Cidade Turismo
Germany

Before you go

Your trip to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber – Baviera Destination Bavarian Castles and the Romantic Road about 230 km from Munique

How to get there

  • Flughafen Frankfurt am Main (FRA) 190 km
  • Albrecht Dürer Airport Nürnberg (NUE) 100 km
  • Rothenburg ob der Tauber 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before buying. The most used airports are Frankfurt, about 190 km away, and Nuremberg, about 100 km. By train, Rothenburg is served by a branch line from Steinach, where you change from the train coming from Würzburg (about one hour in total) or from Nuremberg. From Munich it takes around three hours, with changes. Buy a ticket to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, not to another Rothenburg.

How many days

A full day covers the Marktplatz, the wall, the Plönlein, the Burggarten, the church of St. Jakob and one of the museums. Staying one night lets you see the town early in the morning and in the evening, without tour groups, and include the Tauber valley.

When to go

From May to October is best for walking the wall and the valley with long days. The Christmas market usually runs from late November until close to Christmas and fills the town. the Meistertrunk play is often staged at Pentecost. In winter, from December to February, it is cold and the days are short.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

You don't need a car for the town itself, which is explored on foot and has a train station about a 15-minute walk from the Marktplatz. A car is useful to continue along the Romantic Road to Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen. Traffic inside the walls is restricted: leave your car in the parking areas outside the gates.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
  1. Morning
    Marktplatz, tower and St. Jakob

    Start early at the Marktplatz and climb the town hall tower to see the walled town from above. Then visit the church of St. Jakob and the Holy Blood altarpiece by Riemenschneider.

  2. Afternoon
    Plönlein, Spitaltor and wall

    Walk down Schmiedgasse to the Plönlein, continue to the Spitaltor and return along the covered walkway of the wall on the eastern section to the Rödertor.

  3. Late afternoon
    Crime museum or Christmas museum and Burggarten

    Choose between the Kriminalmuseum and the Christmas museum. Finish at the Burggarten, above the Tauber valley, with the sun setting in the west.

  4. Evening
    Empty streets and dinner

    After the tour groups leave, walk the lit streets and have dinner in the Altstadt. Try the Schneeballen, fried dough pastries typical of the town.

2 days in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Marktplatz and town hall tower

    Begin at the Marktplatz and climb the town hall tower. Then visit the Historiengewölbe, in the basement, which covers the Thirty Years' War.

  2. Afternoon
    St. Jakob and Kriminalmuseum

    See Riemenschneider's altarpiece in the church of St. Jakob and allow at least an hour and a half for the medieval crime museum on Burggasse.

  3. Late afternoon
    Burggarten and Burgtor

    Cross the Burgtor to the Burggarten and stay for the sunset over the Tauber valley.

  4. Evening
    Dinner on Herrngasse

    Dine near Herrngasse and walk through the nearly empty, illuminated town.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Plönlein early and wall

    Go to the Plönlein before the tours arrive. Continue to the Spitaltor and walk the wall walkway to the Rödertor and the Klingentor.

  2. Afternoon
    Tauber valley

    Descend via the Kobolzeller Tor to the Tauber valley, pass the double bridge and the Topplerschlösschen, and climb back up through the Burggarten.

  3. Late afternoon
    Christmas museum

    Visit the Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum on Herrngasse and the Christmas ornament shop that houses it.

  4. Evening
    Farewell at the Marktplatz

    Return to the Marktplatz on the hour to see the figures of the Ratstrinkstube clock and dine in the Altstadt.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Can you do a day trip to Rothenburg?

Yes, from Würzburg (about an hour by train) or from Nuremberg. From Frankfurt and Munich the journey is longer, with changes, and the day becomes tight. Staying overnight in the town is the best way to see it without crowds.

How do I get to Rothenburg by train?

By the branch line that departs from Steinach, where you change trains on the line between Würzburg and Ansbach. Rothenburg station is about a 15-minute walk from the Marktplatz. Check connections on the Deutsche Bahn app.

Was Rothenburg destroyed in World War II?

Partly. A 1945 bombing hit the eastern part of the Altstadt and sections of the wall. The reconstruction, carried out carefully in the following decades, preserved the old appearance, and most of the houses within the walls are original.

What are Schneeballen?

Pastries made of strips of fried dough formed into a ball, coated with sugar or chocolate, sold in several bakeries in town. They are drier than they look.

Does Rothenburg get very crowded?

At midday, especially in summer and in December, yes. Early morning and at night the streets are much calmer.

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