Rothenburg ob der Tauber looks like a Christmas card all year, and in Advent the Reiterlesmarkt fills its medieval centre with stalls and lights. The market is small, traditional and set inside intact town walls. It suits couples, photographers and families who want a fairy-tale backdrop more than a big-city party.
Why go
The town is the attraction. Rothenburg’s walls, towers and half-timbered houses survive almost complete, and during Advent the whole old town is lit. The Reiterlesmarkt adds 61 stalls between the Marktplatz, the Grüner Markt and the Kirchplatz, plus the Lichthof, the courtyard of the town hall.
The market has its own rituals. It opens with the Reiterle, a rider who comes into the Marktplatz on horseback to greet the crowd, before the Lord Mayor’s speech and the lighting of the big Christmas tree. Every evening during the market, an Advent window made by local school classes and youth groups is opened on the second floor of the town hall.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Marktplatz and the Town Hall
The market's heart, where the Reiterle rides in on horseback to open the season and the big Christmas tree is lit in front of the Renaissance town hall.
Each evening an Advent window opens on the town hall.
Tuxyso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 St James's Church
Stalls run up to this Gothic church, home to Tilman Riemenschneider's carved Holy Blood Altarpiece, one of the masterpieces of late medieval German sculpture.
Berthold Werner / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Plönlein
A crooked half-timbered house at a fork between two towered gates, the most photographed corner of Rothenburg and a postcard scene in winter light.
Go early in the morning for an empty street.
Town walls
The covered walkway along the medieval walls lets you circle much of the old town above the rooftops.
Johannes Robalotoff / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Burggarten
The castle garden on the spur above the Tauber valley gives the classic view back over the walls and towers of the old town.
© Pierre André / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 German Christmas Museum
Rothenburg's famous Christmas shop and its museum show how German Christmas decorations, from glass baubles to nutcrackers, came to be.
Holger Uwe Schmitt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Medieval Crime Museum
Germany's main museum of legal history displays shame masks, instruments of punishment and centuries of documents, a striking contrast to the tinsel outside.
Rothenburg Christmas market 2026 dates and hours
Rothenburg Tourismus lists the Reiterlesmarkt from Friday 20 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026.
- Sunday to Thursday: 11am to 7pm.
- Friday and Saturday: 11am to 8pm.
- Closed: Sunday 22 November 2026, Totensonntag.
- Opening: Traditionally on the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent, on the Marktplatz, with the Reiterle on horseback and the tree lighting.
- Where: Between the Marktplatz, the Grüner Markt and the Kirchplatz by St James’s Church, plus the Lichthof at the town hall.
- Stalls: 61.
The market closes early in the evening compared with city markets, so plan dinner around it.
Tip: Day-trip coaches leave by late afternoon. Stay overnight and the lit lanes are far quieter after dark.
The 48-hour route
Day 1: The market and the old town
Morning: Walk the town walls along the covered walkway, then head down to the Plönlein for the classic photograph before the streets fill.
Afternoon: Arrive on the Marktplatz when the stalls open. Browse your way up to the Kirchplatz and step into St James’s Church to see Riemenschneider’s carved altarpiece.
Evening: Wait for the Advent window to open on the town hall, then have dinner in a Franconian tavern.
Day 2: Views and museums
Morning: Walk out to the Burggarten for the view over the Tauber valley and back to the walls.
Afternoon: Choose between the Medieval Crime Museum and the German Christmas Museum, then return to the stalls for a last mug of mulled wine.
Evening: Catch the train out, or take a final walk along the lit streets once the market closes.
What to eat and drink
- Schneeballen: Rothenburg’s "snowballs", balls of fried pastry strips dusted with sugar or coated in chocolate. The town’s signature treat.
- Glühwein: Mulled wine, the market staple, plus fruit punch for children.
- Franconian bratwurst: The region’s small grilled sausages, served three in a roll.
- Lebkuchen: Franconian gingerbread, the same tradition as nearby Nuremberg’s.
- Franconian wine: Dry Silvaner from the region, often served in the round, flat Bocksbeutel bottle.
- Schäufele: Roast pork shoulder with crackling and dumplings, a hearty Franconian dinner.
Where to stay
- Inside the walls: Wake up in the old town and see it before and after the day visitors. Best for couples and photographers.
- Near the station: A short walk to the walls, convenient for rail arrivals. Best for a quick trip by train.
- Würzburg or Nuremberg: Bigger cities with more choice, with Rothenburg as a day trip. Best for a multi-market weekend.
Getting there and around
Rothenburg Tourismus says the town has hourly Deutsche Bahn connections and sits right by the A7 motorway. Trains reach Rothenburg on a short branch line from Steinach, where you change from the line between Würzburg and Ansbach. For connections from Nuremberg, Würzburg or Munich, use bahn.de.
The station is a short walk from the walls. Inside the old town everything is on foot, and the streets are cobbled and in places steep.
Good to know
- Dates: 20 November to 23 December 2026, closed on 22 November. Compare other cities in our Christmas markets 2026 dates roundup.
- Early close: 7pm on most days, 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Crowds: Weekend afternoons are busiest. Weekdays and early mornings are calmer.
- Combine it: Rothenburg pairs well with the Nuremberg Christmas market weekend or a stop in Munich.
- More ideas: See our best Christmas markets in Germany and best Christmas markets in Europe guides.
FAQ
When is the Rothenburg Christmas market 2026?
The Reiterlesmarkt runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026. It opens from 11am to 7pm Sunday to Thursday and 11am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and it is closed on 22 November.
What is the Reiterle?
The Reiterle is the rider figure that gives the market its name. At the opening, a rider dressed as the Reiterle comes into the Marktplatz on horseback to greet the crowd before the Christmas tree is lit.
Is Rothenburg worth visiting for the Christmas market?
Yes, for the setting. The market is small, but the walled medieval town around it, lit for Advent, is the real reason to go.
Can you visit Rothenburg as a day trip from Nuremberg?
Yes. Trains run from Nuremberg with a change on the way to Rothenburg’s branch line. Stay overnight if you can, as the town is quieter after the day visitors leave.
