Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Visitorswhoarriveafterclosingcancheckthehandymaphighlightingwhichhotelshave
rooms available, with a free direct phone connection to them; it's just outside the door. A
pictorial town map is available for free with this topic at the Friese shop, two doors west
from the TI (toward St. Jakob's Church; see “Shopping in Rothenburg,” later).
Arrival in Rothenburg
By Train: It's a 10-minute walk from the station to Rothenburg's Market Square (following
the brown Altstadt signs, exit left from station, turn right on Ansbacher Strasse, and head
straight into the Middle Ages). Day-trippers can leave luggage in station lockers (€1-2, on
platform) orat alocal shop(trythe Friese shoponMarket Square, listed on here ) .Free WCs
arebehindthesnackbarnextdoortothestation.Taxiswaitatthestation(€5-6toanyhotel).
ByCar: You'realwaysallowedtodriveintotheoldtowntogettoyourhotel.Otherwise,
drivinginthecentralsectionaroundMarketSquare(roughly,theareawithintheearliertown
walls) is only permitted between 6:00-11:00 and 16:00-19:00. There are no restrictions on
driving in the outer parts of the old town (toward the train station and along Spitalgasse).
Unless your hotel offers private parking, just plan to park in one of the lots—numbered P-1
through P-5—that line the outside of the town walls (€5/day, buy ticket from Parkschein-
automat machines and display, 5-10 minute walk to town). On weekdays, P-5 and a small
part of P-4 are free.
Helpful Hints
Festivals: For one weekend each spring, Biergartens spill out into the street and Rothen-
burgers dress up in medieval costumes to celebrate Mayor Nusch's Meistertrunk victory
(the story of the draught that saved the town is described under “Meistertrunk Show” on
here , more info at www.meistertrunk.de ). The Reichsstadt festival every September cel-
ebrates Rothenburg's history.
ChristmasMarket: RothenburgisdeadinNovember,January,andFebruary,butDecember
is its busiest month—the entire town cranks up the medieval cuteness with concerts and
costumes, shops with schnapps, stalls filling squares, hot spiced wine, giddy nutcrack-
ers, and mobs of earmuffed Germans. Christmas markets are big all over Germany, and
Rothenburg'sisconsideredoneofthebest.ThemarkettakesplaceeachyearduringAd-
vent. Virtually all sights listed in this chapter are open longer hours during these four
weeks. Try to avoid Saturdays and Sundays, when big-city day-trippers really clog the
grog.
Internet Access: All of the recommended hotels have Wi-Fi. If you didn't bring a smart-
phone or laptop, head to the Nuschhaus Café, just below Market Square, which has
terminals (€3/hour) and Wi-Fi (€2/hour, daily 10:00-20:00, may close earlier in winter,
across the street from the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum at Obere Sch-
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