Crime & Punishment Museum // Night Watchman's Tour?

I really enjoyed the night watchman's tour. It was funny and entertaining, and a nice little walk around the town. It is easy to join-just go to the meeting point in the main square and wait with the crowd. We either paid in cash at the start or finish of the tour, I don't remember which. I was really glad I did this one. I didn't go to the crime and punishment Museum so I can't speak on that.

Both are good, but if I were only going to do one it would by the Night Watchman's tour.

I agree, both are good, but Night Watchman tour would be 1st choice. You likely will have plenty of time during the day for the museum, which your sons will probably like. Also, just my opinion, but don't give in to the urge to buy a Schneeball. They look a lot better than they taste. ;)

I would take the night watchman's tour because there is a lot in it specific to Rothenburg. I would pass on the C & P museum; it's really not that unique to Rothenburg. It's just a way to get money from tourists. Instead, walk the wall, visit the museum in Rödertor, visit St. Jokobskirche and the Riemenschneider alter, go down across the river and view the town from there.

Agree with Lee.

I agree with others that both are good, especially the Night Watchman's tour. It's very entertaining and his tour received a Trip Advisor Award of Excellence in 2014.

The C&P Museum is worth an hour or two (IMO) as it provides a glimpse into the types of barbaric punishments that were practiced in medieval Germany.

I was just there two weeks ago and did both easily with the single day we were there. The Nightwatchman english tour doesn't begin until 20:00 and the C&P closes two hours earlier at 18:00. If I had to choose one, I too would choose the Nightwatchman Tour over the C&P.

RS is spot on when he talks about two different experiences in Rothenburg during the day (when all the tour buses are parked just outside the walls) and in the evening and early morning. During the day you should prepare yourself for wall to wall people, to the point where walking the wall was a bit annoying (it's narrow up there and you are free to walk in any direction). I took a much more enjoyable walk along the wall in the early morning when I had it to myself.

The C&P museum was very interesting and almost a bit too disturbing to see how humans treated each other through history, but was still something worth seeing (and skipped similar versions in other towns).

Reservations are not needed for either tour. You pay the Nightwatchman at the end of the hour tour, in cash. The C&P is a self led tour that allows you to see as much or as little of it as you wish. My wife and I were there for about an hour and a half or so.

The "Schneeball" (snowball) are not as bad as so many people make of them, but they are pretty much large balls of sugar and cookie, your boys will probably enjoy them (and you'll see them sold all over town) so why not give it a shot? We ended up sharing part of one during our walk to the C&P, and then tossed the rest.

Have a wonderful trip!

When I took the Watchman's Tour many years ago, it was only offered in German. Someone in the group kindly offered to translate for an English speaking family.

Plenty of time for both. Include a walk around the wall, maybe a walk down to Detwang.

The Nightwatchman Tour has been offered a 8pm in English for over 11 years at least. We've been on this tour back then. Best one hour we spent in Rothenburg.

We did both and really enjoyed the experiences. I definitely recommend them!