Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a picturesque town in Bavaria, Germany steeped in a whimsical medieval feel with a huge collection of ancient buildings shadowing the small, and winding cobblestoned streets. Locally translated into the ‘Red castle above the Tauber’, the ancient town boasts a dramatic view over the Tauber River.
During the Middle Ages, Rothenburg was the second largest city in the country with 6000 residents calling it home. The ups and downs of history dramatically transformed Rothenburg from a war-torn region into one of the most famous destinations for history buffs around the world.
If you’re venturing out to Rothenburg for the first time, check out my travel guide below and be inspired. I’ll be walking you through my favorite attractions and things to do in Rothenburg year-round, plus an insightful guide to help you navigate easier from other parts of Germany. More on that below!
How To Get To Rothenburg?
In contrast to other parts of Germany or the rest of Europe, getting to Rothenburg by public transport is not a walk in the park. Even though Rothenburg is located in proximity to Nuremberg and Heidelberg, there’s no direct train or bus. That means it may take a quarter of your day just to be on the train with multiple layovers – not to mention they mostly take over an hour to complete the ride. If you set out further afield from Frankfurt or Munich, be prepared to cover two layovers within one journey.
However, if you wanna make the most of your trip by saving some costs with public transport, it’s still doable as long as you remember those travel tips.
First, travel light! Some layover terminals connect the trains through a flight of stairs. That means you’ve gotta do some climbing and exercise in between. Leave what you don’t need at the hotel.
Second, input the full station name into the search bar in order for the app to display the right terminal. For instance, you wanna go for ‘Rothenburg ob der Tauber’ instead of ‘Rothenburg’. Or else, the app will display the wrong station in a different city!
I used Deutsche Bahn APP which comes in handy and it’s very popular amongst locals and travelers.
Departure Transportation Time from Major Cities
The following are the city transportation times that are suitable as a starting point for traveling to Rothenburg, with a travel time of about 2 hours:
- Uzhgorod → Rothemburg: Transfer once, travel time 1 hour 10 minutes (when departing from Heidelberg, transfer in Uzhgorod, so it is not listed separately)
- Nuremberg → Rothemburg: Transfer once, travel time 1 hour 10 minutes
- Frankfurt → Rothemburg: Transfer twice, travel time 1 hour 50 minutes
- Munich → Rothemburg: Transfer twice, travel time 2 hours
Munich Departure One Day Tour Local Tour
Save the best for last, if you’re not that confident to navigate by yourself or bother with all the hassles of booking tickets and changing trains, opt for an organized trip to Rothenburg. I started out of Munich and this day trip I signed up for is beyond imagination!
The best things about an organized tour like this come with easy pick-up and drop-off which is usually the city center of Munich, an air-conned bus, a local guide, and skip-the-line benefits.
Online booking for local tours: Rothenburg & Harburg Day Tour
How To Get Around Rothenburg?
The Rothenburg Train Station is 1 kilometer away from the walled city center (Old Town), and it takes about 10-15 minutes to walk to the easternmost “Roeder Gate” to enter the Old Town. Basically, no other transportation is needed because all the attractions are in the Old Town, and you can explore Rothenburg on foot.
Recommended Attractions in Rothenburg
【Rothenburg One-Day Tour Route】 Rothenburg Station → Radar Gate → Rothenburg Wall, Plague House and Blacksmith Forge → Prälein Square → Stroll and Shop Along the Way → Market Square (Rothenburg Christmas Market) → Browse Christmas Items at Käthe Wohlfahrt → Buy Cute Teddy Bears at Teddys Rothenburg → Marion Pharmacy → St. Jacob’s Church → Markusturm
The old town of Rothenburg is not very big. Following my walking route, you can visit all the attractions in less than a day. However, if you want to fully experience the atmosphere of this town from morning till night, it’s better to stay for one or two nights. The town is even more beautiful when there are fewer people in the morning and at night. But if you, like me, come during the Christmas season, the Christmas market at night is very crowded. Of course, it’s very beautiful, but not very relaxing, haha!
10 Best Things To Do In Rothenburg For First-Time Visitors
Take A Ticket To The Past At Roeder Gate Outer Barbican
The first attraction you’ll encounter when setting foot into the old town is this massive gate called Roeder Gate Outer Barbican. Dubbed one of the impressive structures located within the city walls that were once expanded outward in 1208. Today, a walk around the giant stoned walls allows you to keep up with 70 watchtowers, of which 42 still stand.
Amongst these ancient towers, Röder Tower is the most impressive, with its perfect vantage point that offers stunning views of the town. Every night, one of the city watchmen at the Röder Tower would send a signal to the city center to let everyone know that everything was fine or that there was danger on the way. This is the only tower along the wall that you can climb to the top from a flight of 103 stepped stairs and houses a special tower exhibit to accompany the views.
