The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas market has fast become one of the unique go-to destinations in the world for Christmas market travelers. This German fairy tale town located in Bavaria on Germany’s “Romantic Road” will captivate your heart.
If you want to visit a German Christmas market inside a fully-walled Medieval city, you have very few choices. And if you want to spend an enchanted time in such a city that has made Christmas its absolute mission, then there is only one – Rothenburg ob der Tauber!
Which Rothenburg?
When you’re looking at train schedules, booking accommodations, or punching the city into your Google Maps, make sure you’ve got the right Rothenburg! Rothenburg ob der Tauber means “red fortress over the Tauber River,” and that’s the one you want! Yes, there is more than one “Rothenburg,” so be sure you’ve got the right one!
Dates of the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
November 29 – December 23, 2024 – open daily from 10am – 6pm
The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market, also called the “Reiterlesmarkt,” traditionally opens on the market square the Friday before the 1st day of Advent, and ends on December 23rd.
What Does Reiterlesmarkt Mean?
Reiterlesmarkt means “the rider’s market” and is tied to the legend of the Rothenburger Reiterle, a mythical ghostly horseman who was believed to collect the souls of the dead during winter time.
You’re probably thinking that the image of a ghost rider hunting departed souls sounds more like Halloween than Christmas, it’s okay… because the once-frightening image of the phantom horseman has evolved over time. Now the rider has become a friendly messenger and a harbinger of good tidings and holiday cheer! Whew!
As a matter of fact, traditionally as the market opens, the famous rider arrives on horseback in the market square to greet the revelers before the lighting of the large Christmas tree.
Look for images of the rider throughout town, on the town hall itself, and maybe on some of the Christmas market mugs!
History of the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
There has been a Christmas market in Rothenburg since the 15th century, but it was much smaller and less spectacular than it is today. It was located right in the market square, and many buildings that existed back then are still there today!
Stalls would have sold meat and cheese, bread and dried fruits, and items used for Advent celebrations like candles, garlands, and greenery. Hot mulled wine or spiced beer would have been sold as well. And even treats like gingerbread, and marzipan would have been available.
The market in its modern form, became popular in the 20th century when the town capitalized on its well-preserved medieval setting to attract tourists from across the world. Today you can stand within the same walls, in the same market square, looking at the same buildings that stood there more than 500 years ago! Goosebumps!
Location of the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas market traditionally takes place inside the walls of the old city, between the market square, green market, and church square, as well as in the atrium at the town hall. The entire Old Town puts on its Christmas finery and is decked out in white lights and evergreens, with garlands and elegant decorations everywhere you look. It’s absolutely spectacular with its half-timbered houses, tall pointed rooftops and cobblestone lanes!
The Town Hall and Market Square
The market square in front of the Town Hall is the beating heart of Rothenburg, and where you’ll get the best photo ops. The town hall is absolutely spectacular, and so are the many Medieval buildings surrounding it.
Don’t forget to look carefully at the windows! Each day of Advent, a new display on a window on the town hall is revealed, turning the town hall into a giant Advent calendar! The decorations are made by local school classes and youth groups.
The Market Stalls
Gifts and Crafts
The Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas market is actually fairly small compared to other markets, with about 60 market stalls in all. The vendors sell Christmas decor, wooden carvings and toys, ornaments, hand-knit woolen products, twirling Christmas pyramids, nativity scenes, Medieval style horn cups and other gifts, leather goods, felted products, and bottles of honey mead, in addition to food, glühwein, and other treats you can eat on the spot.
Food and Drink
The food in the market stalls is classic Bavarian, featuring some fantastic wurst including traditional, chicken, and even wild boar bratwurst on fresh-made rolls, roasted candied nuts (my favorite!), popcorn, lebkuchen (like gingerbread), and a local treat you won’t want to miss – schneeballen!
Schneeballen (snowballs) are everywhere, and they are absolutely delicious. Picture a long strip of fried shortbread dough all balled up and covered with chocolate, or hazelnut glaze, or filled with marzipan or chocolate cream. I ate more of these than I care to admit, and they’re particularly good with coffee or hot chocolate!
