Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a tiny German village that looks straight out of a fairytale! Here’s everything you need to know to plan a visit.
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Rothenburg ob der Tauber isn’t well known within Germany – I mentioned it to several Germans in Mannheim and Nuremberg who had never heard of it, and they’re only an hour or two away.
But it’s worth the visit! Rumor has it that Walt Disney based the town in Pinocchio on Rothenburg ob der Tauber! While I have no idea if this is true, the more likely rumor is that the German Pavilion in EPCOT is based on Rothenburg. You know if the Disney team thought it was magic enough to be part of EPCOT’s world, it’s pretty cute.
If you’re able, go during the Christmas market season! Its market is cute; not the best I’ve seen, but has a good variety – check my guide for all the details. But the town gets decked out in lights, making it one of my favorite festive spots!
Getting to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
The easiest way to visit is via Nuremberg, Frankfurt, or even Munich. It’s pretty easy to navigate, but there aren’t direct train options here!
You can either take a series of regional trains, drive yourself, or do an organized day trip, like with GetYourGuide.
The advantage of an organized trip is ease in getting directly to and from Rothenburg, and you have a guide to give you the history and tidbits you’d want without researching. The con, of course, is that it’s more expensive than taking the bus.
Driving is an underrated way to explore Germany! If you drive, there are plenty of parking lots outside the city walls to leave your car. So even if your hotel doesn’t include parking, there are places only a few blocks away.
One thing worth noting: there are multiple Rothenburgs in Germany! Be sure you’re looking at (and booking transportation to) Rothenburg ob der Tauber!
Rothenburg ob der Tauber Hotels
While you can do it in a day trip, I highly recommend spending a night. You’ll get the beauty of the town without the tourists!
Romantik Hotel – a great choice only a block from the center of town! Even if you don’t stay here, grab a meal at their restaurant.
Hotel Spitzweg – a bit more budget friendly but still in a gorgeous building. We stayed here and it was perfectly cozy.
Hotel Goldener Hirsch – another great option on the nicer end! And dog-friendly if you’re traveling with your pup.
What to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a small village that has all the charm of Disney with the authenticity that only comes from hundreds of years of history. That means the main way to experience it is by walking!
It sounds obvious, but this place is just oozing charm, so you don’t need a ton of guidance. Here are a few must-sees while you wander.
Must-see spots
If you’re only here for a day, you can easily see all of these.
One of my favorite things to get a sense of Rothenburg was walking along the city walls. Their Medieval walls (preserved and renovated for safety, of course!) circle most of the town and are still free to walk along! If you want to do the entire walk, start at Spitaltor because the path doesn’t connect both ways.
On that note, I highly recommend a walking tour. There’s a great daytime one, but the best is the evening tour! In winter, it’s usually at 6 pm, and in summer it starts around 8. You simply show up at the Marktplatz to join! Bring cash – as of summer 2025 the cost is 9€ per person.
Even if you don’t do the tour, head through the Marktplatz at least once. Also called Grüner Market, it’s the town’s central hub so any festivals, markets or celebrations will be here! The Christmas markets set up a massive tree here, right in front of the Rathaus (town hall).
Make sure to see the Plönlein. It’s the part of Rothenburg that gets photographed the most, but it makes sense because it’s so perfectly picturesque!
Whether or not you visit during the Christmas markets, you can get into the Christmas spirit! Käthe Wohlfahrt is a famous store in Germany; it’s the preeminent Christmas store in a country already crazy about Christmas. Their flagship store is here in Rothenburg! They have two store locations across the street from each other. One also gets listed on websites as the Christmas museum – it’s the same thing. They’ve done a great job of setting up the store as a fun experience even if you’re not planning to buy anything, so it’s a must-do in Rothenburg.
Optional but noteworthy
Toppler Castle is a unique home just outside the city walls! Originally built in the 14th century by the city mayor, it’s an architectural oddity: the base looks like a typical stone tower but the top is a half timbered house! This type of structure used to be more common, but there aren’t many still around. You can even tour it by appointment!
The Castle Garden sits just outside the Plönlein city gate. It has great views of the surrounding countryside, and offers a chance to get out of the cobblestone streets if you need some greenery!
The Medieval Crime Museum (Kriminalmuseum in German) covers the history of crime and punishment in Europe. Unlike a lot of those torture museums you see in major cities, it gives more historical context and sources for what it shows. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it comes highly recommended by history buffs!
St. James Church, St. Jakobskirche in German, is most known for being along St. James‘ Way (main route of the Camino di Santiago). It has the unusual history of being a Roman Catholic church for 300 years before switching to Lutheran in the 1600’s. While it’s still a protestant Lutheran church, the gothic architecture means it retains its catholic feel to me. It’s worth peeking your head in!
The Rothenburg Museum hits all the notes of a small but solid city museum. The building is a former monastery and seeing the original rooms is part of the appeal for me. It holds your typical finds: historic art, weapons, ceramics and the like. They’re very proud of having one of Marie Antoinette’s hunting rifles.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is such a quaint village! It lives up to the hype, even more so if you can stay overnight. If you’re traveling in the area, also check out Nuremberg, Munich, Heidelberg or Stuttgart!
