Another Solo Trip to Germany

A good option would be to spend the time at the Bodensee (Lake Constance: Lindau, Meersburg, or Überlingen). Lindau would be the most convenient place train-wise (direct train to Zurich), but probably also the most expensive.

"I have a few extra nights to spend somewhere either between Bacharach and Rothenburg"

The Rhine and Mosel are ideal locations for hiking, boat rides, chairlifts, charming old-world towns (many) and of course both are full of castles, a few of which can be toured. With just 2 nights on each river, and with your stated interests, I feel comfortable saying you will be cheating yourself if you fail to add a night or two to the area.

As for where ELSE to stay... Franconia (where Rothenburg lies) has a treasure trove of nice places.

• IPHOFEN: Scroll through the photos:

https://www.stadtbild-deutschland.org/forum/index.php?thread/2985-iphofen-galerie/

• OUTDOOR (open-air) museum... the Franconian Freilandmuseum in Bad Windshseim:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g198421-d284746-Reviews-Frankonian_Open_Air_Museum-Bad_Windsheim_Middle_Franconia_Franconia_Bavaria.html

• BAMBERG: https://www.uni-bamberg.de/fileadmin/uni/verwaltung/auslandsamt/bilder/Bamberg__2_.jpg

While it is not a small city, you might want to check our Wurzburg on the internet and see if it appeals to you. The Prince Bishop's Residence is stunning. Particularly the small chapel on one end. There is also a fortress on a hill overlooking the city and is a light hike from downtown. And it's along one train route to Rothenburg. Another place to check out on the net is Heidelberg which is south of Rothenburg and also along your general direction of travel.

Iphofen looks like just the kind of village/city I am looking for. The pictures are great.

I like to stay 2 nights in Bacharach on every trip I make, whether alone or with others. It definitely lets me feel like I am in Germany! And I know the village so well, "like the back of my hand"! Sometimes I like to stay in Cochem a bit longer, but 2 nights feels about right to me. I kind of like to just keep moving, probably faster than some people.

As crazy as it sounds I can't find Iphofen on any of my Germany maps. What is it near and in what direction?

It's on the train line from Nürnberg to Würzburg, just east of Kitzingen.

Iphofen is about 25 km SE of Würzburg, near Kinzinger. You can find it on Google Maps.

I took my late partner there in 2017, and she never let me live it down. It was the most boring of towns. Now, maybe it was because we were there late in the season, but absolutely nothing was going on. We walked from the south gate into town, and, other than two bicyclist going into a tea shop, we saw no one until we got to the town square. It reminded me of the pilot for Twilight Zone, "Where is everybody?"

I suggested Iphofen because it is enormously charming, not because it's a happening sort of town (although it does host a few seasonal festivals.) Besides the obvious love and pride on the part of residents that you can see in the photos, there are a few highlights, including a couple of churches, one with a Tilman Riemenschneider carving. And there are some nice places for a meal there as well. For sightseeing, Iphofen might require just a couple of hours.

Some details for a foot-tour through Iphofen:
https://storage.tramino.net/iphofen/752858/160927-iphofen-ortsprospekt-eng-web.pdf

So in terms of size and things to do, Lee's impressions are not wrong... it's very skimpy - in the same way that Bacharach, which people on this forum flock to for multiple nights, is very skimpy. Iphofen reminds me a lot of Bacharach - charming buildings, beautiful setting, wine town with nothing much going on, leisurely casual dining. It's all about that vibe. The biggest difference between the two might be that Iphofen doesn't suffer from the heavy train traffic from trains that barrel through town like they do in Bacharach. I'd have to guess that anyone who enjoys Bacharach will find Iphofen delightful too.

You mentioned "light hiking" - and in Iphofen there are trails from town that take you into the pretty countryside outside the town walls and into the "Weinberge" or "wine mountains" - hills, really - where you can follow paths into the vineyards. See map with trails (scroll down) at this link.

As Lee indicated, the town's on the main train line - easy to reach from Nuremberg or from Würzburg (which you must pass through to reach Rothenburg from Bacharach anyway.) So it would be possible to break up a one-day train journey to Rothenburg in W'burg by stowing your bags in a station locker and catching a train to Iphofehn and back, then train on to Rothenburg. Alternatively, book 1 night in W'burg and drop your bags at your hotel, then spend an afternoon/evening in Iphofen, returning that evening to W'burg. The Residenz Palace is a major draw for Würzburg; you may or may not want to take a tour the following morning before heading to Rothenburg.

Iphofen might also make a good BASE TOWN for a multi-night stay. Take outings from there to Nuremberg, Würzburg, Bad Windsheim, and return to the quiet little walled village at night. (This in fact is how many people choose to use Bacharach.)

(Iphofen)... absolutely nothing was going on

This can also be seen as one of the great advantages of Iphofen compared to, say, Rothenburg. But perhaps you simply missed or had no interest in one of Iphofens best attractions, the Knauf Museum, a large collection of plaster casts in unparalleled quality of famous sculptures of the ancient cultures of the world. You can always meet art historians there, who, of course, can't travel within a week from Berlin to Paris to London to New York ... just to clarify a certain question, but in Iphofen they have the possibility of a reliable comparison of the objects they are interested in.

