Rothenburg ob der Tauber

From Plönlein, walk five minutes south down Spitalgasse past narrowing medieval houses to the Spitaltor — the fortified southern gate with its dramatic double-arch entrance and wedge-shaped barbican. Climb the stone steps inside and step onto the covered rampart walkway. For the next ninety minutes you walk inside the original 14th-century battlements: wooden boards underfoot, stone archer slits framing red rooftops on one side and open Franconian farmland on the other. Follow the wall east past weathered guard towers, then north to exit near Röderturm on the eastern side of town.

Tip: The wall walk is completely free — no ticket, no queue, no opening hours. The southern stretch between Spitaltor and Röderturm is the best-preserved and least crowded section. Use the narrow stone archer slits as natural photo frames for the countryside beyond. Watch your head at tower transitions where ceilings drop to 1.6 meters. Look for the brass donor plaques lining the walkway — individuals from over 50 countries funded this restoration, each one a small story.

Exit the walls at Röderturm and walk seven minutes west along Rödergasse, a quiet residential lane of pastel-painted houses that opens suddenly into the grand Marktplatz. The white Renaissance facade of the Rathaus dominates your left; across the square, the Ratstrinkstube puts on a show every hour — two small windows flanking the clock swing open and mechanical figures re-enact the legendary Meistertrunk, the mayor's impossible wager that supposedly saved the town from destruction in the Thirty Years' War. Position yourself directly below by 11:55 to catch the noon performance with the biggest crowd.

Tip: The Meistertrunk clock performs on the hour from 10:00 to 22:00 — stand dead center beneath it for the best sightline. For the single best aerial photo of Rothenburg, the Rathaus tower climb (€2.50, exterior spiral staircase) takes five minutes and rewards you with the iconic spiral of red rooftops stretching to the valley. It closes in rain and wind; check the handwritten sign at the base before climbing.

Step south off the Marktplatz onto Obere Schmiedgasse — two minutes and you will spot the queue forming outside Rothenburg's most famous Schneeball bakery. This is a standing-and-walking lunch: grab a classic powdered-sugar Schneeball (€2.80) and a Fränkische Bratwurst im Brötchen (€4.50) from the grill next door, then eat as you stroll the cobblestones. The Schneeball is a fist-sized ball of fried shortcrust dough — crunchy shell, layered and crumbly within, dusted in sugar that gets on everything. Skip the chocolate-dipped novelty flavors; the original with powdered sugar is the one locals actually eat.

Tip: The line moves fast — five minutes at most. Order the 'Klassisch' (classic powdered sugar). It shatters the moment you bite, so hold it over the bag. If you want more substance, the Nürnberger Bratwurst stand a few doors north does three small sausages in a roll for €5 — better value and more local flavor than the tourist restaurants ringing the Marktplatz.

Walk west along Herrngasse — the grandest street in town, lined with the stone mansions of medieval patrician families — for five quiet minutes until the buildings end and the sky opens wide. The Burggarten occupies the foundations of the original 12th-century imperial castle, destroyed by an earthquake in 1356 and never rebuilt. Warm afternoon light pours across the Tauber valley below, turning the double-arched stone bridge and the red rooftops of the lower town into something that looks impossible but is entirely real. This is the finest panoramic viewpoint in Rothenburg and the right place to let the medieval spell settle in before you leave.

Tip: Walk to the western tip of the garden for the widest valley panorama — the Tauber curves below and the Topplerschlösschen, a bizarre little medieval tower house, is visible in the valley to the left. The garden faces west, so light between 15:00 and 17:00 is golden and ideal for photography. After 16:00 the garden empties and you will have the viewpoint nearly to yourself. Benches line the old rampart wall — a good place to sit and do nothing for once.

From Herrngasse, turn south down Burggasse — a dim, narrow lane that feels like stepping backstage in a medieval play. At number 8, a wrought-iron sign marks Zur Höll ('To Hell'), housed in one of Rothenburg's oldest buildings with stonework dating to around 900 AD. Duck through the low doorway into a candlelit warren of tiny rooms with vaulted stone ceilings and thick oak tables. Order the Fränkischer Sauerbraten — slow-braised beef in a dark vinegar-and-spice sauce with handmade potato dumplings (€18.50) — or the Schäufele, a crackling roast pork shoulder with rich gravy and bread dumplings (€16.90). A half-liter of local Landwehr Bräu on draft seals the evening.

Tip: Zur Höll seats about 30 people across four tiny stone rooms — there is no waiting area. Call ahead to reserve or arrive at 18:30 to claim a table in the back room, which is the oldest and most atmospheric. Budget €25-35 per person with one drink. On your walk here, skip the souvenir shops on Herrngasse — they mark up identical items 30-40% compared to smaller shops on side streets like Burggasse and Alter Keller. The same hand-painted ornament costs €8 on a side street and €13 on the main drag.