Top Things to do in Rothenburg
Top Restaurants in Rothenburg
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10 Things to do in Rothenburg That You Shouldn't Miss
Walk atop Rothenburg’s city walls or climb to the top of the town hall for great views. The Night Watchman tour is an unforgettable way to learn the city’s history. And our travelers also recommend the Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)—it’s gruesome but fascinating.
Restaurants in Rothenburg
1. Altstadt
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,384 reviews
Rothenburg has made a concerted effort to preserve its medieval heritage, and Old Town reflects the historic fruits of this labor.
Reviewed By johnbJ2216LG - Northville, United States
Christmas market we took our granddaughter to see the Christmas markets in Germany in the city and the Christmas market was a wonderful experience. The time itself without the Christmas market is a worthwhile experience because it had very little damage from the war And a lot of the structures are still intact if you are in Germany it’s a definite place you have to visit
2. Rothenburg Town Hall (Rathaus)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,430 reviews
The city hall of this picturesque, undeveloped village reflects its anachronistic spirit.
Reviewed By smichelini2017 - Tampa, United States
Centered in the old walled city. It was festooned with colorful Christmas Market decorations and market stands serving everything from seasonal favorites like spiced wine to open fire roasted bratwursts, chestnuts, and more. Specialty shops included Christmas gifts and regional traditional decorations. The Rathouse serves as a beautiful backdrop for the Christmas Market.
3. Schmiedgasse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 178 reviews
An elegant residential street near the city center.
Reviewed By Traveling_with_Hank - Eugene, United States
I agree with the reviewer who complained about the cobble-stoned street. It was not pleasant on my old feet. Nevertheless I made the best of it. I’d read about the Schneeball, and decided to avoid it. But there were more tasty treats in some of the bakeries. If you’re a lover of wine, be sure to stop at Glocke, a shop at/near the Ploenlein. They have a shop filled with their own wines, and have a lovely choice of wine glasses (made in Germany). They don’t ship the glasses, but will offer as much bubble wrap as you need. All of my 6 glasses survived the trip home. There are lots and lots of tourist shops I didn’t care for.....but here and there you can find some lovely things to bring home. If you keep an eye out for the locals in their cars, and are the discerning shopper, you will enjoy yourself!
4. St. Jacob's Church (St. Jakobskirche)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 754 reviews
Reviewed By 604karenm - Louisiana, United States
St. Jacob's is on the pilgrimage route to St. James's grave in Spain, and should be visited for its beautiful wood carvings and stone sculptures. A peaceful stop in a very touristy destination.
5. Town Walls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,380 reviews
Reviewed By janrA2759SE
These old city walls are amazing. You can walk around on top of a good portion of them. The view is great and it is a pleasant walk. They're covered so it's a nice walk even in the rain. You do need to be careful because it can be uneven in spots and the stairs are steep.
6. Burggarten
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 516 reviews
Reviewed By GG8990 - Odenton, United States
Nice garden for a walk even in winter. Imagine its beautiful in spring & summer. Nice views of the valley below & the town walls.
7. Gerlachschmiede
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By bigtyke - Greeley, United States
When I first walked the town wall in 1973 (!) I noticed this building and promptly took a picture. Only later did I see it on countless postcards and realize that it was a famous building. Every other time I have walked the wall, I couldn't resist taking another picture. I have never seen it from the ground!
8. Das Plonlein
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 741 reviews
Reviewed By FlyingSpaniard - Sofia, Bulgaria
The most iconic point of Rothenburg is just at the entrance, in the junction of two streets. It really takes the traveller to middle ages. Unforgettable.
9. Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,350 reviews
The museum exhibits in 2 buildings and on 6 floors Germany`s most important collection of legal history. The highlight of this museum is its exploration into the unusual law enforcement techniques used by local rulers in medieval and early modern times, such as torture instruments, shame punishments or instruments to execute corporal punishments or death penalties. Numerous displays, original graphics by famous masters as Dürer, Grien and Rembrandt as well as original documents, seals and law books from the 13th - 19 th centuries show the development of law in past centuries. The homes and walls of Rothenburg show visitors the mileau of times gone by without telling much about the lawful circumstances of its residents. Arising questions? Answers can be found at the Medieval Crime Museum.
Reviewed By exploringwithjune - The Netherlands, null
We've all seen the dungeons in big cities, focused on gore, ghost stories and adrenaline rushes. While this too can be a fun activity, I was very happy to see that this museum was nothing like that! It is not just sensational stories but based on historical research and extremely informative. It is educational and not scary, although you'll ofcourse see some unpleasant sights in some of the sources. This is inevitable considering the topic. They didn't use life-like props or set ups though, therefore I feel like it is generally suitable for all ages. Ofcourse some kids will be able to handle it better than others. The variety of objects on display is unrivaled by the other museums with this theme, at least that I have seen. They range from torture devices/humiliation devices, to weapons, to decrees, to objects used on courts, to seals, to books. Basically everything that has to do with law enforcement. The amount of objects is mind blowing, but they're also well displayed and provided with informative signs. The signs are quite long, but well written in both German and English. I honestly wished I could read everything, but that would take me ages. So instead I bought the book in the giftshop. I hope this is similar in style and information. What also distinguishes this museum from others in the same field, is that it doesn't just focus on punishment, but also on the process of making laws and the societal impacts of them. It does really well with placing everything in a broader historical and cultural background. I also liked that, eventhough the main focus is on the middle ages, there is also room for information on other time periods and important lawsuits in various ages. In addition to that, it is not just centered around Germany. For example the section on revolutions compares different countries and explains how these revolutions influenced eachother. Also great fun: they bust some myths! I won't spoil anything, but they have some great revelations on the iron maiden and the executioners hood. Staff and service also exceded my expectations. The girl behind the ticket booth was very cheerful and kind. While walking around we were also asked to do a short survey about our experience in the museum. The man was kind, his explanation was clear and he really took his time to hear about our thoughts. He even was very willing to give us more information on any of the objects. After my enquiry, he explained a lot about the emperor's crown which is often (falsely) associated with Charlemagne. Very fascinating! Later we learned that the man, Dr. Markus Hirthe, is actually the owner/director of the museum. I loved that he is so involved with his museum and that he took the time to do these surveys eventhough he probably has a ton of other things to do. Lastly, everyone we encountered spoke English quite well, which, I found, is not always the case in Germany. There really are only two downsides to the museum. Firstly, there was a temporary exhibition on animals and law. Super nice theme and the set up looked great with various taxidermy animal. However unfortunately all of the signs were just in German, making it hard for me to really understand as I only know a bit of the language. The second downside is that it is so far from my home town in the Netherlands! I would love to go back and explore and learn more. I bet that each time you come back you'll notice something new in this museum. Some practical information to top this epos of a review off; tickets are 7 euros, there is a giftshop and a little cafe. Restrooms were clean and there is an elevator for those whose will have difficulty climbing the stairs.
10. German Christmas Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 672 reviews
Reviewed By SadiCrowe - Atlanta, United States
Fairy tale Christmas’ started in Rothenburg so going to the museum is a must. This museum will also tell the tale of St Nicholas AND Krampus.
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