of Rothenburg, across from the Toppler Castle. It feels rural, but is a pleasant (though steep) 15-minute hike to Market Square, and a €10 taxi ride from the train station. Alex and Heidi Molitor, a young couple with kids, offer eight bright, modern light-wood rooms. The building’s electric power comes from the millwheel by the entrance, with excess sold to the grid (Sb-€45, Db-€75, Tb-€96, Qb-€132, 3-room suite-€165/5 people or €198/6 people, less if you stay at least 3 days, includes healthy farm-fresh breakfasts—or €7 less per person if you don’t want breakfast, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, free parking, laundry service-€8/load, flashlights provided for your walk back after dark, Taubertalweg 101, tel. 09861/92633, fuchsmuehle.de, info@fuchsmuehle.de).
Many restaurants take a midafternoon break, and stop serving lunch at 14:00 and dinner as early as 20:00. My recommendations are all within a five-minute walk of Market Square. While all survive on tourism, many still feel like local hangouts. Your choices are typical German or ethnic. You’ll see regional Franconian (frankisch) specialties advertised, such as the German ravioli called Maultaschen and Franconian bratwurst (similar to other brats, but a bit more coarsely ground, with less fat, and liberally seasoned with marjoram).
(See “Rothenburg Restaurants” map, here.)
Hotel Restaurant Kloster-Stüble, on a small street off Herrngasse near the castle garden, is a classy place for delicious and beautifully presented traditional cuisine, including homemade Maultaschen. Chef Rudy’s food is better than his English, so head waitress Erika makes sure communication goes smoothly. The shady terrace is nice on a warm summer evening. I prefer their traditional dining room to the stony, sleek, modern room (€10-16 main courses, Thu-Tue 11:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:00, closed Wed and maybe also Tue, Heringsbronnengasse 5, tel. 09861/938-890).
Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof seems designed for gnomes to celebrate their anniversaries. At this very dark pub, classically candlelit in a 600-year-old building, Mario whips up gourmet pub grub (€7-15 main courses, hot food served Wed-Mon 18:00-22:30, closed Tue—except sometimes in summer, off Klingengasse at Klosterhof 7, tel. 09861/6404). If you’d like dinner company, drop by on Wednesday evening, when the English Conversation Club has a big table reserved from 19:00 on (see “Meet the Locals,” here). You’ll eat well and with new friends—both travelers and locals.
Gasthof Goldener Greifen is in a historic building just off the main square. The Klingler family serves quality Franconian food at a good price...and with a smile. The wood is ancient and polished from generations of happy use, and the ambience is practical rather than posh—and that’s just fine with me (€8-17 main courses, €12-15 three-course daily specials, affordable kids’ meals, Mon-Sat 11:30-21:00, may open Sun 11:30-14:00, Obere Schmiedgasse 5, tel. 09861/2281).
Zum Pulverer (“The Powderer”) is a very traditional Weinstube (wine bar) just inside the Burgtor gate that serves a menu of affordable and well-executed regional fare, some with modern flourishes. While there are a few outdoor tables looking up at one of Rothenburg’s stoutest towers, the real draw is the interior—a cozy wood-hewn place that oozes history, with chairs carved in the shape of past senators of Rothenburg (€6-14 dishes, Mon-Fri 17:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 12:00-22:00, Herrengasse 31, tel. 09861/3293).
Alter Keller is a modest, inexpensive restaurant with outdoor tables on a peaceful square just a couple blocks off Market Square. The menu has German classics at reasonable prices—Spätzle, schnitzel, trout, and roasts—as well as steak (€8-14 main dishes, steaks higher-priced, Wed-Sun 11:00-22:00, closed Mon-Tue, Alter Keller 8, tel. 09861/2268).
Reichsküchenmeister is a forgettable big-hotel restaurant, but on a balmy evening, its pleasant tree-shaded terrace overlooking St. Jakob’s Church is hard to beat (€13-23 main courses, €7-10 Flammkuchen—German-style pizza, daily 11:00-23:00, Kirchplatz 8, tel. 09861/9700).
(See “Rothenburg Restaurants” ap, here.)
