Hi all,
I am headed to Germany for a week and am going to be based in Munich. I'm 43, female, not big on hiking, but love beautiful scenery. As for a day trip, which has more things to do, more charming, more interesting, in your opinion? Mittenwald or Rothenburg?
Thank you!
Dani
Hi Dani,
I would go for day trips to Rothenburg , Nuremburg, and Regensburg during that time. When are you going to Munich?
Both can/will be overrun by tourists and are touristic. Rothenburg more so than Mittenwald. I prefer Mittenwald, because it is in the Alps (mountains) and I do enjoy light hiking, Alms, Gasthaus, lifts etc. Mittenwald has more natural scenery and has Bavarian/Tirol atmosphere. Depending on the time of year Mittenwald will have snow. Old city Rothenburg sitting above the Tauber river valley is a beautiful location and has a storybook walled Altstadt. For me Rothenburg is an adult Disneyland that does not represent anything really real anymore. I guess it comes down to your tastes. I would consider an overnight at either location if you can though.
For both scenery and atmosphere you're better off in Mittenwald. And it's far easier to get there and back as well.
http://requisitosparavisa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/mittenwald_-3.jpg
Day trip guide to Mittenwald by Earl Steinbicker:
https://hastingshouse.typepad.com/hastings_house_us/travel_in_europe/
The Bayern Ticket day pass (€25) can be used to reach Rothenburg cheaply and return, but it takes 3+ hours each way by train, there are multiple changes of train and there's an after-9-am weekday restriction on the Bayern Ticket. Not good.
Mittenwald OTOH can be reached by DIRECT Regional Express train in 1.7 hours. Much more doable. And you can use the Regio-ticket Werdenfels day pass to get there from Munich, which costs €22 for the round trip AND can be used on any day at any hour. Buy it from a ticket machine. This railway map shows the route and the day pass coverage in red from Munich to Mittenwald.
