More than just a romantic blog post
Hello, it's Cindy here to share with you one of many fond memories of our time in Europe. My husband and I with our 3 children (ages 4, 5 and 12 years old) had an incredible experience living in Germany.
Deutschland known as Germany is truly a diverse and beautiful country filled with history, steeped in traditions, treasures family time and includes many cathedrals (aka Dom) and castles. There were numerous festivals throughout the year, we all know of the world famous Oktoberfest. They seemed to have a festival every month. I don't know of another country that does Christmas quite like they do (this will be the highlight of another blog)
Years before I knew we'd get the opportunity to go, I hoped that I would get to see Rothenburg ob der Tauber (people also refer to it as the Romantic road) for myself one day.
Those colorful, half-timber houses and cobblestone streets held a special place in my imagination for many years. I was so excited when my husband told me his job was sending us there!
Half-timbered towns and villages remain a characteristic of the landscape in many parts of Germany to this day
Back in 1960, when post-war Germany was desperate to rejuvenate the travel industry, the Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) came into being.
Not only is Rothenburg beautiful, but the countryside surrounding it is as well. Rothenburg ob der Tauber lies along the Romantic Road, overlooking the Tauber river valley. The Romantic Road stretches from the river Main all the way down to the Alps. It’s lined with medieval villages, castles (Neuschwanstein being one of them!), rivers and beautiful landscapes. In fact, it is one of Germany’s most popular destinations.
Here's a fun fact about the famous castle on the Romantic Road:
Cinderella's Castle was modeled after Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle. Cinderella's Castle at Disney World and Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disney Land are modeled after Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle.
Here's a peak of the famous Neuschwanstien Castle.
This is me in Rotenburg on a portion of what's known as the Romantic Road.
If you don’t like crowds, do not go during high season (July – August) it is crazy full of busloads of tourists!
We went for the weekend while celebrating our Anniversary. It was the perfect romantic getaway. Here's the charming hotel we stayed which served an amazing breakfast spread.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is an amazingly well preserved/reconstructed medieval town. It is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region of Franconia. I could not get over its beauty, it was more than I had ever imagined it would be.
What I love doing most in Rothenburg is walking on top of the city wall. Here you get a stroll in the shade and an excellent overview of the town.
It was recommended that we have dinner at the famous Zur Holl, translated as To Hell.
My husband had the pork ribs, I had the pork skewer. Both meals were from a very small extremely well-curated menu. Everything we ate was perfectly cooked, simply and beautifully presented.
We cannot recommend this enough. The night watchman tour is an unforgettable way to learn about the town’s history. The guide is well known and really hilarious. It's about a 2 hour tour around the city that starts at 8pm.
This town is home to Germany’s Christmas decor maven, Kathe Wohlfarcht, who some say is responsible for catapulting the holiday to a pretty much year-round celebration here. Maybe it’s the gluhwein (hot mulled wine served in mugs) but everyone from locals to tourists also seemed in good spirits. They really love Christmas here!
The town feels like stepping into a Disney movie probably because Rothenburg is the inspiration for the village in Pinocchio.
I wish everyone could experience this for themselves. There are so many things to see and do in this region and fall or winter is a perfect time to visit.
Here's a tip, 11/29-12/23/2019 This year’s Christmas market season. You don't want to miss it!
Ready for your own trip? Let me create an amazing itinerary of history, architecture, amazing food and Christmas delights of course!
Cindy Hypes
Travel Planner
cindy@bluepineappletravel.com
