It is hot. And I have nothing to wear. Not that I am really complaining about the amazing Indian summer weather we are having but the top temperature during our trip was supposed to be 20-21°… and it is 29°! And I have nothing to wear. And yes, it could be a good excuse for shopping, but I have no room in my bag… and everything in the shops here is for the coming winter or traditional Bavarian costumes. Not really my thing!

Anyway… we headed from Füssen to our new destination- Rothenburg ob der Tauber. I was pretty excited about this town as it is probably one of the most famous small towns in Germany, particularly known for the wall that surrounds it and is considered to be Germany’s best-preserved walled town. And I love walled towns! Possibly Europe’s best example of medieval glory, with charming fairy-tale spires, ingenious fountains, and neo-Gothic churches… it sounded like my perfect place. And it was!

Oh my gosh you guys… This place was lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. So colourful! So charming! So picturesque!

Whimsy and splendour! Frozen-in-time, pretty cobblestone lanes, intact ramparts, turrets, stone archways, clock towers, taverns and medieval architecture- including beautiful half-timbered houses as well as leafy views from all sides. It was the inspiration for the village in “Pinocchio” and a filming location for Harry Potter. Lots of tourists come with the enchanting territory, but even crowds don’t dim the shine. It is literally ‘picture-perfect’.

With some train delays, it was quite late in the day when we arrived at our sublimely cute little hotel after dragging our bags over the cobblestones for quite a way from the railway station.

So we had a quick general wander and I was constantly oohing and aahing at this seriously magical place- in fact I was feeling some anxiety due to my excitement and I know Thats probably a bit weird. But anyway? Decided it was wine o’clock and found a gorgeous little bar/restaurant with overflowing flower boxes…

… right at The Plönlein which is supposedly the most charming spot in town. This is one of Rothenberg’s most iconic streets and it’s most famous photo opportunity.

We then made our way to the old but beautifully preserved 14th century stone fortification walls that surround the town… (with no less than 40 towers and six gates)… much of which you can walk on… for fantastic views of the old town centre…

… and ambled the 2.5 kilometres as the sun went down… bathing the surrounding lanes and alleyways with their half timbered houses and gardens in a rich, warm light. So cool!

By this time we were definitely ready for dinner, so wandered around looking for somewhere to eat until we arrived at the centre of the town- the Marktplatz or town-square with its giant Town Hall, grand staircase, Renaissance facade and surrounding romantic timber-frame buildings. It is absolutely stunning.

On top of that, we have two young, incredibly talented musicians were playing their violin and accordion for quite a large gathered crowd who were chilling, drinking and soaking up the atmosphere. We joined them and luckily nabbed a rare seat in a restaurant. Felt so incredibly blessed by this amazing evening.

I rose for sunrise as usual and wandered around enjoying time without the tourist hordes…

… and eventually made my way to the town square… then climbed the tower to get the best view of the town. It’s a long way up… 220 steep and narrow steps and 52 meters to be exact, but I always want to climb to the highest point everywhere I go, despite the fact that I am scared of heights. It’s always worth it- and I found myself at quite an impressive height with an even more impressive 360-degree panoramic view over the old town.

We spent the rest of the day strolling around the town and visited the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village where Christmas, or at least Christmas shopping is a year- round season. It’s pretty hard to put into words but with apparently over 1000m2 of Christmas baubles, nutcrackers and Christmas trees, it sparkles at every corner and as a big Christmas lover, I was totally into it.

We then picnicking in the peaceful Burggarten, which literally translates to “Castle Garden”… which is a bit of a hoax as you won’t actually find any castles here in Burggarten. A few centuries ago, maybe, but not today. Nevertheless, this garden is one of the most romantic places in the entire town and has a stunning view of Rothenburg and the surrounding countryside.

Later… we sat in the lively Town Square once again for dinner and a lovely sunset…

… before a final evening walk through the now quiet town. There is no apparent night life here as it is not overly well lit so after dinner most head home.

We are moving on tomorrow and will be sad to leave this gorgeous little town but so glad I had the opportunity to visit.