The Stores
Even though the Christmas market itself isn’t huge, the whole of Rothenburg feels like one giant Christmas market! Rothenburg is the home to the head office of the world-famous Käthe Wohlfahrt store, Christmas village, and German Christmas Museum! It is open and celebrating Christmas year-round, but of course it’s especially vibrant and festive during the Christmas season.
But wait, there’s more! Rothenburg is absolutely covered with other Christmas stores selling beautiful nutcrackers, ornaments, smokers (wooden carvings that double as incense burners), knitwear, and Christmas decorations made in Germany. The window displays are next level, and to say that the whole thing is a dazzling Christmas wonderland is an understatement.
Entertainment at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
There is lots of live music including carolers, brass bands, and other festive performances throughout the season. We caught a fantastic brass band on opening night in front of the town hall!
There’s also a really cute vintage carousel for some great snaps of the kiddos over by St. Jacob’s church.
And if you are staying overnight (which you definitely should!) the famous Rothenburg Night Watchman tour continues throughout the Christmas season. Meet up at 8:00pm at the town hall steps for the English tour, or 9:30pm for the German tour. It lasts for an hour and is well worth the €9,50 for adults (kids are free). You’ll get an entertaining tour of Medieval Rothenburg and its fascinating history from the cloaked, lantern-carrying night watchman whose name is Hans Georg Baumgartner. He’s been doing this for decades, and is a beloved Rothenburg institution! Check out the Night Watchman’s official website for more details.
Hidden Gem at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
You won’t want to miss the Christmas Garden (Weihnachtsgarten) right next to St. Michael’s chapel with a beautiful view of St. Jacob’s church. The glühwein is extra spicy here, and there are several really cute tables and romantic spots to sip your drink and soak in the magic.
It’s also got a teeny little carousel for kids!
The Christmas Garden also stays open after the Christmas market has closed, so if you’re not ready to see it all end, this is a great place to finish off the night.
What if I Don’t Speak German?
Absolutely no worries if you don’t speak German. Rothenburg is a multi-lingual town and we heard German, English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, and a few I couldn’t identify. In tourist areas English is definitely the “bridge language” and most people in service industries are very conversant in English.
The Google Translate app is also your friend! Get comfortable with it and learn how to use the audible functions so it will “speak” your sentence out loud, and also translate directly from your voice.
🇩🇪 Everyone is quite friendly, and nobody expects you to speak German, but it’s still nice to know a few key phrases like:
- Hello: Hallo
- Thank you: Danke
- Bye: Tschuss! (Choos)
- Please: Bitte
- Excuse me: Entschuldigung (ent-SHOOL-di-gung)
Tips for the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
💶 Bring Cash
Definitely bring cash. Almost all the market stalls, and most stores are cash only, so bring more cash than you think you’ll need.
If you do run out of cash, check your Google Maps for “Sparkasse” or banks which will all have ATMs.
When you do use a credit card, always select to pay in Euros rather than dollars or your home country’s currency to avoid local conversion fees which can add up.
👟Wear Comfortable Shoes
While Rothenburg isn’t as bad as some cities in Europe, you will definitely be contending with cobblestones and uneven surfaces. And you’ll be on your feet all day, so thick-soled warm supportive shoes or walking boots are a must.
You can check out our post on What to Wear to Christmas Markets and Best Packing Tips for a complete list of must-haves and tips to make your visit comfortable.
🌞🌛Catch the Market Day and Night
Get to the market during the daytime (when you’ll be snapping photos like crazy of the amazing Medieval city), and stay as night falls, and the twinkling lights and cozy glow envelop the city. It’s like two different worlds and each has its own magic.
Christmas Market Mugs
When you buy a mug of glühwein or other hot drink, it will come in a cute Christmas-themed mug with the name of the market on it. Don’t be surprised when the cost of your beverages is a few euros higher than the sign says. The extra money is a deposit for the mug, which is called a “Pfand” (fahnd) in German.
You can either return the mug to where you purchased it, or at a special booth designed for pfand return and you’ll get your euros back, or you can just keep the mug as a souvenir!
🍽 Eat at One of These Local Restaurants
You’ll notice right away that there are a ton of guest houses, hotels, B&Bs, inns, taverns, and restaurants lining the streets. And as much as we love Christmas market food, we really really enjoyed stopping in these old places and enjoying a warm sit-down meal.
