I love to travel, especially in Europe, and several years ago I discovered the world of river cruising. It’s a fun and easy way to see some of Europe’s most beautiful cities. The Rhine and Danube rivers formed most of the northern frontier of the Roman Empire and in early centuries towns were built along these rivers that were a crucial part of carrying trade and goods throughout Europe. I took a two-week cruise in October that began in Amsterdam and ended in Budapest, the capital and largest city in Hungary. There were so many cities that I couldn’t wait to visit, and at the top of my list was Rothenburg. The city was founded in 1274 and is one of the oldest and best preserved Medieval walled cities in Europe. It was like being in a fairy tale: cobbled streets, half timbered buildings, ancient walls that surrounded the heart of the towns, awe inspiring churches (how was it possible to build those towering spires with no modern equipment?). Rothenburg is a magical place that I hope to visit again someday. I loved it.
The name “Rothenburg ob der Tauber” means, in German, “Red fortress above the Tauber”. This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River. There are several Rothenburgs in Germany so if you plan a trip make sure you travel to the right one. If you love to shop, especially for Christmas related items, you will be in heaven in the many small shops in the city center. Our favorite, and the most well- known, is Kathe Wohlfahrt . It’s a Christmas fantasy land and the place to buy anything related to the holiday. I’ve never seen so many exquisite ornaments. An eight foot wooden Nutcracker will greet you at the door.
We stopped in so many beautiful little towns as we cruised from Amsterdam to Budapest. Each place was unique in its own way and every day we had a new port to discover. I hope you enjoyed this little tour through Rothenburg. I have so many pictures I want to share in the upcoming months. If you have any questions about river cruising or the fascinating town along the route, please drop me a line and I’ll try to answer your questions. I’ve never taken an ocean cruise and really don’t have a burning desire to do so. Part of the allure of a river cruise is passing through so many beautiful little towns . Rivers are very narrow in places and we had the fun of going through almost 70 locks along the way. (But that’s a subject for another post) There are so many reasons to take a river cruise and here are a few good ones. I’m already planning the next one and can spend hours reading catalogs and day dreaming. Next post: Nuremberg.
Beautiful Cathy. I’ve been wondering where you have been.
Hi Ramona – It’s so nice to hear from you. I haven’t been blogging too much, too many other things to do. Thanks for your comment. I’ll come visit you soon. Happy holidays!
Thanks for taking us along. Love the quaint old villages in German.
Me too, Susan. I’ve been home a short time and I’m ready to go back’
Cathy Farley recently posted..Cruising Through Europe – Rothenberg ob der Tauber
As you know I have friends ..well neighbors..that go every year and they just LOVE it..we have aquaintances that live in Bamberg;)
Great photos Cathy..looks absolutely wonderful.
What a lovely post! We have considered a river cruise, but aren’t quite there yet. But we have talked of one like this so we could see just what you’ve described. Although we haven’t been to Rothenburg, we loved the villages we visited in Bavaria. This brought back those memories!
You would love a river cruise, Kelly. I just know it. The pace and ease of seeing so many different places is the best. You can pick your own pace. Keep thinking about it. Happy holidays!
This brought back so many memories. I loved Rothenberg…sometimes I think I would like to do a little time travel..just as an observer mind you! Kathie’s shop is absolutely amazing….so many choices….
I love Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It’s Rothenburg, not berg which would mean Red Mountain. I first visited there in ’73 and was there last in ’98 and it became more touristy, but always magic…And I will probably never be there again, so it’s wonderful seeing it in your blog.
Thanks, Kristi – correction noted. It is a magical city. I hope to go back one day. I would like to spend a few days there. Happy Holidays! Thank you for your comment.
How wonderful. My husband and I talk of taking a river cruise, but then another idea takes over.
Lovely, lovely post Cathy. Thank you so much for posting these beautiful pictures. My great-grandparents were German and grew up not too far from here before they immigrated to the US.
Sam
Sam@MyCarolinaKItchen recently posted..Remodeled Kitchen and Butler’s Pantry Reveal
This post was SO enjoyable to read! LOVED it-especially the nutcracker and cobblestones! Thank you for sharing your wonderful trip with us 😊
Blessings. Aimee
It was fun to share Aimee. It’s so nice to hear from you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Cathy,
I sent this post and pretty photos to my sister and my sister-in-law, both of whom have been on this cruise this month (just not together). They both made the same comment about how beautiful your pictures were and how well you captured this lovely Medieval city. One said, “this is exactly how this city looked.”
Hope you’re having a nice weekend.
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..After 8 Rewarding Years, My Carolina Kitchen Says Good-bye
It looks like a magical place, Cathy! I love traveling with you 🙂
Oh.lovely Europe is really beautiful,I want to have a tour there all alone.
Oh what a beautiful place to visit. I love all the photos.
My husband and I have been there and you’ve captured it very well. It seems we both have a love affair with Germany, we were there for the month of October.