In this guide we include tips on what to do, accommodation, tourist attractions, restaurants and other information for your best visit to Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria and considered by many to be the most beautiful city on the Romantic Road in Germany.
The city is said to have inspired Walt Disney to create Geppetto’s village in Pinocchio.
We strolled through its main tourist attractions such as the Church of St. Jakobs, Plönlein, Marktplatz, the city’s historic market square, Walls and Towers of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the Christmas decoration shop, Käthe Wohlfahrt and other beautiful places.
A travel itinerary to Rothenburg ob der Tauber can be part of planning to get to know the entire Romantic Road in Germany, the best known tourist route in the country, or even a weekend or holiday day trip.
We write about 8 of the best attractions on the Romantic Road in Germany with up-to-date tips, be sure to check it out.
Where is the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is located in the state of Bavaria, Germany, in the Ansbach district, administrative region of Middle Franconia. The city attracts many tourists every year, because until today it has managed to preserve its medieval atmosphere, with its ancient wall around the old center practically intact. The river Tauber passes through the city.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is 177 Km from Frankfurt (approx. 1h 55 min journey). I haven’t taken the train to the city yet, but you can search for options on the Deutsch Bahn (train journey takes in around 3 hours).
Taking reference to the capital of the country, it is 534 Km from Berlin and even though it is far away, it is possible to go there by car (approx. 5h 45min), in relation to other cities, it is 151 Km from Stuttgart (approx. 2h ) and 254 Km from Frankfurt (approx. 2h 45min).
How to go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany
The best way to travel in Germany is very much up to you. We alternated a lot between using the country’s excellent railway network and also taking advantage of the no less excellent German roads and highways (who has never heard of the Autobahns with no speed limit, right?).
If you want to go by train from Munich, the journey takes approximately 4 hours.
Read our Best travel tips for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Romantic Road in Germany (Romantische Straße)
The German Romantic Route is the name given to a travel itinerary in southern Germany that crosses the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It passes through 460 kilometers and 29 cities, starting in Würzburg to Füssen (where the famous Neuschwanstein Castle) linking various historic attractions and picturesque castles.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is part of the suggested itinerary and we have a complete and well-detailed travel guide with tips on how to get to know Germany’s Romantic Road, be sure to check it out.
Suggestions for activities and tours in the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and other destinations on the German Romantic Road:
Where to stay in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany – Hotel, hostel and Bed & Breakfast
The city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a beautiful place to stay as a base for getting to know the romantic route.
Some accommodations close to the center of Rothenburg ob der Tauber that are worth visiting:
- Hotel Reichs-Küchenmeister
- Kirchplatz 8, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 8,7 – Fabulous from 2.668 reviews
- Guest Reviews: Excellent breakfast. Large and well decorated room. Comfortable bed. Restaurant with good food (typical German) and nice terrace. Excellent location.
- Hotel Gasthof zur Linde
- Vorm Würzburger Tor 12, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 7,1 – Good from 2.627 reviews
- Guest Reviews: Excellent value for money. Hotel very well located, a few steps from one of the entrance gates to the historic center. Less than 10 minutes walk to the central square. Free garage. Elevator. Good breakfast for the standard of the hotel. Large room.
- Historik Hotel Goldener Hirsch Rothenburg
- Untere Schmiedgasse 16, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 8,4 – Very good from 2.263 reviews
- Guest Reviews: Full breakfast and very tasty. But what won us over was the room’s balcony, overlooking the snowy valley. Wonderful! I highly recommend. Returning to ROTHENBURG, we will return to this same hotel.
- Gästehaus Eberlein
- Winterbachstr. 4, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 8,6 – Fabulous from 1.498 reviews
- Guest Reviews: Everything was very good, hospitality, accommodation, family atmosphere, cleanliness, breakfast and close to tourist attractions.
- Altfraenkische Weinstube
- Klosterhof 7, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 9,0 – Fantastic from 1.106 reviews
- Guest Reviews: It’s a small hotel-family restaurant, with delicious food and breakfast, very cozy and well located! I recommend!
