| This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. |
The first thing you need to know about this city is that everything, EVERYTHING, is charming.
It’s not one of those places with one nice street followed by a bland or ugly one.
Rothenburg is certain to impress.
Ever seen this building before? It’s everywhere! It inspired the setting for the movie Pinocchio. I even saw it on my bag of coffee at Aldi last week. It’s called the Plonlein. The Plonlein is beautiful and charming, but it’s only one small part of Rothenburg’s appeal.
And here it is on the coffee bag!
What to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Visit the famous Plonlein
When I was researching Rothenburg before our trip, I kept seeing photos of this famous building and not much else. Rothenburg is so much more than the Plonlein!
That being said, it’s an adorable building and you’ll see people posing for pictures with it all day long in Rothenburg.
The best time to get your own picture is in the morning or evening after all of the day trippers leave.
You don’t have to take a special trip to this building or worry about transportation within Rothenburg. As long as you stay in the old center of town, everything is walkable, including the Plonlein.
Rothenburg is very popular for day trips, but the real charm is found by enjoying the quiet city at night, after the day tourists leave.
Walk on the medieval walls
One of the things that makes Rothenburg special is that the old city is surrounded by its original medieval walls. There are steps leading up to the walls and you can walk along the perimeter of the city.
Sometimes you have a bird’s eye view right into people’s back yards, so it’s great for nosy people like me!
Visit the Medieval Crime Museum
Right near the center of town, you’ll find the Medieval Crime Museum. The museum has an array of devices used for punishment in medieval times. The museum’s most extensive collection is a group of “shame masks” used to punish people for a variety of different offenses. I know there’s nothing funny about torture, but shame masks can be entertaining to read about!
For example – here’s the “shame flute” a metal device used to bind the hands of less than stellar musicians and shame them into performing better.
This shame mask was for people who stuck their noses into other people’s business!
And here’s a gossip shame mask, for people who can’t wait to tell the world everyone’s private news.
Of course it’s terrible to imagine being sentenced to wearing a shame mask of any variety, but some of the creativity in shaming others was intriguing to see. When my son fails to practice his trombone, we sometimes joke that we’re going to get him a shame trombone to wear around.
The Medieval Crime Museum can be completely viewed in 1-1.5 hours. There’s a fun photo op outside too.
Take the famous Night Watchman Tour
The night watchman of Rothenburg is an incredible entertainer. He 100% commits to the role, which made it such a memorable experience for our family.
All you have to do to take his tour is wait in the central square at 8 pm (for the English tour). You’ll notice when he arrives, very much in character. He’ll begin the tour without discussing payment (that comes at the end).
He’ll lead you through the city streets and talk about the history of Rothenburg and why it is so well-preserved. Rothenburg went through some difficult times over the centuries, which meant it didn’t have the money to tear down the old buildings and modernize them. This ended up serving the city well in the long run!
He’s a great storyteller and has plenty of entertaining anecdotes to keep everyone, from kids to seniors, very interested!
The fee is 9 Euro for adults, 4.50 Euro for students, kids under 12 years old are free of charge. He just holds out a hat at the end and people put the money in – no official ticket sales.
Eat a schneeball
Schneeballen are a Rothenburg specialty. They’re a crumbly pastry often covered in some kind of frosting. There are so many different varieties to try throughout your stay in Rothenburg! My favorite were the chocolate peanut butter flavor.
Shop at the Christmas Store
Rothenburg is a Christmas city, even in the summer. The Christmas store, Kathe Wolfahrt, is the most extensive Christmas store I’ve ever been to. We went in July and it felt like walking into Christmas Eve as we wandered around the store.
We always buy a Christmas ornament as a souvenir, so we made sure to get a Rothenburg Night Watchman ornament!
Do some window shopping
The main streets of Rothenburg are filled with little shops offering a variety of gifts, pastries, souvenirs, and everything else you can imagine. Take some time to wander around and see what you find.
Enjoy German food
One of the best things in Rothenburg was trying out a variety of restaurants and enjoying the ambiance. German food is a little heavy for my taste, but in general was very hearty and flavorful.
There were some fun surprises, as well. At this restaurant, I ordered the “meat and vegetable skewer with a side salad”. The presentation was unexpected! To be honest, it was the promise of a salad that drew me in.
Where to stay in Rothenburg
Do yourself a favor and book an apartment at the Gastehaus am Plonlein, if it’s available. It’s right next to the Plonlein, but still somehow quiet!
They have two one bedroom apartments and one two bedroom apartment. We stayed in the two bedroom apartment on the lower floor and it was so charming and comfortable. It even had a quiet back garden with a gate that led directly to the city wall path.
If you prefer a traditional hotel, you can book with Chase Ultimate Rewards through the Chase Travel Portal. Just be sure that you book a hotel in the old town. You don’t want to be stuck out by the highway when you could be strolling through the charming streets of Rothenburg.
Here’s a live view of prices in Rothenburg showing both hotels and apartments. You can add your own dates to this map to see what’s available.
How long to stay
Rothenburg is a popular day trip from Frankfurt, Munich, or other German cities. I strongly suggest spending at least one night. We spent two nights and loved it. Two nights gave us the chance to arrive in the afternoon, explore in the evening, then spend the next full day in Rothenburg, before leaving the next morning.
If I had visited on a day trip, I’m not sure I would have loved Rothenburg as much as I did. The days are packed with tourists, but the mornings and evenings are so special. All four of us have remarked multiple times how much we enjoyed wandering around quiet Rothenburg in the evenings we stayed there.
How to get there
Most people will fly in to either Frankfurt or Munich. We travel using points and miles and for this trip, we used Aadvantage miles to fly into Munich and Chase Ultimate Rewards transferred to United to fly home.
We took the train from Munich and it was packed. This is another reason I recommend packing light for Europe. Here’s a recommended packing list.
Final thoughts
It’s hard to imagine a person who wouldn’t enjoy Rothenburg. It’s beautiful, historic, clean and so incredibly charming. I hope you find a way to add it to a Germany itinerary!