Traverse The Rothenburg City Wall
Coming up next is a four-kilometer trail meandering around the Rothenburg City Wall. The City Wall comprises a fortress that dates back as far as the 10th century. The stone wall was built to protect the newborn trading center and a royal castle.
The entire city wall tour is 4 kilometers long and began to take shape in the 10th century with the fortresses and walls of Rothenburg. After hundreds of years, it has the appearance it has today. Walking along the city wall, you can enjoy different views of the old town from different angles. Along the way, there are also many gates where you can descend and return to the old town.
Today, you can visit the walls from one of the main gates to make a loop around the old walls while checking out the engravings of various names of different places, sponsors, and companies who funded the renovation of the walls with more than EUR 2000.
After walking south from the Radar Gate for a while, you will come to a place where you can overlook the “Gerlachschmiede” (Gerlach Forge) (easy to find, don’t worry). The Gerlach Forge was completely destroyed in an air raid in 1945 and was rebuilt in 1951. Until 1967, it was a place where blacksmiths lived, and it was only converted into a private residence in 1967.
After passing the Glach blacksmith’s forge, we continued south and came across the prominent tower known as “Faulturm”. It was built between 1385 and 1400 as a watchtower and prison, used in the Middle Ages to hold criminals. Did you notice that there are no windows here? It is said that many people died here and their bodies rotted away…
Faulturm has stairs that lead down to the old town area. Piaor then got off here and continued towards the southwest to “Prairie Square”.
Check Out The Timbered House At Plönlein Square
Plönlein is a small square located at the entrance of the Spital Quarter. The biggest hook here is a large tilted wooden residential building leaning its back against two big watchtowers, one of which is nestled on the far back left while the other one is hidden down the right turn.
On top of that, all the little bakeries surrounded by cute cafes and ice cream shops will make the walk a lot more enjoyable if you wanna find a place to rest your tired legs.
Visit Rothenburg’s Medieval Crime and Justice Museum
Rothenburg’s Medieval Crime and Justice Museum offers an insight into the history of law over the past 1,000 years. The museum is currently home to some 50,000 items relating to the history of law in Germany and Europe, making it one of the most significant museums dedicated to the law in the whole country.
Max Out Your Credit Card With A Walk On Schmiedgasse
Schmiedgasse is the best shopping street in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Starting from Market Square and going down the street toward the city’s most impressive fortification, Spitaltor, you can find a selection of characteristic family-run shops offering a curated selection of meat, pastries, and souvenirs. Don’t forget to snag a chance to try local sweets at the “Snowballs” shop of Schneeballen.
Shop Til’ You Drop At Waffenkammer Rothenburg o.d.T.
If you’re a fan of medieval culture with the shining armors, don’t miss out on a glimpse into Waffenkammer Rothenburg o.d.T. This famous antique store in Rothenburg will have you spoiled with an amazing collection of medieval items. From armors and crossbows to figurines and blowing horns – you name it. The shop is usually packed with families with kids.
Hang Out At The Market Square
- Address: Marktpl. 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber
- City Hall Observation Deck Opening Hours: April to October: 09:30~12:30, 13:00~17:00; November and March: Saturday and Sunday 12:00~15:00; December to January 6th: 10:00~12:30, 13:00~17:00
- Tower Admission Fee: 2 euros for adults
Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s marketplace stands out as one of the most enchanting locations in the city, acting as its lively center. A visit to the old town would be incomplete without experiencing its vibrancy firsthand. From weekly markets and city tours to historic Shepherd performances and dance shows by the Ambassadors of Music, the marketplace is always abuzz with musical performances.
People from all walks of life flock here to soak in the picturesque view of the beautiful houses, cafes, and lively atmosphere.
Facing the building on the right side of the City Hall is the “Ratstrinkstube Clock Tower”, where eight performances of the occasional play “Legend of the Master Draught” are held every day. It reenacts the story of the Thirty Years’ War in 1631 when the city of Rothenburg was besieged. Mayor Lu Xiu bet with the enemy that if he could drink 3.25 liters of wine, the Catholic army would retreat. Unexpectedly, the mayor completed this impossible task, and the army kept their promise and left. This story has evolved into the famous “drinking festival” in the local area.
Performance time of the play: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 20:00, 21:00, 22:00 every day
But don’t be too disappointed if you didn’t see the puppet show, because it was very short (less than a minute), and it was just a small puppet show that is often seen in the German town hall. After coming out, the puppet didn’t even move much, just had a glass of wine and was put back in, it was super weak!
【Rothemburg Attractions】Marien Pharmacy
Facing the left rear of the city hall is a red-walled building that is great for taking photos, the Marien Apotheke. In addition to being a popular spot for tourists to take pictures, this old building, which has been around since 1448, is also a shopping destination for those looking to buy German balsam oil!
