Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town along the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany, about halfway in between Frankfurt and Munich. It is best known for its medieval town centre (Altstadt), seemingly untouched by the passage of time, encircled by the undamaged 14th-century town wall. In the Middle Ages, Rothenburg ob der Tauber was a free imperial city, reaching its apex of prosperity under mayor Heinrich Toppler in the 15th century with a large population of 6,000 - much larger than Frankfurt or Munich at that time. Today Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a small, quaint town and a big tourist attraction. Especially popular with American and Japanese tour-buses and organized groups, the town can feel a bit overcrowded sometimes, but its sheer beauty makes up for that and more than justifies its popularity.

• The 49.3769910.179081 Market Square (Marktplatz) is the centre of urban life in Rothenburg o.d.T. The Square is framed on the west by the Town Hall (Rathaus), on the north by the City Councillors' Tavern (Ratstrinkstube) with its Tourist Information centre, on the east by shops and cafes, and on the south by St. George's Fountain.
• The 50-m, 13th-century 49.3772410.178612 Town Hall Tower (Rathausturm) at the centre of the Altstadt offers the best view of the area; cost €1 and 241 steps up. The Tower does not have a foundation of its own; it rests on top of the gable of the Gothic building. The front part of the Town Hall, a Renaissance building, was built in the 16th century. The Town Hall (Rathaus) is free.
• The 49.3755910.179153 Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum (Kriminalmuseum), just south of Market Square, is full of examples of torture equipment and is not for the faint hearted.
• The 49.3744410.180134 Plönlein (Little Square), a few blocks south of the Market Square, offers a charming medieval sight. Standing at the right point, you can see two towers: on the left, more or less straight ahead, is the Siebers Tower (Siebersturm) dating from 1385; and down on the right, from the Tauber valley, is the Kobolzell Gate (Kobolzeller Tor) dating from 1360. These two access roads form a small triangular square, which is Plonlein. The Plonlein is often referred to as one of the most photographed spots in Germany.
• The 49.37410.180285 Town Wall encircles the city, giving the Altstadt the shape of a head, with the nose (the Castle Garden) pointing left (west). The existing Town Wall was built in the 14th century, was partially damaged in World War II, and restored through gifts from donors throughout the world (see plaques on the wall). The Wall is about 2.5 km long, covered, with several towers and entrances at the gates. One of the easiest access to get up to the sentry wall is just south of Siebers Tower (Siebersturm). The Wall is free and offers a good vantage point to see the town.
• 49.3779810.177696 St. Jakobskirche (Church of St. Jacob), Klostergasse 15, north of the Market Square, contains a masterpiece by the famous Würzburg sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (ca. 1460-1531).

• Two 49.3773410.178891 walking tours are offered. Both tours are in English and leave from Market Square. The tourist office tours cost €7, are 90 minutes and run April to October and December daily at 14:00. The 60-minute Night Watchman's tours costs €8 runs nightly mid-March to December at 20:00.
• The Do it Yourself 49.3711710.18092 Town Wall tour. The best stretch of the wall to walk is from the massive 16th-century Spitaltor (go through the Siebersturm to the southern tip of the Spitalgasse) to the Klingentor, completed around 1400, at the northern tip of the Wall. This takes about a half-hour if you don't stop. Offers excellent views and photographic opportunities.
• Rent a bike at 49.3725310.18683 Rad und Tat, Bensenstraße 17 (☏ +49 9861 87984)
• Just out of town is the annual (usually on the second weekend of august) Taubertal-Festival offering a wide variety of pop-rock music such as die ärzte, ska-p or Shantel (lineup varies, check in advance tickets cost €100-150 depending on when you buy).

• 49.3772710.181171 Chronos-Nostalgiebilder, Milchmarkt 4 (just by the Markus Tower), ☏ +49 9861-9189821. Funny souvenirs. You could dress up in a Medieval or Rococo costume and pick up the photo at once. 
• 49.3784810.180712 Georg Schopf, Galgengasse 1-3. This shop sells both souvenirs from cuckoo clocks to drinking glasses and antiques such as paintings. 
• 49.3775610.178483 Kunstgewerbe Friese, Grüner Markt 7, ☏ +49 9861 7166. Cuckoo clocks, Hummel figurines, pewter beer steins, music boxes, dolls, and the usual suspects. 
• 49.3767410.178324 Käthe Wohlfahrt, Herrngasse 1. A somewhat touristy shop in three floors underground where one can buy Christmas decorations during the whole year. 

Restaurants cater to the daily bus tours. This means that you should try to get in to eat dinner by 20:00 - especially in the low season, because few places are open much later than 22:00.

• 49.3787210.176681 Altfränkische Weinstube, Klosterhof 7, ☏ +49 9861 6404. On Wednesday nights at 20:00, the English Speakers' Club meets. All are welcome. 
• 49.3768110.179532 ^{[dead link]} Baumeisterhaus, Obere Schmiedgasse 3 (just south of Marktplatz), ☏ +49 9861 9470-0. Housed in a Renaissance styled residence built in 1596 by the town master mason (Stadtbaumeister) Leonhard Weidmann. Main courses €12-22. 
• 49.3790310.177223 Louvre, Klingengasse 15, ☏ +49 9861 8755-125. Japanese cuisine. Main courses €25-28; fixed-price menu €49-85. 
• 49.3767310.178844 Ratsstube, Marktplatz 6, ☏ +49 9861 2225. A true tavern atmosphere. Main courses €10-15. 

• 49.3863610.167721 Unter den Linden, Kurze Steige 7B, ☏ +49 9861 5909. A cafe-bar on the River Tauber. It is quite the hike down and up but, the beer is nice and cold. 
• 49.3759710.177842 Zur Höll, Burggasse 8. Inn (Gasthaus) in a 1100-year-old building. 

• 49.3766110.179651 Gasthof Goldener Greifen, Obere Schmiedgasse 5 (just south of Marktplatz), ☏ +49 9861 2281. Former home of mayor (Bürgermeister) Toppler (~1406). 
• 49.3767910.177282 Hotel Gotisches Haus, Herrngasse 13 (behind the Market Square and the Christmas shops), ☏ +49 9861 2020, fax: +49 9861 1317. 
• 49.3773910.182123 Hotel Spitzweg, Paradeisgasse 2 (near the Rödertor), ☏ +49 9861 942-90. 10 rooms in a 16th-century hotel. A hearty German breakfast gets you going in the morning. Herr Hocher is a great source of sight-seeing advice and he is always looking for a worthy chess opponent. 
• 49.3282710.168824 ^{[dead link]} Pension Gundel, Bockenfelderstr. 1, 91610 Insingen-Lohr (7 km south of Rothenburg in the village of Lohr), ☏ +49 9861 2716. 

• Along the Tauber through the Charming Tauber valley via Bad Mergentheim and Tauberbischofsheim to Wertheim
• Nuremberg - features a delightful castle, old town, and the former Nazi Party Rallying Grounds (now an excellent museum)
• Würzburg - a university town with an impressive palace
• Schwaebisch Hall - A medieval town well preserved
• Nördlingen - A beautiful medieval town in a meteorite crater surrounded by a 14th-century wall. Along the Romantic Road.
• Dinkelsbühl another charming medieval town with a lot of preserved heritage but much less crowded by tour groups

Würzburg ←

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