In addition, Iphofen is one of the best wine locations in Franconia, because one of the three vineyards, the Julius-Echter-Berg, is one of the absolute top locations in Franconia due to its almost Mediterranean micro-climate. You can taste these wines, for example, at Iphofen's best known wine grower, Hans Wirsching. Another recommended one, who grows only organic wines, is Bausewein, who also runs a nice little hotel.

Light Hiking:

The map linked by @Russ unfortunately doesn't go far enough to show one of the most beautiful hikes. Take a taxi to nearby Castell, the former 'capital' of a tiny principality nestled in the hills of the Steigerwald and Iphofen's local rival in wine growing (Count Castell's vinotheque is a veritable, if not entirely cheap, treasure). Then hike up to the the Schwanberg, a large beech-covered ridge, and to Schwanberg Castle (an abbey of Protestant (!) nuns; drinks and snacks available) and from there down to Iphofen. Cf this map.

Just one addition to the excursions mentioned by @Russ: You can also easily go by public transport from Iphofen to Marktbreit in 30 minutes (change to bus in Kitzingen), another picturesque sunken "capital" of a tiny territory. This trip can also be arranged as a round trip for one day: Iphofen - Marktbreit - Ochsenfurt - Würzburg - Kitzingen (the historical center of which is nice too).

sla019: Joy pretty much wrote off as ineligible the museum and wine options, which is why I did not mention them as activities in Iphofen. (Well, also because for ME and my unsophisticated palate, one glass of wine is just like another. I'll drink anything.)

This trip can also be arranged as a round trip for one day: Iphofen -
Marktbreit - Ochsenfurt - Würzburg - Kitzingen (the historical center
of which is nice too).

Joy: Ochsenfurt and Marktbreit are very good suggestions... they're neighbor towns on the Main River train line, roughly 20 train minutes from train hub Würzburg, but on a different train line than Iphofen, You sound like someone who would like these places too.

Actually, whether you decide to visit Iphofen or not, your trip to Rothenburg will use the Ochsenfurt/Marktbreit train line to take you (and all Rick's other reader-fans) from Würzburg right past these two charming towns. Here is a map of the area's train lines. Locate these 3 towns, and you can see why stopping for night or longer in Würzburg (or in one of the small places) might be a good idea.

Not shown on the rail map is another neighbor-town to Ochsenfurt and Marktbreit: Sommerhausen, another thoroughly delightful place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AeGts3FIZA

(Obviously, Rothenburg's Nightwatchman is not unique... he actually has many colleagues in the same line of work elsewhere in Germany.) Sommerhausen is right across the river from Winterhausen (where Rothenburg-bound train users like you will also make a stop! See map again.) A bridge connects these two towns. This video introduces you to Sommerhausen, Ochsenfurt and Marktbreit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLUgpoQIFHI

Obviously, Rothenburg's Nightwatchman is not unique... he actually has many colleagues in the same line of work elsewhere in Germany.

In Munich as well. Seems to be kind of a must have.
This guy in Munich looks exactly like the guy in Rothenburg. .... apparently all family members of the night watchman dynasty which has existed for thousands of years already :-) :-) :-)

You would absolutely waste your time going to the most boring town in Germany. The only thing worth doing is eating a bowl of ice cream (it was good) in the town center which is really about the only thing to do there. Some of this is tongue in cheek but we have been there four different times out of Wurzburg only because there was a decent antique shop in the village, and I love antiques. So, the last time we went the shop was closed up and thank the gods we don't have to drive back there.

I think I have most of my Germany itinerary decided, except 1 night either before or after Rothenburg. What is not too far away and would be worthy of a one night stopover. After Rothenburg area I will spend a night or two in Freiburg and another in Staufen. Probably some of you think Staufen is boring, but I have been there a couple of times and love it! I am surprised at the wide diversity of opinions on Iphofen. Still, I may try it.

I have been to both Bacharach and Cochem many times before, but still enjoy both villages.

The Knauf Museum sounds interesting. I guess not all museums bore me.

I stayed in an apartment in Iphofen for 10 or 11 nights in 2017. A small, walled town with cobbled streets and attractive buildings. The missus and me must have been walking through the vineyards when Lee and his partner visited. If only we'd known: we'd have rushed back to take Lee and his partner to our favourite (so far) German restaurant, which also has rooms: https://www.deutscher-hof-iphofen.de/

I also love Staufen.

Joy- I would have to agree with Lee. Iphofen is quaint and interesting to walk around, but if you're not into wine you may only want to spend three or so hours there. Now if you coupled it with going to Markbreit you could make a day out of it and move on from there. My experience in Iphofen was very similar to Lee's. The town was quite deserted, but it was nice having the town to ourselves. Hope this helps.
Dan