Rothenburg Reiterlesmarkt

What the Reiterlesmarkt is

The Reiterlesmarkt in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a Christmas market in one of Germany's best preserved medieval old towns. Stalls gather around the Marktplatz and the town hall, with half-timbered houses, narrow lanes and the old town wall as scenery. The name refers to the Reiterle, a small rider figure that gives the market its identity. This page covers the 2027 edition.

Because the town is small, the whole market can be seen on foot within an hour, and the real pleasure lies in the setting.

Dates for 2027: estimated

Our data lists Friday 19 November to Thursday 23 December 2027, 35 days, with the status estimated. The organiser has not published the 2027 programme, so the dates follow the previous pattern, in which the market opened nine days before the first Sunday of Advent. With the first Advent on 28 November 2027, nine days earlier gives 19 November.

The closing day, 23 December, is also an inference. Please check the town's tourism pages before booking, because the real end date can differ by a day or two.

Character, sights and food

Rothenburg is a small town above the Tauber valley whose old centre survived with a historic look that draws visitors all year. In winter the market adds lights and music to a place that already feels like a postcard. It is more intimate than the big city markets and closer to a village atmosphere.

Local tradition also plays a role: the Reiterle, plays and processions in costume, and the town's reputation for Christmas crafts make it stand out in the region.

Try a Schneeball, the crisp ball of shortcrust pastry dusted with sugar or chocolate that Rothenburg is known for, and warm up with Glühwein or hot punch. Walk along the town wall, see the Plönlein with its two towers, climb the town hall tower if it is open, and visit St. James's church with its carved altarpiece.

The year-round Christmas shop and museum in the Herrngasse area adds to the festive feel and offers a dry place to browse.

Getting there and where to stay

Rothenburg is reached by regional train from Steinach, with connections from Würzburg and Nuremberg, or by car on the Romantic Road. The old town is largely pedestrian, so parking outside the walls and walking in is the usual approach.

Staying inside the walls is atmospheric but sells out first; consider guesthouses just outside or in nearby villages. Day visitors from Nuremberg or Würzburg are common.

Public holidays and vacation days in Bavaria, 2027

The estimated opening day, 19 November 2027, is a Friday, and the closing day, 23 December, is a Thursday. Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on the weekend (Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December), so no extra weekday holiday occurs. No Bavarian public holiday falls inside the market period itself.

A weekend trip from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 November takes zero vacation days if you leave after work and one if you take the Friday. A midweek trip, for example Wednesday 8 to Thursday 9 December, needs two days. If you want the final days, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 December cost two vacation days; adding Friday 24 gives a long stretch up to Sunday 26 December for three vacation days in total, depending on your employer's Christmas Eve rules.

Tips and who it suits

It suits couples and photographers who enjoy small, atmospheric places over big crowds. Weekday mornings are quietest, and evening visits give the lit lanes. Wear shoes with grip, since cobblestones can be slippery.

Since these dates are estimated, confirm them on the organiser's page and keep any booking flexible until then.