Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [287]
Käthe Wohlfahrt Weihnachtsdorf (see opposite) houses the Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum (German Christmas Museum; 409 365; adult/child €4/2; 10am-5.30pm), which traces the development of various Yuletide customs.
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Tours
The tourist office runs 90-minute walking tours (€6; in English) at 2pm from April to October. Every evening a lantern-toting Nachtwächter dressed in traditional costume leads an entertaining tour of the Altstadt. English tours (€6) meet at the Rathaus at 8pm.
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Festivals & Events
The Historisches Festspiel ‘Der Meistertrunk’ (see boxed text, opposite) takes place each year on Whitsuntide, with parades, dances and a medieval market. The highlight, though, is the re-enactment of the mythical Meistertrunk story.
The Meistertrunk play itself is performed three more times: once during the Reichsstadt-Festtage in early September, when the entire city’s history is re-enacted in the streets, and twice during the Rothenburger Herbst, an autumn celebration in October.
The Historischer Schäfertanz (Historical Shepherds’ Dance), featuring colourfully dressed couples, takes places on Marktplatz several times between April and October.
Rothenburg’s Christmas market is one of the most romantic in Germany. It takes place each year around the central Marktplatz from late November until 23 December.
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Sleeping
DJH hostel ( 941 60; www.rothenburg.jugendherberge.de; Mühlacker 1; dm under/over 27yr €20/24; ) Rothenburg’s hostel is housed in two enormous old buildings in the south of town. It’s agreeably renovated, extremely well equipped and very popular, so book in advance.
Hotel Raidel ( 3115; www.romanticroad.com/raidel; Wenggasse 3; s with/without bathroom €39/24, d €49/59; ) With 500-year-old exposed beams studded with wooden nails, antiques throughout and a welcoming owner, as well as musical instruments for the guests to play, this is the place to check in if you’re craving some genuine romance on the Romantic Road.
Hotel Uhl ( 4895; www.hotel-uhl.de; Plönlein 8; s €36-59, d €59-79; ) A quiet family-run hotel with well-appointed, if slightly overfurnished, rooms. The downstairs cafe does a mean Schneeball (sweetish dough strip ravelled into a ball and dipped in cinnamon and sugar).
Kreuzerhof Hotel Garni ( 3424; www.kreuzerhof-rothenburg.de; Millergasse 4-6; s €40, d €55-68; ) Away from the tourist swarms, this quiet family-run place has neat rooms with antique touches in a medieval town house and annexe. There’s free tea and coffee and the generous breakfast is a great set-up for the day.
Altfränkische Weinstube ( 6404; www.romanticroad.com/altfraenkische-weinstube; Am Klosterhof 7; s €58, d €64-75) Hiding in a quiet side street near the Reichsstadtmuseum, this enchantingly characterful inn has atmosphere-laden rooms, all with bathtubs and most with four-poster or canopied beds. The restaurant (open for dinner only) serves up sound regional fare with a dollop of medieval cheer.
Burg-Hotel ( 948 90; www.burghotel.rothenburg.de; Klostergasse 1-3; r €100-170; ) The best views in town are from this charming 15-room hotel, built right into the town fortifications. All rooms have private sitting areas, and there’s an elegant guest lounge with an antique baby grand piano.
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DRINK & YE SHALL BE FREE
In 1631 the Thirty Years War – pitching Catholics against Protestants – reached the gates of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Catholic General Tilly and 60,000 of his troops besieged the Protestant market town and demanded its surrender. The town resisted but couldn’t stave off the onslaught of marauding soldiers, and the mayor and other town dignitaries were captured and sentenced to death.
And that’s pretty much where the story ends and the legend begins. As the tale goes, Rothen-burg’s town council tried to sate Tilly’s bloodthirstiness by presenting him with a mug