- Hotel Rappen Rothenburg ob der Tauber
- Vorm Würzburger Tor 10, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- 8,1 – Very good from3.812 reviews
- Guest Reviews: Very nice hotel, located outside the wall, but very close to the historic center. Good bed, reasonable wi-fi, excellent breakfast with different breads and sausages from the region. Lots of option jams. Ample free parking.
There are many other accommodation options in hotels, hostels and inns, be sure to check them out at Booking.com.
Things to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is well known for its well-preserved medieval town, a destination for tourists from all over the world. Today it is one of only three cities in Germany that still have completely intact city walls, the other two being Nördlingen and Dinkelsbühl.
The region had been inhabited since the 1st century, but the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber was founded in 1170. From the beginning, Marktplatz and St. Jakob were already the center of the city. The walls and towers were built in the 13th century, and the “White Tower” and Markus Tower are still preserved.
In 1274, Rothenburg was granted privileges by King Rudolf of Habsburg as a free imperial city.
The city is also known for several museums, such as the Crime Museum, the Rothenburg Museum, the Handwerkerhaus and the Museum of Christmas by Käthe Wohlfahrt.
Rothenburg was already considered an important tourist destination in Germany before the Second World War.
What is remarkable about the old town is that it looks very original, for despite the damage from the 1945 war and subsequent reconstruction, these alterations are virtually unseen.
Top tourist attractions
Rothenburg is known for its well-preserved Old Town from the Middle Ages, with many nestled alleys, towers and small squares surrounded by half-timbered houses. Therefore, the city has become a magnet for tourists from all over the world. It is considered abroad as the great example of a medieval German city. Visitors from Asia in particular stop here on package tours across Europe.
We have listed below some of the tourist attractions that can be included in your travel itinerary in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
- Altstadt (Medieval city)
- The city itself is the great attraction sought after by tourists. Its half-timbered medieval houses, small alleys, historic buildings and all of this surrounded by a wall and its towers.
- Stadtmauer (Historic Walls)
- Speaking of the walls, it is possible to walk for 2.5 km between some of its towers and gates. There are 42 towers still preserved.
- The paths at the top of the wall are covered and the stairs are very narrow but the view is beautiful.
- The most important towers worth looking for are Klingentor, Rödertor, Kobolzeller Tor and Röderturm , in addition to other very beautiful ones.
- Plönlein (Small square by the fountain)
- The landmark and main photo of Rothenburg, the “Plönlein”, means “little square” or “little square at the fountain” and describes the location with the crooked yellow half-timbered house in the middle, the fountain in front of this house and the Siebersturm on the left, as well as the Kobolzeller Tor from the year 1360 on the right.
- Marktplatz (historic market square)
- The square in the historic center of Rothenburg is where some of the buildings that are worth seeing in the city are located, such as its magnificent town hall, consisting of a Gothic building with a tower of 60 meters high. In the square it is still possible to visit the Fonte de São Jorge.
- Käthe Wohlfahrt, the Christmas decoration shop
- Käthe Wohlfahrt is known for traditional German Christmas decorations, tapestries, pyramids and original gift ideas.
- Founded in 1964 in Herrenberg, near Stuttgart, by the couple Wilhelm and Käthe Wohlfahrt, it was acquired by their son, Harald. The company moved from Herrenberg to the medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in 1977.
- In her flagship store in Rothenburg ob der Tauber there is a Christmas Museum and a Christmas exhibition. Among its extensive range of products are candles, Christmas tree decorations, cribs and nutcrackers. The shop is open all year round and claims to have the world’s largest selection of traditional German Christmas ornaments.
- St. Jakobskirche (St. Jakobs Church)
- The Evangelical-Lutheran Parish Church of St. Jakob is one of the most visited churches in Rothenburg ob der Tauber because of its artistic treasures.
- To visit its interior, a small entrance fee is charged.
The Evangelical-Lutheran Parish Church of St. Jakob is one of the most visited churches in Rothenburg ob der Tauber because of its artistic treasures.
