Fussen to lake constance

...because the place you want is spelled HEIDELBERG.

Note, there are towns in Germany named after a castle, BURG (bourk), and there are towns so named because they are on a hill, BERG (bairk) . Although Americans pronounce both Burg and Berg the same way, the Germans don't.

The castles at both Heidelberg and Nürnberg are on hills, which is probably why they are named -berg (both are a Burg on a Berg).

Is Rothenburg worth a stop if we have been in Rhine and Mosel valley before?

Whether Rothenburg is worth a stop or not has nothing to do with if you've been on the Rhine and Mosel. It's pretty unique. Some people think it is too commercialized and touristy. I don't. I've been there three times and would go again.

Heidelberg is a cute university town with a classic "castle", but unless you are headed eventually to FRA, I think Heidelberg is a little too out of the way for what it's worth.

Lindau, on Lake Constance, is, IMO, definitely worth a visit.

Hi Lee ,
Thanks for the information. We may spend a night in Fussen then onto Lindau. Or pick one for two nights. Then to Rothenburg for a night ,on to Heidelberg for a night ,and our last stop Amsterdam for 3 nights before we fly home.

Just want to add - I don't always agree with Lee:). but in this instance he is spot on! Rothenberg and Lindau are both worth a visit!

Sorry, Jill, after Lee's extensive explanations on "-burg" and "-berg" I just can't resist this one... While Rothenberg certainly must be a nice little town and worth seeing, I assume most American tourists would be surprised that it's so different from what they thought it would be like... ;-)

That said, anyone may use any spelling they like, and you can spell Heidelberg Heidiburg or Hidlebirk or whatever you like for all I care. However, ticket machines and GPS systems will be absolutely unforgiving about correct spelling, and they will most certainly lead you to Rothenberg if that's what you tell them instead of to Rothenburg where you may have meant to go. People have been known to end up in Putgarten on Rügen instead of Puttgarden on Fehmarn, which is certainly not where you want to end up if you are trying to get to Denmark. :-)

On a side note, be aware that there are several towns by the name of Rot(h)enburg even spelled with a "u". And there is no difference in the German pronounciation of Rotenburg vs. Rothenburg (there is no "th" spoken with a lisp in German).

Thanks for the correction Anna:). I did indeed mean Rothenburg! Somehow I've managed to get myself there 3 times:)

Sooo Now that we have spelling corrections. Should we do
2 nights Fussen And 1 night Rothenburg or
2 nights Rothenburg and 1 night Fussen?

I would do 2 in Rothenburg and one in Fuessen.

In 1903 there was a spelling reform in Germany. Apart from a few exceptions (e.g. Theater) the 'th' was abolished. Rath became Rat, That became Tat, thun became tun etc. Both versions are pronounced the same. Many place names were not changed. That is why Rothenburg is still Rothenburg and not Rotenburg. BTW Rothenburg ob der Tauber means 'The red castle above the (River) Tauber'. Many towns started as castles in the high Middle Ages (around 1200). Later on houses were added around the castles and these became the origins of villages and towns. Therefore many German towns end in -burg (=castle). In or near the townhalls (Rathäuser) of quite a few German towns there is a Ratskeller (a restaurant). There are Rathskeller in US towns as well. These are mostly towns with many immigrants from Germany. Now you can easily imagine why they don't use the German spelling reform of 1903.

Many towns started as castles in the high Middle Ages (around 1200).

... and others were built on a hill. For instance on a hill that had blueberries (Heidelbeeren) growing on it. So they named the hill for the berries - Heidelberg - , and the town for the hill, and the castle they built later for the town.

So that's why the Heidelberg castle is not named "Heidelburg" but "Heidelberger Schloss"

(I just made up that piece of etymology with the blueberries, but that's how it might have been.)

So Fats Domino found his thrill on blueberry berg?

Yeah, he probably lost his heart there. :-)