Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Plönlein before 8am, the town wall and the night watchman

One full day covers Rothenburg ob der Tauber if you start early. Reach the Plönlein before 8am, walk the town wall, climb the 241 steps of the Rathaus tower, see Riemenschneider's Holy Blood Altar in St. Jakob and the Meistertrunk clock, visit the Kriminalmuseum and end with the night watchman.

Early morning. Walk to the Plönlein before 8am, when the little triangle of houses between the Siebersturm and the Kobolzeller Tor belongs to you. Continue through the Siebersturm to the Spitaltor and climb onto the wall walk. Follow the parapet north to the Rödertor, where you can climb the Röderturm for a view over the eastern roofs.

Late morning. Back on the Marktplatz, climb the 241 steps of the Rathaus tower, then step into St. Jakob to see Riemenschneider's Holy Blood Altar. Watch the Meistertrunk figures appear in the clock windows of the Ratstrinkstube on the hour. Have lunch in an inn on Obere Schmiedgasse.

Afternoon. Leave the coach groups behind with a visit to the Kriminalmuseum, the medieval crime and punishment museum, which is grimmer and better than its reputation suggests. Then walk out to the Burggarten and down the path into the Tauber valley, past the Doppelbrücke to the Topplerschlösschen, a tiny tower house built for a 14th-century mayor. If you have time, continue on to Detwang, whose village church holds another Riemenschneider altar.

Evening. Eat early, then meet the Night Watchman on the Marktplatz at 8pm for his hour-long English tour. Afterwards, wander the empty lanes to the Klingentor.

The Medieval Crime Museum, open since 1920, has been housed since 1977 in the former commandery of the Knights of St John on Burggasse, built between 1393 and 1410. Its more than 2,000 exhibits trace around 1,000 years of European justice, following a case from the first investigation to the sentence.

Schäufele, Blaue Zipfel and the Schneeball pastry

Rothenburg's food is Franconian. Order Schäufele, roast pork shoulder with crackling and potato dumplings, or coarse Franconian Bratwurst, and in some inns Blaue Zipfel poached in vinegar broth. The local sweet is the Schneeball, a ball of fried pastry strips, and the wine is Tauber valley Silvaner in the flat Bocksbeutel bottle.

Rothenburg's food is Franconian, which means pork, dumplings and serious wine. The dish to try is Schäufele, a roasted pork shoulder with crackling, served with potato dumplings and dark gravy. Franconian Bratwurst, coarse and seasoned with marjoram, comes grilled with sauerkraut or in a roll. In some inns you will find Blaue Zipfel, sausages poached in a vinegar and onion broth.

The local sweet is the Schneeball, a ball of fried pastry strips dusted with sugar or coated in chocolate. Bakeries along Herrngasse and Schmiedgasse pile them in their windows. They are dry and crumbly, so buy one small one to try before committing to the big version.

Wine is Franconian too, sold in the flat, round bottle called the Bocksbeutel. Silvaner is the classic grape, dry and mineral; the Tauber valley also grows its own wines. Try them in a Weinstube like the Altfränkische Weinstube in the Klosterhof, where an English-speakers' club meets on Wednesday evenings.

Restaurants cater to day groups, so lunch is easy and dinner ends early. For history with your meal, the Baumeisterhaus near the Marktplatz occupies a Renaissance house of 1596, and Zur Höll on Burggasse is a small wine tavern in one of the oldest houses in town. In summer, Unter den Linden by the river makes a good reward after the climb down.

Meistertrunk at Whitsun, the Reiterlesmarkt and Dinkelsbühl trips

Rothenburg has three busy periods: the Meistertrunk play at Whitsun, the Reichsstadt-Festtage weekend in early September and the Reiterlesmarkt Christmas market from late November. Outside those dates, day trips run to Dinkelsbühl and along the Tauber valley to villages such as Detwang, whose church holds another Riemenschneider altar.

Rothenburg's year has three peaks. At Whitsun, the citizens perform Der Meistertrunk, the play about the 1631 drinking feat, in the Kaisersaal of the town hall, with costumed camps and parades through the lanes. In early September the Reichsstadt-Festtage bring a weekend of historical groups, music and fireworks over the walls.

From late November to just before Christmas, the Reiterlesmarkt fills the Marktplatz and the streets around St. Jakob with stalls selling mulled wine, Schneeballen and carved ornaments. It is one of Germany's older Christmas markets and is named after a legendary rider said to bring the season's spirits. Expect frost and early darkness. The Käthe Wohlfahrt shop on Herrngasse also houses the German Christmas Museum, open year round.

Day trips work well by car or bike. Dinkelsbühl, about 45 minutes south on the Romantic Road, is another walled town, less crowded and quieter. Nördlingen beyond it sits inside a meteorite crater and lets you walk its complete wall. Northwest along the Tauber, Weikersheim has a Renaissance palace with formal gardens, and Bad Mergentheim was the seat of the Teutonic Order. Cyclists can ride there on the river path and return by train. Würzburg, with its Residenz palace and wine taverns, is the best rainy-day choice.