Rothenburg ob der Tauber Nightlife

A great old spot in a cellar to kick back with a schnaaps, delicious Franken-wine or german beer and chat up the proprietor.
(I was told it closed temporarily in 2005 and the name was changed. Look for a late-open "cellar" by Marktplatz)

He had some great stories, the place had truly historic vibes (a lot of things happened here, and as "Scatman" Crothers said, 'not all of 'em were good').
Close the place, then walk the city alone at midnight.

Dress Code: warm for your late-evening walk.

Daily except on sundays you may attend a performance by Marionettes, playing "Zauberfloete" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. That small theatre inside of a small halftimbered house is next to Burg-Tor, and opposite of the Pulverer-Weinstube.

On my picture : The entrance of Burg-Tor. The small face in the middle was the spot, where hot pitch was spilled upon enemies.

Dress Code: No spedcial dress-code is required for such a performance, that is likewise nice for children and grown-ups.

The gothic church of St.Jakob makes certainly a great scerery to listen to an organ-concert. You may check for the dates and times on my link below, these concerts are held all over the year, at special dates, mostly around 08.00p.m.

On my picture : The Marienaltar of St.Jakob, made by an unknown artists of the Riemenschneider-school in 1520.

Dress Code: Come as you are, there is normally no special dress-code for such a concert.

The so-called Rothenburger Nachtwaechter-tour is a great event and your guide will be dressed like the watchman in medieval times, walking through town with his helebarde and lantern.

These tours will be held between march 11th and janurary 7th
(except december 24th+25th+31st)
daily at 09.30 - meet at the Marktplatz / Market-square
The tour takes 60 minutes and costs 3 Euros in German 4 Euros in English.
English tours are daily at 08.00p.m. !!
For more details - check the webpage below !!

Dress Code: Come as you are, nobody cares !

The main square and all major tourist-attractions of Rothenburg are beautifully lighted at night, untill late after midnight. All of the thousands of daytourists will be gone then and only a few people will be in the streets.
That way it might even make sense to get out of the train for a short stop-over of 1 or 2 hours, in case that you pass by Rothenburg in the evening or night.

On my picture :The townsquare with the townhall on the left and the Ratstrinkstube on the right

Dress Code: No special dress-code.

Yuki and I were walking around Rothenburg o.b.t. at night looking for a venue for nightime antics. We discover a little door with a sign that said if you want to see the show just leave a reservation. We come back at 8pm and this man lets us into the building and there is about 40 seats huddling around little round tables. There's a set of a little German village set up on the side sliced with half timber and limp puppets, I guess stars of the show, dangling from the ceiling. The tables had pretzels atop and a little shot of a liquor I think called Underburg. You can order beer and watch an extremely psychotic puppet show. I couldn't understand a word but I was busting a gut anyway. They will make you laugh uncontrollably with their violent flailing and yelling like a swanson with no legs.

Dress Code: Wear what you will.

The Watchman offerd a special tour every evening. Walk with the Watchman.
Meeting point is in front of the town hall, and he offered a tour in English and German.
It cost around 3 Euro per person but it was great.
He makes 3 or 4 Tours and it starts in the afternoon.
MY TIP: CATCH THE TOUR IN THE DARK...
You walked around town and the watchman told you some of the old storys...
Its a must, I think. kids also loved it.

Dress Code: No dress code. Wear what you want!

German white wines are delicious.
I had heard that, but was amazed when I tried them.
Always try to get a local "tasting" set up for you some evening either in Rothenburg or in nearby Wurzburg (your hotel can do it for you). Wurzburg is the capitol of Franconia and a big wine-growing area.

It is good fun to sit around a table in a cellar with others tasting the great wines of Deutschland with locals who can answer your questions and tell you all about their great local product.

Wurzburg's Muller-Thurgaus, Silvaners and other wines, considered by many Germans to be their country's best, are a local "secret." The secret rarely gets out because almost all good Franken wine is consumed in Germany, and very little makes its way to your local wine merchant.

I was looking forward to the great beer and schnaaps, but the wine of Germany was a wonderful surprise.