Christmas in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany: Market & Festive Things to Do

With its colorful streets, narrow cobblestoned lanes, medieval towers, and picturesque main square, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a charming place to visit all year. But come the end of November, this small city becomes even more delightful. Shops and restaurants are decorated for the holiday season and a Christmas market opens on its main square.

We first visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber in 2014. With time for just one stop along Germany’s Romantic Road, we chose this enchanting town, and it didn’t disappoint. For several magical hours, we explored Rothenburg’s fairytale-like streets, filled our camera’s memory card with photos, and quickly fell in love with this lovely town.

In 2024, when planning a German Christmas market trip, Rothenburg was at the top of my list of places to visit. This time, we spent one night in town, so we could thoroughly enjoy its Christmas market and explore its photogenic streets.

IMPORTANT: The Christmas market runs from the end of November through December 23. If you will be in Rothenburg on Christmas, the market will no longer be running, but the town will still be a gorgeous place to visit.

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Christmas in Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Things to Do

Rothenburg is a tiny town with a very small to do list. The #1 thing to do here is to simply wander the fairytale-like streets. Strolling these cobblestoned lanes is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip to Bavaria.

However, if you want something more specific, here is a list of things to see and do in Rothenburg if you will be here during the Christmas season.

Visit the Christmas Market

At the end of November, over 60 stalls are set up on and around Marktplatz, the main market square in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This market has a gorgeous setting, with the backdrop of the Rathaus (the town hall), the Ratstrinkstube Clock Tower, the Herterich Fountain, and numerous pastel-colored buildings.

The market spills out onto Herrngasse, Grüner Markt, and Kirchplatz. There are also a few stalls inside of Town Hall.

The Christmas market in Rothenburg is one of the smaller ones we visited in Germany, but then again, Rothenburg is a very small town.

Other than its gorgeous setting, nothing really stands out about this market to make it special. Typical foods, such as bratwurst, glühwein, and chocolate covered fruit were for sale and the stalls selling handmade goods and holiday gifts seemed very repetitive after visiting numerous other Bavarian towns. Kara and I were collecting mugs as we traveled through Germany and Rothenburg’s was one we decided not to keep.

For us, exploring the streets of Rothenburg was much more interesting than shopping in its market, but with that being said, spending a little bit of time in the market is worth it. There’s nothing like a nice mug of glühwein to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.

About the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market

Opening Dates: November 29 to December 23, 2024

Hours: Monday through Thursday 11 am – 7 pm; Friday to Sunday 11 am – 8 pm

Get updated hours and learn more here. During the Advent season, you can see the Rothenburg Christmas market on a webcam.

Visit the Kathë Wohlfahrt Christmas Shops & Christmas Museum

As you tour the Christmas markets throughout Germany, you may come across Kathë Wohlfahrt stalls and shops in each city. Kathë Wohlfahrt is a famous German company that sells Christmas ornaments and decorations. The head office for the company is located in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

On Herrngasse, just a few steps from Marktplatz and the Christmas market, are two Kathë Wohlfahrt shops. Inside one of the shops is the German Christmas Museum.

The Kathë Wohlfahrt shops are extremely busy, even more so than the Christmas market, at least while we were here. For sale are Christmas ornaments and decorations, Christmas pyramids, and cuckoo clocks.

Photograph the Plönlein

The Plönlein is the iconic spot in Rothenburg. Pastel colored half-timbered houses, Siebers Tower, and the cobblestoned streets combine perfectly to create a fairytale spot in Rothenburg.

This is a very busy spot midday and if you want a people-free photo, that is almost impossible. However, if you plan an overnight stay, this is a very quiet spot in the morning. Mid-morning is when the day trippers start to arrive.

Walk the Medieval Walls

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is encircled by medieval walls. You can walk these walls for free, giving you a nice, elevated view over town.

There are numerous staircases leading up onto the walls throughout town. Once on the walls, you can walk as far as you like, exiting the walls on the next set of steps you come to.

Photograph a Few More Picturesque Spots in Rothenburg

There are a few towers, streets, and scenic spots to visit as you explore the town.

Markus Tower

This is another iconic spot in Rothenburg. This tower is surrounded by more colorful buildings and is not to be missed. It is located east of Marktplatz, on Rödergasse.

Markus Tower (Markusturm)

This is a view of the other side of Markus Tower (photo taken on Hafengasse)

Burgtor

Located on the far western end of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Burgtor is another tower and entrance into the town.

Burggarten

The Burggarten is a small park that is located outside of the city walls, next to the Burgtor. From this garden you get a great view of the town and its hilltop location.

ABOUT OUR PHOTOS: Our visit was in mid-December. On our trip to Germany, which spanned 13 days, most days were incredibly overcast and we had quite a bit of rain. Sunny skies, and even partly sunny skies, were extremely rare. This weather seems to be typical this time of year. One year earlier we spent 10 days in Vienna and Prague and had very similar weather, with rare glimpses of the sun.

Georgengasse & the White Tower (Weißer Turm)

Georgengasse is another picturesque street, with its pastel buildings, iron signs, and views of the White Tower.

More Rothenburg ob der Tauber Photos

We spent a lot of time exploring Rothenburg. Here are a few more of our favorite photos.

