3 Best Day Trips to Rothenburg from Munich

Located just three hours from Munich, Rothenburg offers a unique beauty in the state of Swabia. This walled town will amaze you with its perfectly preserved medieval centre and open landscapes, and makes for an ideal visit from the Bavarian capital through Germany's romantic route of mountains, villages and castles.

There are many ways to get to Rothenburg, but whether you do it on an organised tour, by train, bus or car, you'll find it's a visit that should be on your list of things to see and do in Munich.

Here are the best excursions you can choose from to explore this medieval paradise and the wonders along the way, because Rothenburg is just the last regular destination on a route that includes magical stops.

This is the most common tour to visit Rothenburg because on the way it includes an intermediate stop at the Fortress and Harburg Castle, one of the largest castles in Germany.

This organised tour usually includes transfers to and from Munich, all on a bus tour with the assistance of an expert guide.

This tour usually starts at a certain point in the historic city centre and takes you along the romantic route through Bavarian villages, mountains and forests to the first stop in Harburg.

The castle is accessible without queuing, but be aware that it is a steep walk from the bus to the entrance of the building. After the visit to Harburg the tour continues along the same route to the next destination.

In Rothenburg, these tours include a complete tour of the town, including the city walls, the old town and the lookout point. The tour lasts approximately three hours and then the bus returns to Munich. This type of organised tour usually takes about eleven hours.

This is an interesting option because, in addition to the tour of Rothenburg and Harburg, it includes stops for lunch and shopping along the way.

Also, despite being a full day tour, it allows you to do it in an orderly and leisurely fashion, with several hours at each destination.

Details of interest

• Price... These tours with return transfers from Munich usually start at approximately 56 euros.
• Duration of the tour... Approximately eleven hours in total.
• Starting point... These tours start at a certain point in the Old Town and some include hotel pick-up.

This tour is one of the most popular in winter, especially on Christmas Eve, because in addition to a visit to Rothenburg, it offers a tour of Heidelberg, the city with one of the largest Christmas markets in the country.

These tours take place in private vans and are very popular with groups, as it is very common for visitors to want to travel the romantic route through Germany.

In Heidelberg you will feel like you are in a fairy tale, especially if you take a tour of this kind at Christmas, because the city has a Christmas market with over a hundred stalls and an Advent festival.

Then the tour continues to Rothenburg and all its attractions, including the city walls, the old town and the lookout point.

In order to enjoy both destinations, this type of tour lasts two days, although the tour price does not usually include hotel accommodation and meals.

If you are planning to visit Munich in winter and are looking at what the city has to offer at Christmas, a tour like this could be perfect for you and your group.

Interesting details

• Price... This type of two-day private tour with transfers and expert local guide starts at 650 euros for the whole group. Meals and hotel accommodation are not included.
• Duration of tour... Approximately ten hours of sightseeing each day.
• Departure point... Generally these tours include hotel pick-up.

If you are travelling in a group, you can opt for a private van tour with an expert guide to visit Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl, Harburg and the Bavarian Mountains along Germany's Romantic Road.

These tours, which usually include hotel pick-up, are a private alternative that allows you to make the most of the destinations with the convenience of tailoring the tour to your own pace.

On these tours you can opt for a total tour of ten or twelve hours, timing the stops in between as you wish. It is an expensive but relaxing alternative for those who travel in a group and may find it difficult to find room for everyone on an organised bus tour.

These private tours also include a stop in Dinkelsbühl, one of Germany' s ancient knights' towns. There you can visit St. George's Cathedral, the city gates and the wine market.

Private tours of the Romantic Road in Germany are very popular, as many visitors come in groups to explore it. Rothenburg is the destination of choice for all tourists, but there are many magical stops along the way.

Interesting details

• Price... This type of private tour with transfers and expert local guide starts at 470 euros for the whole group.
• Duration of tour... Ten to twelve hours in total.
• Departure point... Generally with hotel pick-up and drop-off.

While organised excursions or private tours are the best options because they include the time-saving assistance of an expert local guide and visits to other towns along the way, there are also options to get there by train, public transport bus or rented car, although these can be inconvenient or somewhat expensive alternatives.

Travelling by train from Munich to Rothenburg with a transfer in Nuremberg

If you're on a tight budget or prefer to visit Rothenburg on your own, you can travel by train from Munich Central Station to Nuremberg on service 41 to Essen Hbf. From Nuremberg take service 61 to Ansbach and from there take train RB80 to Steinach. The last part of the journey is on the RB82 to Rothenburg.

As you can see, with tickets starting at 39 euros, it is an economical option although it will take you more than five hours and you will have to make several transfers, which makes it a somewhat uncomfortable alternative.

It's also worth bearing in mind that you'll miss out on much of Germany's romantic route and you'll miss out on must-see destinations such as Harburg, Dinkelsbühl and Heidelberg.

