In the northern Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, southern Germany

 “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." ― Mark Twain

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(in south-central Germany) A little more than 200 miles (~320 km) of Southern Germany has been labeled the Romantic Road. The northern Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a stop along this route -- perhaps one of the most romantic. Its Old Town center is the epitome of charm, with half-timbered houses and cobblestone lanes that would make Snow White happy. Come December, this quaint town defies all odds and becomes even cuter as the smell of mulled wine wafts through Rothenburg’s fairy-lighted Christmas market. Indeed, the holiday spirit is so strong in Rothenburg that there is a German Christmas Museum open all year round.

+ The name "Rothenburg ob der Tauber" is German for "Red castle above the Tauber." This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River. As for the name "Rothenburg," it is said that it comes from the German words rot (red) and burg (burgh, medieval fortified settlement), referring to the red color of the roofs of the houses that overlook the river.

+ The city does lie above the deep Tauber valley on the scenic “romantic route” between Würzburg and the Bavarian Alps. First mentioned as Rotinbure in the 9th century, it developed around a Hohenstaufen fortress and was a free imperial city from 1274 until 1803. It attained its zenith under burgomaster Heinrich Toppler (1373–1408) and declined after the Thirty Years’ War, during which it was besieged and captured (in 1631) by Catholic League forces under Johann Tserclaes, Graf (count) von Tilly. At that time the city was supposedly spared when a citizen accepted a dare from the enemy to drink more than three quarts of wine in one gulp (the tankard is featured in the collection of the Imperial City Museum). The event is commemorated every Whitsuntide by the performance of a play, Der Meistertrunk (“The Master Gulp”).

+ The city is encircled by many-towered walls and is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Germany. Landmarks include the Gothic and Renaissance City Hall with a Baroque arcade and the church of St. Jacob (1373–1528) with a wooden altar by Tilman Riemenschneider.

+ A true medieval gem, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a top tourist destination. With its web of cobbled lanes, old houses, and towered walls, the town is the archetypal fairy-tale Germany. Urban conservation orders here are the strictest in Germany, and at times it feels like a medieval theme park, but all is forgiven in the evenings, when the lamplight casts its spell long after the last tour bus has left.
+ Walk atop Rothenburg’s city walls or climb to the top of the Town Hall for great views. The Night Watchman tour is an unforgettable way to learn the city’s history. Many visitors also recommend the Medieval Crime Museum (Mittelalterliches Kriminalmuseum), which is a bit gruesome but still fascinating.