Rothenburg ob der Tauber
A walled medieval town in Middle Franconia, Bavaria, known for its half-timbered lanes and a town wall you can walk.
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Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a medieval town in Middle Franconia, in the German state of Bavaria, on the Tauber river. Most of its old core sits inside the walls, with half-timbered houses, narrow lanes, the Marktplatz and stretches of the town wall you can walk. It is one of the stops on the Romantic Road, the touring route through southern Germany.
Rothenburg suits a compact old-town visit rather than a large city. A day trip covers the main streets and the wall. Stay one night inside the walls if you want to walk the lanes after the day visitors leave. Summer is the busiest season, so spring and early autumn suit a quieter visit. The lanes are steep and cobbled, so wear comfortable shoes. Plan a few hours for the center and the wall, or a full day if you add a guided tour or a slower pace.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber in five
- Change at Steinach for the last 15 minutesRothenburg sits on a branch line, and every rail trip changes at Steinach. The shuttle train takes about 15 minutes and runs roughly hourly, so check the return time before you set out.Rothenburg day trip or overnight
- Walk the town wall early in the dayMuch of the medieval wall can be walked on its covered parapet, a loop of a bit over 2 km that gives roof views. Start in the morning, before the tour buses arrive. Closed stretches are noted on the town's tourism site.
- Stay one night to see it after the buses leaveDay trippers leave in the late afternoon, and the lanes empty after dinner. A night inside the walls is the single best upgrade.Things to do in Rothenburg
- Join an evening watchman walkA costumed night watchman leads an evening walk through the old town in season. Check the schedule and language on the town's tourism site.
- Decide how far along the Romantic Road you goRothenburg sits between Würzburg and Füssen. By public transport, use Würzburg and Augsburg as rail stops; most visitors drive the route.Füssen travel guide
Things to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
See all attractions in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Need to know
- Airport
- Frankfurt (FRA) or Munich (MUC), 3+ hours by rail and a change
- Getting there
- Rail to Steinach, then a shuttle train; Nuremberg about 1–1.5 hours; Munich about 3 hours
- Getting around
- On foot; the walled core is small
- Best base
- Inside the walls, for one night
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours as a day trip; 1 night is better
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh4°Low-1°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low0°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cool, thawMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, thaw
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh13°Low4°Spring, blossomAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, blossom
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh17°Low8°Warm, greenMayRain
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, busyJuneRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 83 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- JulyRain13 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Hot, busyJulyRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustRain13 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Hot, busyAugustRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low11°Mild, clearSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low7°Fall colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color
- NovemberPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low2°Gray, dampNovemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Gray, damp
- DecemberRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low0°Christmas marketDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas market
Average daily high and low in Rothenburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jul Bachwoche Ansbach · Aug Bachwoche Ansbach
Right now in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
3
- Feels like
- 1°
- Humidity
- 71%
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 3%
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
09:48 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today7°0°3%Monday: Fog. High 7°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Tue7°2°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed9°1°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu7°2°0%Thursday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri7°1°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat7°2°5%Saturday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Sun8°2°5%Sunday: Fog. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 5%.
Updated 06:32 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
What's on in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city
Events calendarEvery year
- Jul–AugBachwoche AnsbachRothenburg ob der Tauber
- Sep–OctCannstatter VolksfestStuttgart, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Würzburgabout 1 hour by trainA palace, a bridge and Franconian wine at the north end of the road.Read the guide
- Nurembergabout 1–1.5 hours by trainA castle, a history museum and a big Christmas market.Read the guide
- Augsburgabout 2 hours by trainA Roman-founded city on the Romantic Road.Read the guide
Before you go to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
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Rules for Rothenburg ob der Tauber, checked
- Schengen 90/180-day rule: non-EU visitors may stay 90 days in any 180-day period across Germany and the rest of the Schengen Area. Count your days at travel-europe.europa.eu before a long trip.
- EU Entry/Exit System: non-EU travelers have passport details and fingerprints recorded at the border. Check the current status on the official EU travel site, travel-europe.europa.eu.
- Dial 112 for fire, ambulance or an emergency doctor anywhere in Germany, and 110 for police. Save both numbers in your phone before you arrive.
- Tipping is customary: round up the bill or add about 5 to 10 percent when you pay the server directly at a restaurant.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber FAQ
Is Rothenburg ob der Tauber worth visiting?
Yes if you like small medieval towns, and the old town is among the best preserved in Germany. It is crowded in mid-day, so plan an early start or an overnight stay.
How do you get to Rothenburg by train?
Take a main-line train to Steinach (bei Rothenburg) and change to the short shuttle. The branch takes about 15 minutes. The last return trains are earlier than in cities, so check before you leave.
Can you do Rothenburg as a day trip from Munich?
It is possible by train in about 3 hours each way, but that leaves only a few hours in town. Guided coach tours or a one-night stay give you more time in the lanes.
How long do you need in Rothenburg?
Three to four hours cover the wall and the main squares. One night adds a calm evening, the night watchman walk and an early start before the day groups arrive.
Is Rothenburg touristy?
Yes, especially by day and in December. It is still worth seeing because the wall and the lanes are authentic, but expect souvenir shops and groups at midday.