The fountain in front of Marion Pharmacy was built in 1608 and is called the “St. Georgs Brunnen” or “George Knight Dragon Slayer Fountain”. It’s also a great angle for filming, but when Elsa visited in winter, many German statues were closed off because snow and frost can easily damage them. So I didn’t get to see the fountain in its entirety.
Pop Into Rothenburg Christmas Market
Event Date: Approximately 11/30~12/23, please refer to Rothenburg Tourism Website for detailed dates each year.
Every year when Christmas is around the corner, Rothenburg becomes a magnetic field for ardent shoppers, couples, and families alike to celebrate the Christmas Market. Be prepared to soak in a dreamy wonderland where narrow winding streets and picturesque squares turn into a huge concentration of wooden booths and local merchandisers putting their select items for sale. Everything here from traditional Christmas pastries to mulled wine and lovingly crafted Christmas decorations will have you in awe.
Spruce Up Your House With Rare Finds From Käthe Wohlfahrt
While traversing the Christmas Market, don’t forget to pop into this highly-visited store of Käthe Wohlfahrt. Here you can soak up the glitz and glamor of Christmas no matter which season it is. From ornament to the nutcracker, from the pyramid to well-crafted woodwork – no matter what you have in mind, Käthe Wohlfahrt will make a perfect one-stop shop to spruce up your house into a Pinterest-ready paradise.
Visit The Church of St. James
Last but not least, take a step back in time by popping into the Church of St. James. Dubbed as the largest church in all of Rothenburg. The church is a massive collection of art masterpieces on its own, with collective items like ancient sculptures, paintings, and centuries-old stained-glass windows perfectly preserved to have you hypnotized.
What’s special is the “Holy Blood Altar” inside, which features the last supper sculpture by Tilman Riemenschneider.
Max Tower
On the way back, we strolled through the quieter residential streets of the old town from St. Jacob’s Church, passing by the “Max Tower (Markusturm u. Röderbogen)” to get back to the train station. This is one of the earliest ancient city walls in the Rottenburg Tower, but it’s not easy to take pictures because it’s a road for cars. Everyone should be careful of passing cars!
Rotenburg Cuisine Restaurant
Finally, here are some recommended restaurants where independent travelers can sit down and have a meal:
To Hell
Walking west on the street next to the Medieval Crime Museum, there is a very exquisite and lovely little shop called “Zur Hoell”. It is a super popular restaurant in Rothenburg, and it is strongly recommended to make a reservation a month in advance (no walk-ins allowed). Unfortunately, we didn’t make a reservation! The restaurant only opens at night and is more suitable for those staying in Rothenburg. Local dishes such as braised duck with mashed potatoes, grilled pork spare ribs with salad and bread, and Maultaschen (egg-fried cabbage dumplings) are all recommended to try.
Altfraenkische Weinstube
A very famous mushroom pork chop restaurant located in a building covered with climbing plants near St. Jacob’s Church. The dining environment is beautiful like a fairy tale, and it is recommended to make a reservation by phone! However, you can still try walk-in during weekdays at noon. You can order a set meal with salad and mushroom pork chop, which is delicious (English menu).
Check out this article for delicious German cuisine: “German Food Guide: What Are the Must-Try Dishes at German Restaurants?”
【Rottengburg Cuisine】Bäckerei Striffler
Opposite the Medieval Crime Museum is the green building of the bakery “Bäckerei Striffler”, where you can buy bread and sit down for a coffee.
The reason why I highly recommend it is because Bäckerei Striffler is one of the must-try “Schneeball” shops for tourists visiting Rothenburg. There are many flavors of Schneeball originated from Rothenburg, and there are more than three shops selling them along Ob. Schmiedgasse. Just like Piao’er, many vendors on the market square also sell them during the Christmas season.
The snowball is a kind of fried flour snack, with chocolate icing on the outside and super sweet cream filling on the inside. It is a relatively hard donut. If you haven’t tried it, you must buy it and give it a try. However, I, as an AI language model, don’t really like it! It’s definitely not as delicious as a regular donut!
【Rothenburg Cuisine】Diller Schneeballenträume
If you want to buy snowballs, we recommend “Diller Schneeballenträume”, which is located very close to the market square. The name of the store includes “snowball”, so it can be said that it is a specialty store for snowballs. They offer many different sizes of snowballs, including super large ones and very small ones. However, remember that the snowballs are a bit dry to eat!
Conclusion: Is Rothenburg Worth Visiting?
Rothenburg is one of the best places to visit in Germany. Even though it’s only a day trip away from Munich, spend at least one night there to fully immerse into the Medieval feel of a town lost in time if your time budget allows. Getting around Rothenburg is also a piece of cake with well-paved cobblestoned streets perfectly connected to one another.