We particularly recommend:
The Alter Keller where we dined on local specialties. My husband had the schauefele (SHOY-fuh-luh) which is braised pork shoulder with crispy skin and spaetzle, and I had chestnut soup (I’m going out on a limb and saying best soup of my life!) goose breast with potato dumplings, red cabbage, and a baked apple stuffed with red currant chutney. It was the absolute epitome of cozy German comfort food, and the atmosphere can’t be beat.
We called and made a reservation ahead of time here, and are glad we did!
Zur Höll, which means “to Hell” and felt like anything but! This time I had the schaufele, and he had mushroom soup (also incredible) and a venison plate with local hirsh deer served three ways.
This restaurant is in the oldest building in Rothenburg ob der Tauber and we definitely should have made reservations, but we lucked out because we showed up early and got the first seating from 5:00pm – 6:30pm. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and you’ll feel all the history while you enjoy a hearty meal.
And I can’t make this post without giving a gigantic shout out to the Bräustüble at Alterstadtgraben 2. We stopped for “Kaffee und Kuchen,” the German tradition of afternoon coffee and cake, for the best apple streudel I’ve ever had in my life. It was as light as a cloud and covered with some kind of sticky vanilla sauce and whipped cream and …omg.
When is the Best Time to Go to the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market?
Like almost all Christmas markets in Europe, the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas market is the most crowded on Saturdays, and on weekend evenings. It’s at these times when locals and tourists are all hitting the market.
Also keep in mind that there are lots of day-trippers coming from surrounding cities to catch the market, so the late afternoons and evenings will be more crowded than earlier in the day. If you are one of these people, you’re kind of at the mercy of your tour regarding days and times, and I’m definitely not saying to skip the market! Even when it’s crowded, there’s nothing like this market, but just take a breath, put on your jolly hat, and be prepared for hustle and bustle!
But if you’re really trying to avoid the crowds, and if you have the luxury of choosing when to go, aim for a weekday, or during the daytime.
Crowds at the markets also tend to diminish the closer you get to Christmas. A lot of travelers from overseas hit the markets early so they have time to get back home, acclimate to the time change, and prepare for Christmas with their families.
How Long Should You Stay in Rothenburg?
If all that fits in your plans is a day trip, definitely do it.
If you do decide to make a longer stay, I’d recommend staying at least one night. We actually stayed for three nights and I thought it was perfect. The first night was getting settled, having a fabulous dinner, and exploring. Then we had two full days of market magic, shopping, museums, walking the city walls, amazing meals, and just having a blast.
🐾 Is the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market Dog Friendly?
Yes! Like all cities in Germany, people there love dogs. So the question of whether you should bring your dog or not is really up to you. Our girl is a bit reactive so we opted to let her have some nap time while we went to the market.
But we did see lots of more chill doggos on leashes, and in shoulder bags and backpacks living their best lives.
Some restaurants and cafés will allow dogs, and you can assume your dog is probably allowed unless there is a sign saying no dogs allowed. But it’s always a good idea to ask before bringing your dog into a store or restaurant just to be sure.
How to Get to the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market
*All times are approximate
🚗 By Car
From Munich: 2 hours 11 minutes
From Nuremberg (Nürnberg): 1 hour 4 minutes
From Frankfurt: 1 hour 38 minutes
From Stuttgart: 1 hour 27 minutes
🚉 By Train
The train station is about a 15 minute walk from the town hall.
From Munich: 2 hours 37 minutes
From Nuremberg (Nürnberg): 1 hour 27 minutes
From Frankfurt: 2 hours 37 minutes
From Stuttgart: 2 hours 43 minutes
✈️ Closest Airports
The closest major airports to Rothenburg ob der Tauber are: Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC), Stuttgart (STR), and Nuremberg (NUE).
Check the weather conditions in Rothenburg ob der Tauber before you travel!
Have a Great Time at the Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Market!
Living in Germany, I’ve spend years now hitting the Christmas markets hard – and I have to say, there’s nothing like this one. Almost every German city that has a Christmas market is postcard charming in its Old Town center, but the whole city of Rothenburg is like a time capsule and a Christmas market all in one.
If you are a fan of the Middle Ages, a history buff, or someone who just wants Christmas to the Nth degree, Rothenburg is for you, and you will never forget it!
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