Time travel in the old town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Next stop: enchanted! A walk through the old town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is like a little journey through a storybook. The medieval town centre with its narrow half-timbered houses, winding alleys and little oriels and towers is for many the epitome of historic Germany.

On the tower trail around the city

The Rothenburg Tower Trail is an ideal start to your tour of Rothenburg. This takes you around four kilometres along the town wall around the old town. On your tour along the Turmweg, you will pass numerous information boards that provide you with information about the towers of the city wall and the sights. For those who are particularly interested, a brochure with further information on the 22 stations of the Rothenburg Tower Trail is available at the tourist information office on the market square. It is best to start your tour at the Rödertor, one of the five main gates of the outer city fortifications, which is only about an eight-minute walk from the railway station. Some of the city's towers are open to visitors, and the city wall itself is also accessible in some places. The view of the city's 42 towers is best enjoyed from up there.

On Pinocchio's trail in Middle Franconia

A detour from the tour around the city wall is particularly worthwhile near the Kobolzell tower. Not far in front of it you will come across the actual landmark of the Middle Franconian town of Rothenburg - the Plönlein. Even Walt Disney's illustrators were impressed by the architecture of the narrow half-timbered house: the Plönlein served as a model for the birthplace of the famous children's book character Pinocchio and is one of the most photographed landmarks of the historic town.

Experience the dark sides of the Middle Ages

The tour of Rothenburg's old town is both eerie and educational. Just a two-minute walk from the Plönlein, parallel to the city wall to the north, is Rothenburg's Medieval Criminal Museum, Europe's largest museum of legal studies. In addition to a collection of various masks of shame, stretching benches and other torture devices, there is also an iron maiden to marvel at. The museum does not play with shock effects, however, but fulfils its educational claim as a museum of jurisprudence and makes sure that the presentation is suitable for children. After your visit to the museum, you can continue your walk along the Rothenburg Tower Path in the direction of the castle gate. For a snack of coffee and cake, we recommend a short detour across the market square to Walter Friedel's traditional café. For those with a sweet tooth, the café has its original Rothenburg snowballs and Tauberkugeln, small praline-like treats.

Christmas all year round

If you still have time and feel like making another stop, just a 3-minute walk from the Kriminalmuseum you will find another museum that is second to none. In the German Christmas Museum, it's Christmas Eve all year round. Here, the origins and development of Christmas customs in Germany are made vivid for visitors through numerous exhibits. Afterwards, in the house next door, you can buy a souvenir or two for friends and family in Käthe Wohlfahrts Christmas Village. Directly in front of the traditional shop, oversized nutcracker figures and a red historical bus with presents invite visitors to stop for a photo.

Enchanted Romance and Nature - The Castle Garden

Regardless of whether you have followed the Tower Trail on your excursion so far, or you have taken a direct walk through the small town in Middle Franconia - the Castle Garden at the exit of the town at the Castle Gate provides the ideal backdrop for a short break. The gardens on the former castle grounds invite you to linger in a romantic atmosphere and make photographers' hearts beat faster. The centrepiece of the grounds is the small figurine garden, whose arrangement symbolises the seasons and the four elements. Finally, stop at the nearby Zur Höll tavern and reflect on the eventful day over a hearty meal and a good glass of wine or a refreshing apple spritzer before heading back to the station.

You can reach the station in just under 15 minutes on foot by following Burggasse and the Alter Keller to the east until you reach Rödergasse. There you turn right towards the Rödertor, where you started your tour of the old town. From there, follow Ansbacher Straße until you reach Bahnhofstraße and follow this for another 200 metres or so until you reach the railway station, from where you can start your return journey full of impressions in your luggage. Bet that you will definitely be enchanted after a visit to romantic Rothenburg?