Overnight in Rothenberg or nearby town?

Hi,

We stayed about 10 minutes outside Rothenburg at this place and loved it:

http://www.gasthof-rappen.de/zum-rappen-en.html

After about 5 pm or so, the old town is terrific. Nightwatchman Tour at 8pm was a highlight for us. So was the 500 yr. old wood carved masterpiece of an alter by Tilman Riemanschneider in St. Jacobs church. It's in the back, up a few stairs. Walk the wall in the evening or early morning.

Paul

We stayed inside the pedestrian zone of Rothenburg. I would recommend that. Nice to be right there and walk around the town at night.

As an alternative, I would recommend Nördlingen, south of Rothenburg on the Road; the wall is almost intact, and you can walk on it. It's a lot like Rothenburg but far less touristy. No Christmas shop or C&P Museum, but you can climb to the top of the church tower in the center of town.

I loved Rothenberg both times I stayed there. Do the night watchman tour, it's nice and educational.

I enjoyed staying in Rothenburg. I agree it was much quieter at night. We went on the Nightwatchman's tour one night and loved it. I highly recommend the tour. Also, another night there we walked around as the sun was setting and really enjoyed it.

Thanks so much for the thoughtful replies! I think I've been convinced that it's worth the touristy stuff during the day.

A note on Nördlingen, which I visited yesterday for the first time, on a Saturday, during the height of the tourist season. Only a scattering of visitors were visible. I found it a very nice town, although if you're looking for cheesy souvenirs, you won't find any.

For a walled, well-preserved town on the Romantic Road, I was rather surprised how few tourists seemed to be at Nördlingen (for some reason, most of the non-Germans visitors appeared to be Italian). So, out of curiosity, I drove a little further north to Rothenburg to compare. I couldn't even find a parking space at any of the public lots I knew of outside the wall, and I stopped counting the number of tour buses after 20.

I personally would stay in Rothenberg since it has enough to enjoy a day there and then you will have an easier time getting to enjoy the Night Watchman walking tour. It is also a good middle location on the Romantic Road.

I agree that Noerdlingen is nice. I mainly visited for the railway museum, but the town is generally very attractive.

A Bavarian friend of mine reacted with horror when I asked if Rothenberg was worth a visit (the same way I would if a foreign friend asked about Madame Tussauds), so I didn't bother.

Re Night watchman’s Tour: We did it too. At times it was a bit theatrical, but walking the city as it changes from daylight to nighttime is most interesting. After the tour, I agree with others that it's worth a walk around town to see how different it feels when you're on the street pretty-much alone. Note that the place pretty-much locks up after sunset; check to see if a restaurant of your choosing will be open when you want to dine. We stayed just outside the wall in a B+B that was quite pleasant. If you're interested, send a PM and I'll provide the name.

Wurtzburg is my favorite because it has a lot more to see than other towns along the Romantic Road. The other towns I chose to visit are Rothenburg (stayed there a couple of times), Nordlingen, and Dinkelsbuhl. IMO Rothenburg has an edge on charm that, during the day at least, is lost behind a wall of tourists.

Medieval Castle Colmberg is about 10 minutes drive from Rothenburg and has very nice rooms to stay in. They also have a nice restaurant for dinner as well. Breakfast is included with your stay. Do something different and stay in a castle:

http://www.burg-colmberg.de/