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Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Tourist Information and Travel Guide

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ABOVE: The skyline of Rothenburg ob der Tauber on a misty autumn day.

The former Free Imperial City of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the star attraction along Germany's Romantic Road. It's justifiably celebrated not only for its well-preserved medieval buildings and walls, but also for its unspoiled setting.

When you approach the city or stand atop its walls and gaze out over a countryside that's free of suburban sprawl, it's easy to imagine what Rothenburg must have looked like in the Middle Ages.

Skeptics might complain that Rothenburg feels like a theme park, but that says more about theme parks than it does about Rothenburg. This Franconian gem is the real deal: a working town of 12,000 people where heritage, historic preservation, and modern life have achieved a profitable equilibrium.

To be sure, Rothenburg can be crowded during high season, with some 2.5 million visitors packing its medieval streets and squares each year--including a million or so Japanese and Americans, who comprise Rothenburg's largest foreign contingents.

That's why it pays to spend at least one and preferably two or more nights in Rothenburg: You'll find the city less crowded--and more relaxing--when the daytrippers have left in their tour buses.

(If you're really looking for solitude, visit in January or February, when the only people in town are the locals and a handful of Goethe Institute language students.)

Next page: Rothenburg tourist information


In this guide:
Introduction
Tourist Information
Where to stay
Restaurants
Sightseeing
Museums
Transportation
More Links

More about Rothenburg ob der Tauber:
Rothenburg Christmas Market
Rothenburg pictures
Hotel Eisenhut
Hotel Mittermaier

About the author:

Durant Imboden photo.Durant Imboden is a professional travel writer, book author, and editor who focuses on European cities and transportation.

After 4-1/2 years of covering European travel topics for About.com, Durant and Cheryl Imboden co-founded Europe for Visitors (now including Germany for Visitors) in 2001. The site has earned "Best of the Web" honors from Forbes and The Washington Post.

For more information, see About Europe for Visitors, press clippings, and reader testimonials.