Once in Rothenburg, you can either explore the town on your own or book a guided tour of the old town. Train services can be purchased from the official Deutsche Bahn website or directly from Munich Central Station.

Interesting details

• Price... The train journey from Munich Central Station to Rothenburg with transfers starts at 39 euros.
• Duration of the trip... It can take up to five hours.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

Travel by bus and train from Munich to Rothenburg

Travelling from Munich to Rothenburg by bus and train is not a recommended option because it requires a lot of stops and transfers which will not only leave you very tired, but will also not save you any money.

If, despite this, you want to opt for this alternative, you should take the FlixBus bus from Munich Central Station to Nuremberg and then take the train to Ansbach, where you will take the 732 bus to Rothenburg.

The price for the whole journey is around 47 euros and tickets can be purchased on the official website of the train service and the bus company. Once at your destination, you can either walk around the city unassisted or take a guided tour.

This option is rare because those who opt for an organised tour use the tour provider's bus service and those who travel on their own tend to prefer the train tour, unless they want to avoid the transfer in Nuremberg.

Interesting details

• Price... The total cost of the train and bus tour is approximately 47 Euros.
• Duration of the tour... It can take up to five hours.
• Departure point... Munich Central Station.

If you have rented a car in Munich or are planning to rent a car to travel the romantic route through the Bavarian Mountains, you can travel by this direct option, although it is a bit expensive compared to those offered by tourist services.

In this case the best option is to take the A9. Alternatively, you can take the A8 combined with the A7 or A9 and then the A6.

The drive at normal road speed should take you no more than three hours and once in Rothenburg you can either explore the town on your own or book a guided tour to take in the main sights of the old town and city walls.

If you have time, you can also make the most of your tour and visit the Dachau Concentration Camp, which is just a short drive away, as well as the towns of Aalen and Dinkelsbühl.

Interesting details

• Price... Renting a medium-sized car starts at 75 euros per day.
• Duration of the trip... Depends on the stops in between, but if you're travelling direct from Munich you can reach Rothenburg in less than three hours.

You can either book directly online or once you arrive in Munich. I recommend that you book your tour in advance, as the Rothenburg tour is very popular with visitors, especially during the high season months in Munich.

If you are travelling on your own once you arrive in Rothenburg you can choose to tour the town on your own or book a city tour with an expert local guide to see the old town, the city walls and the lookout point.

The length of the tour will depend on the means of transport you choose, the stops you make in between and also how long you decide to stay in Rothenburg if you are travelling without an organised tour.

On average, tours last between ten and twelve hours, including three hours outbound and three hours return from Munich. The average stay in Rothenburg on an organised tour is three hours to cover the whole town. When the tour includes intermediate villages such as Harburg or Dinkelsbühl, these stops last between one and two hours.

If you are travelling by car, the trip can be made quicker, especially if you are planning a short stay in the city. Here is a list of what you can see and do in Munich in two days.

On your tour you will travel back in time on the Romantic Road through the mountains and villages of the Bavarian hills. You will get to know the Swabian Region, Harburg Castle and the medieval town of Rothenburg with its old town centre, city walls and lookout point.

Whichever way you choose to go to Rothenburg, you will find a town that has been preserved in time , was not hit by the damage of the Second World War and has one of the most beautiful medieval centres in Europe.

I recommend that you book your tours in advance, as it tends to be a very popular tour with tourists, especially in the high season months.

Also, if you decide to travel to Munich with children, don't forget to opt for this tour. Rothenburg may sound boring for children, but it has landscapes and colours that will amaze the little ones, and the Harburg Castle will also delight them!

I also advise you to have cash, as some shops and cafes in Rothenburg and Harburg do not accept credit cards or electronic payments and you may have to pay an extra fee at the ATMs.

Excursions are mainly focused on the towns of Rothenburg and Harburg, but there are several others you should consider if you have time and can visit them.

Aalen is a very picturesque Bavarian village and Dinkelsbühl is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Germany, so private tours often include it in their itineraries.

If you're travelling by car, you can also visit the Dachau Concentration Camp, the first of the later concentration camps. Even if you travel by train or bus, you can make the most of your trip by visiting Nuremberg and Ansbach.

Rothenburg is an unspoilt medieval village nestled in the Bavarian mountains, nestled along a roadside that is remarkable for its beauty. The journey from Munich to Rothenburg is an experience every step of the way, with attractions in every town along the way.

If you visit Munich and have time to take a trip to the surrounding area, you can't miss out on a different side of Germany, with its medieval houses and villages lost in the mountains.

Rothenburg is not a very big town and has tours that you can cover without the assistance of a local guide, but you will miss out on many of the secrets that these medieval streets hold. Whether you are travelling with an organised tour or a self-guided tour, I recommend that you opt for a guided tour to get the most out of your trip.

The assistance of a guide will also help you not to over look the villages hidden in the mountains and their stories.