Walking tour
Season: Evenings, most of the yearRothenburg night watchman tour
- Lantern-lit lanes and the life of a medieval town watchman
- Stories of plague, war and the famous Master Draught
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the most famous small towns in Europe, and from Weikersheim it is only about 35 minutes away by car. Staying nearby gives you a big advantage: you can arrive before the coach groups and stay after they leave, when the lanes are quiet and the lamps come on.
Getting there
Drive east along the Tauber valley through Röttingen and Creglingen, about 35 to 40 minutes. Park in one of the car parks outside the town walls and walk in through a gate. Public transport is possible, but slow, with changes.
Morning: the market square and the Plönlein
Start on the market square with the Renaissance town hall and the old councillors’ tavern. Its clock re-enacts the legend of the Master Draught, when a mayor is said to have saved the town by drinking a huge tankard of wine in one go. Then walk down to the Plönlein, the little square where the lanes split around a yellow half-timbered house. Early in the morning, you may have it almost to yourself.
Late morning: St Jakob’s Church
St Jakob’s Church holds the Altar of the Holy Blood by Tilman Riemenschneider. If you have seen his Altar of the Virgin in Creglingen, compare the two.
Afternoon: walls, gardens and museums
Walk a section of the covered wall walk, high above the lanes and gardens. Then head to the castle garden for the view down into the Tauber valley. If it rains, the Medieval Crime and Justice Museum and the German Christmas Museum are good choices.
Evening: the night watchman
Stay for dinner and join the night watchman’s tour, which starts on the market square in the evening. In his black cloak, with a lantern and a halberd, he tells the story of the town with plenty of humour. It is one of the best tours in Germany. Then drive back to Weikersheim along the quiet valley.
Tips
- Arrive before 10am, or after 4pm in summer, for fewer crowds.
- Try a Schneeball, a ball of fried pastry strips dusted with sugar or dipped in chocolate.
- In December, Rothenburg’s Christmas market is magical, but very busy at weekends.
- Read our guide to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
