Climate friendly travel
By train and without traffic jams comfortably to Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
When you see photos of this small Bavarian town for the first time, you inevitably think: Is this a movie set? But it's not: Rothenburg ob der Tauber just looks like a lively medieval town with colorful half-timbered houses in cobblestone streets, with towers and gatehouses and a tower path that couldn't be more beautiful.
Admittedly, it takes time. How long four kilometers can drag on becomes more than clear on the famous Tower Walk in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. But that's good news, because along the 22 stations of this walkway on the town's accessible city wall, there is so much historical spectacle that the amazed photo enthusiast can't keep up. It already begins with the Plönlein, the landmark and most popular postcard motif of the city. This is, if you translate the term, a "small square at the fountain", which in this case consists of just a fountain, but also the world-famous crooked, colorful half-timbered house. Next to it right the Siebersturmwhich leads into the quaint hospital district. Two towers of the old city wall complete the impression that a talented artist has conjured up a masterful medieval montage in a single picture.
To mention all the sights in the small space of the town of only 11,000 inhabitants would go beyond the scope - and for visitors it is recommended not to want to see everything Rothenburg ob der Tauber has to offer at once: That would be impossible to do in one day and would inevitably lead to not paying enough attention to the individual gems of this small Bavarian town. In the case of St. Jacob's Church with its 600-year-old stained glass windows - which, as the name suggests, lies on the world-famous Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela - that would be a particular pity. Among other things, the altar of the Holy Blood by Tilman Riemenschneider can be seen here. If you simply want to take a deep breath amid all the art and history in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, you can do so in the climbing forest outside the city or on one of the 13 designated hikes around Rothenburg ob der Tauber. And while you're at it, think about how the town got its strange name. Warning, spoiler alert: It's related to the fact that there are many German towns named Rothenburg. So they've added a topographical explanation to the Bavarian town and abbreviated it at the same time: "Rothenburg is located on a hill above the Tauber River." Not so hard to understand, is it?
By the way, you can find tips on how to travel comfortably and inexpensively on long-distance and local trains with Deutsche Bahn here.
