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I went to Rothenburg ob der Tauber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber Not exactly of

I went to Rothenburg ob der Tauber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber Not exactly off the beaten path today -- it's been Tourist Central since the 1880s -- but it was off the beaten path for hundreds of years before that, which is the important part. Stay overnight. Many tourists don't, which makes it a good way to avoid some of them. Wandering around the corners of medieval buildings near dusk makes the whole vibe even more fun. I also can't argue with Bruges, Belgium, which has the advantage of having actual non-tourist-industry inhabitants. Plus, Belgian beer! (Not that Bavaria is lacking in the beer department.)

alex_c 18y ago
Another vote here for Rothenburg. It is perhaps even more "medieval" than Siena (though to be fair, I spent two days in Rothenburg, and only an afternoon in Siena). The downside is that it is very tourist-y. It almost seemed like the only things there were hotels, museums, and gift shops. The upside is that it still feels authentic. I picked my hotel pretty much just based on price and availability, and it was charming - you can even see it in random pictures like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Street_in_Rothenburg.JPG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Street_in_Rothenburg.JPG (I forget the name, but it's the one with the bell sign). My friends stayed at a different hotel, and had the same experience. Walking along the walls at night can be an amazing experience - it had rained earlier, it was foggy, street lights reflected off the cobblestones, and no tourists in sight... it felt like we were transported to a different century. As for taverns, I would recommend Zur Höll (meaning "Hell"), it's supposed to be over 1000 years old - and if you manage to get the table in the basement (which is actually a giant bellows), that claim seems quite believable. http://www.romanticroad.com/hoell/english/dine.htm http://www.romanticroad.com/hoell/english/dine.htm
- omakase 18y ago
  Rothenburg, Siena, and San Gimignano are all worth visiting. There are many nice hotels outside the walls of Rothenburg. Make sure you visit the museums of criminology (aka torture museums) in these towns/

alex_c 18y ago

Another vote here for Rothenburg. It is perhaps even more "medieval" than Siena (though to be fair, I spent two days in Rothenburg, and only an afternoon in Siena). The downside is that it is very tourist-y. It almost seemed like the only things there were hotels, museums, and gift shops. The upside is that it still feels authentic. I picked my hotel pretty much just based on price and availability, and it was charming - you can even see it in random pictures like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Street_in_Rothenburg.JPG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Street_in_Rothenburg.JPG (I forget the name, but it's the one with the bell sign). My friends stayed at a different hotel, and had the same experience. Walking along the walls at night can be an amazing experience - it had rained earlier, it was foggy, street lights reflected off the cobblestones, and no tourists in sight... it felt like we were transported to a different century. As for taverns, I would recommend Zur Höll (meaning "Hell"), it's supposed to be over 1000 years old - and if you manage to get the table in the basement (which is actually a giant bellows), that claim seems quite believable. http://www.romanticroad.com/hoell/english/dine.htm http://www.romanticroad.com/hoell/english/dine.htm

omakase 18y ago
Rothenburg, Siena, and San Gimignano are all worth visiting. There are many nice hotels outside the walls of Rothenburg. Make sure you visit the museums of criminology (aka torture museums) in these towns/