- Museums of the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
- Stadthistorisches Museum Rothenburg (Museum of the History of the City of Rothenburg)
- Exhibition about the city during the Thirty Years’ War. The focus is on the legendary events surrounding the conquest of Rotenburg by imperial troops in 1631. You can see about life at that time, the war, clothing, walls and even visit the dungeons where people were tortured and their underground cells .
- Official website with information on timetables and prices of income.
- RothenburgMuseum
- An old medieval convent founded in 1258 that came to be used as a city museum. Countless historical objects, sculptures, canvases, weapons, armor and other items are exposed that tell 8 centuries of the city. The house itself is already an attraction and when walking through the rooms it is possible to transport yourself to the past and understand what life was like for those who lived at this time.
- Official website with information on times and ticket prices.
- Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum (Medieval Crime Museum)
- The Medieval Crime Museum tells the story of more than 1,000 years of German and European legal history, when severe punishments and public humiliations were used to administer law and order. It shows the methods used to obtain confessions from the accused in past centuries, some means of torture and punishment of people in medieval times. Alongside the history of criminal law and retribution, also about persecutions and witch hunts, as well as punishments peculiar to animals and criminal cases.
- Official website with information on times and ticket prices.
- Stadthistorisches Museum Rothenburg (Museum of the History of the City of Rothenburg)
In addition to the points listed, be sure to explore the entire city Rothenburg ob der Tauber and admire the city’s alleys and buildings, especially its historic square, the Marktplatz, other small churches and medieval houses.
Tips for a 1-day itinerary in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany
Our suggested itinerary in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is to divide your itinerary into two parts:
- Start the day strolling through the city center, getting to know the alleys and houses around Marktplatz.
- In case you want to visit a museum.
Take a break for lunch
- Take the opportunity to walk along the walls and its numerous towers and gates.
As you can see, it is possible to get to know the city in a single day or even in a period of the day, unless you like to spend hours in museums and churches.
And after that you continue your journey to the next town on German Romantic Road.
Suggestions for guided walks and excursions in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany that are worth researching:
Where to eat in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany – Tips for bars and restaurants
If you’re traveling in Germany, I believe you should look for restaurants specializing in the country’s traditional cuisine or even a Biergarten for a German beer.
We can suggest some restaurants and bars listed on TripAdvisor:
- Restaurant Alter Keller
- Alter Keller 8, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,5 out of 644 ratings
- Customer Reviews: Excellent restaurant. Typical German menu, very personal service and a very rustic atmosphere, like the city, but comfortable. We ordered goulash, duck and schinitzel soup. All very tasty. It is worth it!
- Zur Holl – Mittelalterliche Trinkstube
- Burggasse 8, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,5 out of 1.164 ratings
- Customer Reviews:The food is traditional German, very rustic, as is the place. When we arrived, without a reservation, it felt like we were arriving at a medieval tavern. We were served by a very nice gentleman who asked us to wait for about 20 minutes.
- Romantik Hotel Markusturm
- Roedergasse 1, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,5 out of 223 ratings
- Customer Reviews: Cozy hotel, well located, familiar, excellent breakfast, large rooms, well decorated, very clean. The staff are very friendly. Hotel well located.
- Gasthof Butz
- Kapellenplatz 4, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,0 out of 385 ratings
- Customer Reviews: Excellent service, we ordered a gulash soup and a schnitzel, accompanied by Tucher beer. Everything was very good and served well. The price of the dishes was better than many simpler restaurants near it. Highly recommend this Gasthof.
- Gasthof Goldener Greifen
- Obere Schmiedgasse 5, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,0 out of 460 ratings
- Customer Reviews: We stayed at the hotel and had lunch there! Good stay, delicious food! They are attentive and kind! In addition to being very welcoming
- Klosterstuble
- Heringsbronnengasse 5, 91541, Rothenburg, Bavaria, Germany
- 4,5 out of 251 ratings
- Customer Reviews: Great atmosphere, service and very tasty food for a normal price for the category in Germany. I would definitely come back.
Vale ver no TripAdvisor website some options for restaurants, bars, Biergarten and cafes nearby in other cities.
Watch a video with footage of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany
Video description: Visiting medieval Germany: Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Are you traveling to Germany?
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*Photos from TripAdvisor, official website of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Wikipedia.