So, where is this burg (castle) as in Burggarten (Castle Garden)? Unfortunately, the Stauferburg,…read moreImperial castle/fortress for the Holy Roman Emperor has been long lost. A legend goes it was lost by an earthquake. Stones were valuable materials and the city was eager to expand. It's probable that the Rothenburg residents dismantled the castle themselves. On your left as you walk into the Castle Garden, you'll see the only preserved building of the former Stauferburg, which is now a memorial site. An info panel in front of the Blasius Chapel explains the structure and function of the former castle grounds. Past the castle, you'll get to a private residence that was once the office of the city nursery in Rothenburg. In the middle of the English garden grounds, you'll see a small baroque styled garden with allegories of the four seasons. The Castle Garden features a historic collection of trees and extensive lawns, which invite visitors to linger to bask in a medieval atmosphere. A column and pogrom stone in the Castle Garden recall the past. The Staufer column on the north side of the Castle Garden reminds of the era when the emperor's castle was used for control over the imperial city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the Holy Roman Empire. Next to the chapel is a copy of the medieval pogrom stone. This memorializes the murder of the Jewish residents in Rothenburg, who died in the Middle Ages during the Rindtfleisch pogrom in 1298. Approaching Castle Garden via the Burgtor, you will have beautiful views of the Tauber Valley at the observation platforms to the left and right. It's a must visit when you are in Rothenburg.

The east of Rothenburg's old city, you can walk through the town wall into the medieval alleyways…read morevia the Galgentor (also called Würzburger Tor) or Rödertor. At the Rödertor is the Röderturm, which is open to visitors regularly. From here you get a wonderful view of the old quarter, from Markusturm with its stork's nest to - the also accessible - City Hall tower. The Röderturm is also a central starting point for Rothenburg's Tower Trail, which leads around the old quarter.

There are playgrounds, and then there are Pirate playgrounds. When my husband suggested a jaunt to…read moreAmberg to visit the Piraten Spielplatz with our children, I was skeptical. An hour drive for a PLAYGROUND?? Then I remembered we were the parents of small children, and thus the selection of weekend activities are pretty much limited to playground/zoo/children's museum/bier gartens so what the hell, I thought, we'll give it a whirl. I'm so glad we did, because it was definitely worth the drive. We found a small park platz a few hundred meters from the playground itself (although since it was Sunday we did see people parking in adjacent businesses' parking lots). After a short walk, we entered what can only be described as heaven for children. The main play area features a pirate ship surrounded by water that is, at its deepest, maybe 2 and a half feet, or a little over half a meter deep, and is surrounded on two sides by a sandy shore, and on one side by a small hill with various hiding niches and small masonry walls, perfect for children to clamber all over and explore. There are two rafts on pulley lines that the kids can use to reach the pirate ship, or if they're smaller or nervous about falling in the water, a small bridge as well. The main water area is sizable, and although it was busy it didn't feel overly crowded or chaotic like, say, Playmobil Funpark on a Feiertag. Separate from the main play area is another water playground that is shallower, and more suitable for babies and smaller toddlers, even though it also had a system of water wheels and small ditches to build dams and what not, so also appealing for older children. The water here is from a natural flowing spring, so it really felt like the kids were playing in a wonder of nature. Between the two play areas was a kiosk with ice cream, beer, and snacks for sale, and comfortable tables with umbrellas for seating. Also, not to be overlooked - a toilet! Not a horrible portapotty, but an actual restroom that wasn't entirely unpleasant, given the number of people at the playground. We stayed at the playground for several hours, and when we buckled the kids back into their car seats for the drive home, my husband and I hi-fived each other for our awesome parenting, and made a note to bring up this up in the (hopefully) distant future when we are sitting across from a therapist and our adult children who are enumerating all of our massive shortcomings as parents. We can say, 'Sure, there were a lot of microwaved dinners, and also maybe too much ipad, but remember that time we took you to the Pirate playground in Amberg?' and then we will fold our arms and sit back in our seats, triumphant. Pros: Great playground for children of all ages, snack kiosk, toilets, precious family memories that make up for all of the awful stuff (kinda). Cons: maybe not quite so awesome if it's cold outside

Great park and lot of fun for kids and adults too.You can spend here an enterely day, the personnel…read moreis kind and willing to share all thrm learnings with those who visit them.

Der Waldkletterpark ist nicht genau an der Stelleread more

My absolute favorite place in Germany during our recent visit. Rothenburg had a quieter slower pace…read morethan the larger cities we visited. It is a medieval village but during advent it seemed like a place out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. The entire village was friendly, beautiful. It is a place I'd spend more time at if we were to go back to Germany.

Cute town like a German Christmas postcard! Definitely something to see once. If you're staying in…read morethe town i do think 1 night is plenty to get everything done.

Totally gratis! Yup, zero entrance fee! This is indeed a hidden treasure and I can't believe they…read moredon't charge a penny to access all the coolness that occurs here. It's a zoo, of sorts, but very small compared to major zoos, hence the moniker of "Wild Park," I'll assume. Elk, deer, goats, big horn sheep and plenty other species running about in very large pens. You can buy feed and these guys are as domesticated as they come. Eatin' right out of your hand. There's a large lake that you stroll around and soak up the tranquility. Nice and cool as most of the trails wind through the shaded woods. In addition, there's a snack bar to provide much needed sustenance after an afternoon's walking about. It really is one of the more cool things to see in the area. I just can't praise this place enough. Kids or no kids, you'll like it here, trust me. Cheers!