GERMANY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 572

miedgasse23,tel.[phone]).The TI hasonefreeterminalforbriefuse(maximum
15 minutes).
Laundry: A handy launderette is near the station, off Ansbacher Strasse (€5.50/load, in-
cludes soap, English instructions, owner isn't always around to make change so it's
smart to bring coins, opens at 8:00, last load Mon-Fri at 18:00, Sat at 14:00, closed Sun,
Johannitergasse 9, tel. [phone]).
Bike Rental: Consider renting a bike to enjoy the nearby countryside; you can follow the
route described on here . Two shops, both outside the old town, rent bikes. Fahrradhaus
Krauss is a little cheaper (€5/6 hours, €10/24hours, €18/all weekend, nohelmets, Mon-
Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun but ask about arranging return, Ansbach-
er Strasse 85, tel. [phone], www.fahrradhaus-krauss.de ); to reach it from the old
town,headtowardthetrainstation,thencontinuealongAnsbacherStrasse,bearingright
over the train tracks. Rad & Tat is a little closer to town (€9/6 hours, €12/24 hours,
Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-13:00, closed Sun, Bensenstrasse 17, tel. [phone],
www.mietraeder.de ) ; leave the old town toward the train station, but take a right on Erl-
bacher Strasse, cross the tracks, and look for the shop across the street from the Lidl
supermarket.
Taxi: For a taxi, call 09861/2000 or 09861/7227.
Haircuts: At SalonWack (pronounced“vack,”not“wack”),HorstandhisteamspeakEng-
lish and welcome both men and women (wash and cut: €21 for men, €32-39 for women;
Tue-Fri 8:00-12:00 & 13:30-18:00, Sat 8:30-14:00, closed Sun-Mon, in the old center
just off Wenggasse at Goldene Ringgasse 8, tel. [phone]).
Swimming: Rothenburg has a fine swimming complex, with a heated outdoor pool
(Freibad) from mid-May to mid-September, and an indoor pool and sauna the rest of
the year. It's about a 15-minute walk south of the Spitaltor along the main road toward
Dinkelsbühl (adults-€4, kids-€2; outdoorpoolFri-Tue9:00-20:00, Wed6:30-20:00, Thu
10:00-20:00; indoor pool Mon 14:00-21:00, Tue-Thu 9:00-21:00, Fri-Sun 9:00-18:00;
Nördlinger Strasse 20, tel. [phone]).
Tours in Rothenburg
▲▲▲ Night Watchman's Tour
This tour is flat-out the most entertaining hour of medieval wonder anywhere in Germany.
The Night Watchman (a.k.a. Hans-Georg Baumgartner) jokes like a medieval Jerry Seinfeld
ashelightshislampandtakestouristsonhisrounds,tellingslice-of-gritty-lifetalesofmedi-
eval Rothenburg (€7, teens-€4, free for kids 12 and under, mid-March-Dec nightly at 20:00,
in English, meet at Market Square, www.nightwatchman.de ) . This is the best evening activ-