Wenggasse

Try Schneeballen??

Schneeballen, which means snowball in German, is deep-fried pastry dough that is shaped into a ball and sweetened with powdered sugar, chocolate, caramel, or other flavors.

We are not fans…we find them to be dry and tasteless. As you stroll through town, you’ll see pastry shops selling them so if you are curious, give one a try.

Night Watchman Tour

On this evening walking tour, learn more about the medieval history of Rothenburg. This tour gets excellent reviews and well worth it for history aficionados. The tour starts at 8 pm each night during the busy tourism season. Learn more on the official website.

Medieval Crime and Justice Museum

This museum documents crime and justice during the Middle Ages. On display are executioner’s tools, torture instruments, and paintings by famous artists. Learn more on the official website.

More Things to Do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

There are two towers to climb in Rothenburg, if you will be here outside of the Christmas season. Unfortunately, these are not open in December.

Climb the Town Hall Tower

For arguably the best view of Rothenburg, climb the 220 steps to the top of the Town Hall tower. It’s unfortunate that it is not open in December because what a marvelous view you would get of the Christmas market.

The Town Hall Tower is open January through November. There is a small fee to visit the tower. For pricing and hours, visit the Rothenburg tourism website.

Climb the Röderturm

This is another tower in Rothenburg that offers an elevated view of the town. It is open from April through October, and some days in November in March. Learn more on the Rothenburg tourism website.

How Much Time Do You Need in Rothenburg?

A few hours are really all you need in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, to visit the Christmas market, explore its colorful streets, walk the medieval walls, and have lunch or dinner.

For the best experience, plan on spending at least one night in Rothenburg. We’ve done both, the quick day trip and the overnight stay, and we absolutely loved spending the night in town. We had a lovely dinner at our hotel and the following morning, we walked the city streets when they were almost deserted, which is a real treat, if you are into photography.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber Day Trip

Rothenburg is connected to other cities in Germany by train, making very easy to get here using public transportation. The Rothenburg train station is located just outside of the city center. From the station, it is a 15-minute walk to the Christmas market, but most of this is on very pretty streets.

To look up train timetables and book your tickets in advance, visit the bahn.de website.

If you have a car, there are parking lots outside of the Galgentor Gate (P4 Parkplatz on Google Maps).

Where to Eat in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We ate dinner at HerR, a gourmet restaurant located in our hotel, Hotel Herrnschloesschen. Dinner is a 5-course tasting menu with the option to add on a wine pairing. From start to finish, our experience was exceptional. Our waiter was warm, personable, and full of charm, making us feel right at home. The food, crafted from locally sourced ingredients, was bursting with flavor and authenticity.

For local German cuisine, Restaurant Alter Keller and Gasthof Butz get great reviews.

Where to Stay in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We stayed at Hotel Herrnschloesschen and had a wonderful experience. This small hotel is located on Herrngasse, just a short walk from the main square. Our room was clean, quiet, and located on the top floor of the building, giving us a nice view of Rothenburg. For a small fee, the hotel offers parking in their parking lot, so if you have a car, you can drive into town and park at the hotel. Our only complaint is that the wifi is a bit slow. And be aware that there is no elevator. You will have to carry your luggage up to your room, so consider this when making your reservation (and packing your bags).

Our room at Hotel Herrnschloesschen

I also strongly considered staying at Burghotel and Historik Hotel Gotisches Haus Garni, two very highly rated hotels in town. I chose Hotel Herrnschloesschen for the room type that was available, but these two hotels are also well worth considering. The Burghotel is a 3-star hotel and Historik Hotel Gotisches Haus Garni is a 4-star hotel.

Gästehaus am Plönlein is a highly-rated 3-star hotel located in Plönlein, one of the most photographed areas in Rothenburg.

If you are traveling on a budget or will be traveling by train, Hotel Gasthof Rödertor is a 2-star hotel that is located near the train station. It gets excellent reviews.

More Christmas Markets in Germany

Bavaria is home to some of the best Christmas markets in Germany.

Nuremberg, with its large, historic market, was one of our favorites to visit.

Bamberg, like Rothenburg, is a picture-perfect town to visit. It has a small market, but walking the streets here is the highlight, a better overall experience than its Christmas market.

Würzburg is another German city on the Romantic Road. It has a beautiful Christmas market and a very nice historic city center to visit.

Stuttgart is home to another enormous, historic Christmas market in Germany. From Stuttgart you can day trip to Esslingen and Ludwigsburg, to visit two more festive markets.

Ravenna Gorge is one of the most unique Christmas markets in Europe. This small market is located underneath of a viaduct. The viaduct is illuminated in bright colors, creating a beautiful sight. This popular market takes a lot of advance planning, which we cover in our Guide to the Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market (coming soon).

Munich is the largest city in Bavaria. There are over 15 Christmas markets in Munich, ranging from huge, busy markets to smaller markets with a local feel. Munich makes a great starting and/or ending point for a trip to Bavaria. 2 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Munich, to visit the markets and the main attractions in town.

If you have any questions about what it is like to visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber at Christmas, or if you want to share your experience, let us know in the comment section below.

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