Well, we're back after a month long hiatus from blogging, during which we travelled to Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic and spent some time planning our travels for next year.
On the last weekend in November, we spent a long weekend in Germany for the fourth time this year. This is probably our last trip to Germany, or at least we don't have any more planned, so it was both exciting and sad since it is one of our favourite countries.
We came across Rothenburg ob der Tauber while researching where to go for our Christmas Holidays. We had originally wanted to go to Vienna, Rothenburg and Prague but didn't want to cram too much in, so decided to do a separate trip to Rothenburg.
Rothenburg is extremely popular during the Summer months, and over the Christmas period, when it has one of the most well known Christmas markets in the world.
Rothenburg is pretty much a Christmas town all year round, so we planned our visit before the Christmas markets opened for the year and hopefully before the influx of tourists arrived for the opening.
We flew into Frankfurt airport, which is about a two hour train ride away from Rothenburg with a change of trains in both Wurzburg and Steinach, where we changed onto a little train that shuttles between the two towns.
Rothenburg is the best preserved Medieval town in Germany, it was especially loved by the Nazi party of Germany for being a perfect example of a quintessential German town, and they regularly scheduled day trips from all across the country.
In World War II, German soldiers were stationed in Rothenburg to defend it from attack, and its beauty was so well known that the US General ordered no artillery to be used when taking the city so as not to destroy it. The Mayor ignored Adolf Hitler's order to defend the town, and gave it up willingly, saving it from being destroyed.
Rothenburg has been the setting for many movies, and was the inspiration for the town in Walt Disney's Pinocchio. It was also used for scenes in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Harry Potter.
We arrived and checked straight into the hotel which was in the process of being all done up with Christmas decorations. The entire time we were in Rothenburg, more and more Christmas decorations went up around the town everyday.
It would have been amazing to be there when the markets were on, as the town square looks very old fashioned, with a lovely Old Town Hall.
We dropped off our things and went to explore the town. Our first stop was the Burg Garden, which was where the Imperial Castle was located. The Castle was destroyed in an earthquake in 1356, however the garden itself is lovely and offers some amazing views over the valley and surrounding countryside.
The Rothenburg soldiers would pour hot oil onto invaders from this little face in the walls
The entrance back into the town is through two little round guard houses built into the town walls. They reminded me of the houses from the Smurfs and really just made the town almost too pretty to believe. Everywhere we turned we could see why the town has been used in so many movies, and why it is so famous, it really is just beautiful.
Looking back towards the town from the gardens
Visiting the town off season had the advantage of being almost deserted, so it felt like we were the only people in the whole town at certain times of the day.
Trying to keep walm in the brisk afternoon air
The colours of the trees and leaves in the garden were lovely, all reds and oranges against the setting sun
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is well known for being a Christmas Town, all year round. Throughout the town there are several different Christmas shops, and even a Christmas museum. There are two teddy bear shops and nutcrackers and Christmas decorations in every window.
It might have actually been too much of a fairytale if there had also been a Christmas market, so it was probably good that we missed it, or I might have had to have a lie down to cope with the feeling that I was in a storybook.
Huge Nutcrackers outside the Christmas shop
Beautiful Christmas decorations
The Clock Tower and Christmas Tree in the Market Square
The Market Square
We stopped for some Apple Strudel and a hot coffee to warm up, we ate in the Market Square and people-watched while enjoying our pre-dinner snack
Crows flying over St Jakobs church
The Rothenburg Town Hall
A huge teddy bear outside one of two Teddy Bear shops in the town
Mini Schneeballs - a snowball made form shortcrust pastry. Extremely popular especially in Rothenburg, these were available in all different flavours throughout the town. They taste a bit weird to be honest, not soft enough to be super delicious.
The Plönlein Triangular Place, one of the most popular streets in Rothenburg
Rothenburg completely empties out in the evening, and there is very little to do. It is lovely and quiet, and all the Christmas trees lining the streets were lit up which made the town even more magical than in the daytime.
We had a delicious dinner at a restaurant across from our hotel. Bradley had pork steak and lentils, and I had pork and potato dumplings. Both meals were really yummy, and went really well with a cold beer.
After dinner we had one last wander round the town since we were so full, we enjoyed looking in all the windows lit up with hundreds of different Christmas decorations, and trying to decide which ones we wanted to take home!
Beautiful town, please tell me you took home some decorations. xxxx
ReplyDeleteI agree with your mother tell me you did buy decorations to take home, I would be in heaven with the shops deciding on what to buy looks difficult.
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