Pizzeria Roma is the locals’ favorite for €6-8 pizza and pastas, with good Italian wine. The Magrini family moved here from Tuscany in 1970 (many Italians immigrated to Germany in those years), and they’ve been cooking pasta for Rothenburg ever since (Thu-Tue 11:00-24:00, closed Wed and mid-Aug-mid-Sept, Galgengasse 19, tel. 09861/4540, Ricardo).
China-Restaurant Peking, on the picturesque Plönlein square, has good food, including two-course lunch specials (€5-7, Mon-Sat only), and its noisy streetside tables have a fine tower view (€8-11 dishes, open daily 11:30-15:00 & 17:00-23:00, Plönlein 4, tel. 09861/938-738).
The Bosporus Café, just off Market Square, serves cheap and tasty Turkish food to go or eat in. Their Döner Kebabs must be the best €3.50 hot meal in Rothenburg (daily 9:00-19:00, until 21:00 in April-Sept, Hafengasse 2).
Sandwiches and Snacks: While any bakery in town can sell you a sandwich for a couple of euros, the conveniently located Brot & Zeit (a pun on Brotzeit, “bread time,” the German term for snacking) is like a German bakery dressed up as a Starbucks. In a bright, modern atmosphere just inside the super-picturesque Markus Tower, they sell take-away coffee, sandwiches, and a few hot dishes, making it a good one-stop shop for grabbing a meal to go (€5 hot meals, cheaper sandwiches, Mon-Sat 6:00-18:30, Sun 7:30-18:00, Hafengasse 24, tel. 09861/936-8701).
Grocery Stores: A small grocery store is in the center of town at Rödergasse 6 (Mon-Fri 7:30-19:00, Sat 7:30-18:00, May-Dec also Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Sun Jan-April). Supermarkets are outside the wall: Exit the town through the Rödertor, turn left through the cobbled gate, and cross the parking lot to reach the Edeka supermarket (Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat 8:00-18:00, closed Sun); or head to the even bigger Kaufland in the shopping center across from the train station (Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, closed Sun).
Rothenburg’s Biergartens can be great fun, but they’re open only when the weather is balmy.
Unter den Linden, a family-friendly (with sandbox and swing), slightly bohemian Biergarten in the valley along the river, is worth the 20-minute hike on a pleasant evening (daily 10:00-22:00 in season with decent weather, sometimes later, self-service food and good beer, Sunday breakfast buffet until noon-€12, call first to confirm it’s open, Kurze Steige 7, tel. 09861/5909, Helmut Dürrer). As it’s in the valley on the river, it’s cooler than Rothenburg; bring a sweater. Take a right outside the Burgtor, then a left on the footpath toward Detwang; it’s at the bottom of the hill on the left.
Gasthof Rödertor, just outside the wall through the Rödertor, runs a backyard Biergarten that’s great for a rowdy crowd looking for cheap food and good beer. Their passion is potatoes—the menu is dedicated to spud cuisine. Try a plate of Schupfnudeln—potato noodles with sauerkraut and bacon (May-Sept daily 17:00-24:00 in good weather, table service only—no ordering at counter, Ansbacher Strasse 7, look for wooden gate, tel. 09861/2022). If the Biergarten is closed, their indoor restaurant, with a more extensive menu, is a good value (€8-13 main courses, daily 11:30-14:00 & 17:30-22:00, except Sun until 21:00).
Eis Café D’Isep, with a pleasant “Venetian minimalist” interior, is the town’s ice-cream parlor, serving up cakes, drinks, fresh-fruit ice cream, and fancy sundaes. Their sidewalk tables are great for lazy people-watching (daily 9:30-22:30, closed early Oct-mid-Feb, one block off Market Square at Hafengasse 17, run by Paolo and Paola D’Isep).
Pastries: Rothenburg’s Bäckereien (bakeries) offer succulent pastries, pies, and cakes...but skip the bad-tasting Rothenburger Schneeballen. Unworthy of the heavy promotion they receive, Schneeballen are bland pie crusts crumpled into a ball and dusted with powdered sugar or frosted with sticky-sweet glop. There’s little reason to waste your appetite on a Schneeball when you can enjoy a curvy Mandelhörnchen (almond crescent cookie), a triangular Nussecke (“nut corner”), a round Florentiner cookie, a couple of fresh Krapfen (like jelly doughnuts), or even just a soft, warm German pretzel.
