Good morning! I’m so excited to share my first of several travel diaries from our trip to Germany. I wanted to begin with the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber because you guys loved it so much when I shared photos and video on my Instagram stories! Out of all the places we visited during the two weeks we were in this amazing country, Rothenburg ODT was absolutely my favorite city. The people, the food, and the experience of being in this city with Ed are memories I will always remember. Once you see these photos, you’ll get it. It looks like a magical Disney town come to life.
Madewell top and bag | J.Crew jeans (on sale!) | Similar shoes here and here
A little back story. Months before Ed and I planned this trip, we were standing in line waiting for drinks at a local coffee shop in Charlotte when I spotted a painting for sale on the wall of the bell tower in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. I had never heard of the city before, so you can imagine my surprise after ooohing and aaahing over how beautiful it was, Ed said, “That’s a city in Germany. I’ve been there before, it’s beautiful. I’ll take you one day.” Side note, Ed lived in Germany for a few years, so he knows his way around. Lucky for me, he speaks fluent German! However, you don’t need to worry about being fluent in Rothenburg. It’s a frequent stop for many tourists, so a lot people in the city speak English.
We were only in Rothenburg ODT for a day, so we made the most out of it. First item on the list was food! Unfortunately, this bakery wouldn’t sell me one of the giant pretzels hanging in the window display – trust me, I tried! How incredible is that display?! The bakeries were out of this world, everything ACTUALLY tasted as good as it looked. Rothenburg ODT is known for a pastry called Schneeballen which is sort of a short-crust pastry covered in different toppings. We went to another bakery for that (below).
The best meal – schnitzel, coffee and pommes frites!
Next on the list was Käthe Wohlfahrt – Weihnachtsdorf, Rothenburg ODT’s Christmas store. It was an experience in itself. Something Rothenburg ODT is well known for is their Christmas Market, or Reiterlesmarkt. The city turns into a Christmas wonderland in December. Since we were there in the middle of summer, we visited their giant Christmas store instead! Walking in the front door was like being transported into another world. Lights, trees, ornaments, and decorations like nothing I’ve ever seen. If you love Christmas, it’s a must see while visiting.
Speaking of Christmas, this city definitely has its on and off seasons. We were there during the busy season, so it was crowded BUT there’s more of a visitor-friendly atmosphere. During the colder months, it’s not as crowded (mainly because it’s FREEZING there) and the stores aren’t open as long. If you insist on going during the off season, I suggest going around holiday times so you can experience Reiterlesmarkt.
Simple outfits like this were my go-to on this trip. It was a little chilly most days, so a light button-down and comfy jeans were perfect for a day of exploring the city. Helpful tip – wear comfortable shoes. I wish I had worn a different pair. Almost all of the streets are cobblestone, so you will definitely struggle if you’re wearing anything with a heel AKA you’ll look like a baby deer learning to walk.
I was so obsessed with the beautiful details on every building – even down to the window box planters. Everything is so well thought-out, it’s a gardeners dream. It really made the city feel fairy-tale like.
That yellow building that looks like a castle? It’s someone’s house. Crazy, right? Every home was equally as colorful and unique as the next.
This was one of my favorite homes – that’s a very tiny door, only a few feet tall. It reminded me of Lord of The Rings!
I took this photo very quickly because I was afraid the car’s owner would come out and scold me. I wish I had taken a closer picture so you could see that the interior is lined in Burberry print!
We spent the majority of the day exploring the colorful city streets, popping into shops, and talking to locals. Luckily for us, there was a big festival that weekend! Live music played everywhere and people were literally dancing in the streets wearing medieval costume. It’s amazing that people actually LIVE here.
The Plönlein is one of the most iconic scenes in Rothenburg ODT – It’s also where the Christmas Market is located during the holiday season!
Experiencing this city in real life is something I think everyone should do. A few tips – if you visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber, stay overnight! If I could go back and change one thing, it would be that. Despite all the photos I took, we missed a lot because we were only there for the day. You really need more than one to see everything, and it’s worth taking the time to do it. Their hotels look amazing and Airbnb also has a lot of cute and affordable places to stay! As a plus, if you’re an early riser, you can experience the charming streets all to yourself before the crowds show up! Another tip – If you’re only going for the day, try to avoid Sunday. Like many towns in Germany, Sunday is the rest day, so many of the shops are closed. Trust me, you don’t want to miss those!
Have you ever visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber? Do you plan on it? What’s the most magical place you’ve ever visited? This was definitely mine, I’d love to hear about yours! Leave it in the comments below.
xo Jenna
