5 nights Rothenberg/Munich/flying home from Nuremberg June

Jan,
Congratulations you're going to Germany! I know you will have a great trip.

With only 5 nights, in my opinion, you have too much planned to include Munich, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nuremberg, Heidelberg, and Neuschwanstein. Since I assume your homeward flight from Nuremberg is a given here are my 2 suggestions:

• Fly into Nuremberg spend a couple of nights there and a couple of nights in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. You mentioned the night watchman tour, so to see that, it's not a day trip. There's quite a bit to see in Nuremberg including the imperial castle, lovely architecture, German National Museum, Zoo etc. Oh, and you can get some nuremburgers!
• Fly to Munich spend 3 nights there and 2 in Nuremberg. Munich has plenty to keep you busy. World-class art museums, shopping, beer gardens, a large park, and as you noted the BMW museum. You could spend all your time here with easy day trips to Salsburg, and Neuschwanstein. in fact that might be your best options so sorry 3 not 2.

I hope you have a great trip!

I would fly into Munich, rent a car at the airport and drive right down to Fussen.

Day 1: Fussen. You could see one or both of the castles there ( both are worth visiting in my opinion), take the gondola at Tegelberg, then enjoy a cold beer at the top before going for a hike. There's also a luge there that's fun. Drive to Munich via Bad Tolz and stop there to visit a spa.

Day 2: Munich. Could do so many things in a day there, depending on interest. You could go to the BMW museum, then rent bikes and ride to and through the English Garden, stopping for something to eat at Chinese beer garden.

Day 3: Drive to to Rothenberg, spend the night and do the night watchman tour. We loved staying at the Hotel Klosterstuble.

Day 4: drive to Nuremberg and spend your last day there before flying out the next day.

It is a beautiful country. Enjoy!

Hello,
Thank you so much for all your advice. We can't wait to visit.
Have a fantastic day,
Janet

We also liked Hotel Klosterstuble in Rothenburg--would definitely stay there again.

I just looked up the hotel Klosterstueble it looks amazing thanks for the reccomendation.

I was disappointed in the BMW Museum in Munich, there's not much there pre-1950. A much better choice would be the transport branch of the Deutsches Museum, which is in the former city trade fair buildings just on the north side of the Oktoberfest grounds (Schwanthalerhohe U-Bahn station)

Thanks for the heads up on the BMW Museum

The Klosterstuble has a perfect location. Rooms are spacious and ours had polished wood floors, oriental rugs, and beds with cushy white duvets. The bathroom had nice fixtures and Grohe faucets. Breakfast was excellent. The Christmas Ornament shop was quite a bit overpriced--most of items can be found at TJMaxx at way cheaper prices. But we loved the town and hope to return. At the time of our visit there was a pub located in an old house--fun for a drink but can't remember if dinner was available there.

I am glad to hear the hotel has comfy beds, its important to me. We plan to spend 2 nights in Rothenberg, and we will be traveling with our 21 year old son. Is there enough to do for two days?

Jan
"Is there enough to do for two days?"
Well, I spent 2 nights there in 2016 and was very happy. It's true you could walk the whole town in a couple of hours and there aren't any as Rick would say "Blockbuster sights". The town is beautiful, and so is the surrounding countryside. You can go shopping for cuckoo clocks and Christmas ornaments, see the nightwatchman, walk the city walls, take one of the trails down into the valley from the burggarten, and there are plenty of places to get good food. I't also really quiet after dark so an evening stroll is very relaxing. So I would say for me YES!
We stayed at the Hotel Zum Breiterle (Gusthof zum Breiterle) and loved it. it's an old hotel with creaky stairs and old timbers. We stayed on the top floor in the attic with the sloped ceilings it was very charming. It is just inside the the city walls so conveniently located, near the Rodertor. The rooms were clean and well maintained. The breakfast buffet was very nice. It is one of the first hotels from the train station inside the city walls, so not too far to carry your bags if arriving by train.
Whatever you decide I hope y'all have a great trip!

Your son might like the Torture Museum. Interesting and can be seen in an hour or less.

Ok, Thanks for all the comments, I have read about Christmas traditions originating from Germany so I am looking forward to see Christmas shop and Museum. I am a little worried that we are seeing too much history, there is only so many Museums I can go to, we do plan to go to Fussan hike, walk around and hike. Was looking at the lake region too maybe bike part of lake Constance. Or should we bike somewhere like Munich or Rothenberg?

Jan,
"Or should we bike somewhere like Munich or Rothenberg?"
Rothenburg ob der Tauber isn't really bike friendly. In town, there's no bike lanes and quite a bit of pedestrian traffic. You might be able to bike through the countryside just out of the city walls? I would suggest Munich for biking. There are bike lanes everywhere and the traffic is used to bikes. Additionally, if you want to get away from the traffic you can bike in the English Garden, taking a break for lunch at the Chinese Tower Biergarten. I have not been to Lake Constance, yet, so I can't help with that.
Happy Planning!

There is a nice radweg ( bike path ) along the Tauber River. Plenty of the country roads have little traffic. Rothenburg is uphill from the river, so ne usually ends up pushing the bike on that section.

I really appreciate all the recommendations, thanks so much

I lived just outside of Rothenburg odT for the better part of four years. There's plenty to do around there to keep you busy for a week. For your medieval town fix go up to Bad Windsheim and visit the outdoor museum in the summer. Basically it's a Ren-Fair kept authentic and open to everyone. They also have a good spa in the town (it 's been there for centuries.) Do the sights in RodT and then drive a few miles south to Dinklesbuhl or Nordligen, which are both at least as interesting as RodT and a lot less visited. For bike rides head over to Erlangen, a college town your 21 year old may have trouble leaving; the city has great bike paths. For a castle fix you could spend a night in Colmberg, about 20 minutes outside RodT and now a hotel. For a larger spa go to Nuremberg and visit Kristall Palm Beach. If your men like military stuff the Museum of Civil Defense in Uffenheim has a nice collection that almost nobody knows about. Ansbach used to be the main city of Bavaria and is great for walking around.

I don't think much of the major tourist sights like Fussen. I've found more to interest me just walking through the smaller towns and cities that dot the map, most of which only see tourists when they get lost. RS has done a good job in making Europe more accessible, but there's a lot less focus on the back doors.

Wow that must have been amazing to live in such a beautiful area. Definitely keeping Rothenberg on our list and sorrounding areas.

I would not drive if I were you. Spend your first two nights in Rothenburg (hiking down the west slope and into the woods), the town itself is great to walk around.

Spend the next three nights in Nuremberg, seeing as you are flying out of there. Munich can be reached from Nuremberg as a day trip in about an hour, as can Wurzburg, and Bamberg is even less travel time.