(See “Rothenburg Restaurants” map, here.)
Trinkstube zur Hölle (“Hell”) is dark and foreboding, offering a thick wine-drinking atmosphere, pub food, and a few main courses (€12-20). It’s small and can get painfully touristy in summer (Mon-Sat 17:00-24:00, food until 21:30, closed Sun, a block past Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum on Burggasse, with the devil hanging out front, tel. 09861/4229).
Mario’s Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof (listed earlier, under “Traditional German Restaurants”) is the liveliest place, and a clear favorite with locals for an atmospheric drink or late meal. When every other place is asleep, you’re likely to find good food, drink, and energy here.
Restaurant Glocke, a Weinstube (wine bar) with a full menu, is run by Rothenburg’s oldest winemakers, the Thürauf family. The very extensive wine list is in German only because the friendly staff wants to explain your options in person. Their €4.80 deal, which lets you sample five Franconian wines, is popular (€8-18 main courses, Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-14:00, Plönlein 1, tel. 09861/958-990).
(See “Rothenburg Restaurants” map, here.)
For a rare chance to mix it up with locals who aren’t selling anything, bring your favorite slang and tongue twisters to the English Conversation Club at Mario’s Altfränkische Weinstube am Klosterhof (Wed 19:00-24:00, restaurant listed earlier). This group of intrepid linguists has met more than 1,000 times. Hermann the German and his sidekick Wolfgang are regulars. Consider arriving early for dinner, or after 21:00, when the beer starts to sink in, the crowd grows, and everyone seems to speak that second language a bit more easily.
Reaching Rothenburg ob der Tauber by Train: A tiny branch train line connects Rothenburg to the outside world via Steinach in 14 minutes (generally hourly from Rothenburg at :06 and from Steinach at :35). Train connections in Steinach are usually quick and efficient (trains to and from Rothenburg generally use track 5; use the conveyor belts to haul your bags smartly up and down the stairs).
If you plan to arrive in Rothenburg in the evening, note that the last train from Steinach to Rothenburg departs at about 22:30. All is not lost if you arrive in Steinach after the last train—there’s a subsidized taxi service to Rothenburg (cheaper for the government than running an almost-empty train). To use this handy service, called AST (Anrufsammeltaxi), make an appointment with a participating taxi service (call 09861/2000 or 09861/7227) at least an hour in advance (2 hours ahead is better), and they’ll drive you from Steinach to Rothenburg for the train fare (€4/person) rather than the regular €25 taxi fare.
The Rothenburg station has a touch-screen terminal for fare and schedule information and ticket sales. If you need extra help, visit the combined ticket office and travel agency in the station building (€1-4 surcharge for most tickets, €0.50 charge for questions without ticket purchase, Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun, tel. 09861/7711). The station at Steinach is entirely unstaffed, but also has touch-screen ticket machines. As a last resort, call for train info at tel. 0180-599-6633, or visit bahn.com.
From Rothenburg by Train to: Würzburg (hourly, 70 minutes), Nürnberg (hourly, 1.25 hours, change in Ansbach), Munich (hourly, 2.5-4 hours, 2-3 changes), Füssen (hourly, 5 hours, often with changes in Treuchtlingen and Augsburg), Frankfurt (hourly, 2.5-3 hours, change in Würzburg), Frankfurt Airport (hourly, 3-3.25 hours, change in Würzburg), Berlin (hourly, 5-6 hours, 3 changes). Remember, all destinations also require a change in Steinach.
From Rothenburg by Bus: The Deutsche Touring Company (tel. 069/719-126-268, romanticroadcoach.com) runs daily tour buses that roughly follow the Romantic Road. The bus stops in Rothenburg once a day (mid-April-late Oct) on its way from Frankfurt to Munich and Füssen (and vice versa). The bus stop is at Schrannenplatz, a short walk north of Market Square.