The famous "Night Watchman's Tour"

Despite the rocky start, I arrived in Rothenburg ob der Tauber unscathed.  I was lucky to find a room in town because there was a huge medieval festival taking place.  It’s an annual festival and draws tons of people, so finding a place wasn’t easy – but I was right near the train station and only about 300 meters from the entrance to the walled medieval city.  I got off the train at 6:48 and was checked into my room and on my way to the old city by 7:00.

Rothenburg has an interesting history since it has mostly survived as it was in the early 1300s.  The original settlement was there ein the 900’s, expanding to a whopping 6,000 inhabitants in the 1300s.  It was the largest city in the area and was well protected as a result of the wall that surrounds it and the bad ass Germans who inhabited it.  One other source of protection was the Night Watchmen who roamed the city during the night and warned the towns folk of any looming danger.  As per recommendation of my mother (I think she was sending me to do some scouting because she would like to travel here in the near future) I took the “Night Watchmen’s” tour.  It was lead by a British guy with quite a character that he has built for himself.  When people think of Rothenburg, they know the Night Watchman- he’s been on the History Channel and the Travel Channel.  He told interesting bits of information about the city, and I laughed out loud several times.  I’d tell you some of the things he said, but I’d rather have you travel there and experience him yourself.  The one thing I will tell you is that there was a restaurant in town named “hell” and he got quite a bit of mileage telling us about it and legitimately encouraging us to “go to hell.”