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Once upon a time in Europe – South Germany, and a bit of Austria!

The meaning of travel is different for different people. Some travel for sightseeing – packing as many places as possible, some for fun, for some it’s educational, for others it may be an escape from their routine, or it could be for that Instagram moment, a social media post, or even for a stamp on the passport. For me travel is where you identify your different identities – understand the unknown facets of yourself, expand your views, immerse into the culture, and food from those places you visit, create memories with your travel companions that can last for a lifetime.

And it had been more than 30 months since we had our last holidays. So, without wasting much time, the decision was made (Germany), and tickets were booked. Since we wanted to design the travel as a road trip, tried not to pack in too many attractions to visit. It was more like experiencing the place, and we managed to keep it like that; just one day I felt a bit too stretched, more on that later.

With the trip focused mainly on Bavaria and we were starting from Frankfurt, I decided to break the drive a bit so that we don't have too long days in the car. The overall itinerary was like this:

• Day 1: Frankfurt
• Day 2: Frankfurt to Gutach, via Black Forest High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstraße)
• Day 3: Gutach to Füssen, via Konstanz, and Große Alpsee
• Day 4: Füssen to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, via Ruette (Austria), and Ettal
• Day 5,6: Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Day 7: Garmisch to Berchtesgaden, and to Munich
• Day 8,9: Munich
• Day 10: Munich to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
• Day 11: Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Frankfurt
• Day 12: Back to Singapore

With all the bookings (hotels, car) done, we started our German trip on 28th July evening from Singapore Changi Airport.

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Day 1:

Landed in Frankfurt around 7 am, picked up our luggage, and took the S-Bahn train to the city center. The train ride was just around 25 mins and with another 5 mins of walking, we were at the hotel. Though the check-in schedule is at 3 pm, the folks at Moxy Frankfurt were kind enough to give us the room so early in the morning. After a shower and a coffee, we did a bit of walking around and then met up with our German friends for lunch (they used to live in Singapore and our kids were in the same school). They were kind enough to take us to a local German place for dinner as well.


Moxy Frankfurt got a very youthful vibe to it.








Initial views of Frankfurt...








With the day well-spent and tiredness of the long-haul flight kicking in, we went to bed by around 9 pm.

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Day 2:

One positive aspect of summer in Europe is the extremely long day. The previous night, it was bright and sunny at around 8 pm and I woke up before 6 am with sunlight peeping in through the curtains. Got ready and went down for leisurely breakfast at around 7:30 am and by 9:00 am we checked out of the hotel and headed back to the airport to pick up our rental car. The pickup schedule was at 9:30 am and we were at the Sixt counter right on time. I had booked a BMW 3-series/Audi A4 class vehicle and the lady at the counter mentioned that the previous customer just picked up the last available 3, and now she got only the Audi available. I was a bit disappointed and told her that I was hoping to get a BMW as my trip is focused on Bavaria and hence it has to be a BMW. She laughed and then said she will check how she can help; after scrambling through her monitor for a while, she said “I have a special offer for you! I can give you a BMW M340i Touring xDrive with a minor upgrade fee (around EUR 27 per day). You get 200+ HP more for just 200+ Euros!". And she said we can keep the liability cost and other add-ons the same as the original booking. I tried my best to resist the grin, silently thanked the customer who picked the last available regular 3, collected the key, and started the long walk to the parking lot on the floor above.


And this was waiting for us...




The car had done just around 7500 km and felt brand new inside out.

Frankfurt to Gutach valley, via Heidelberg and Black Forest High Road (Schwarzwaldhochstraße – B 500)

We swiftly made the exit from the airport parking lot, and in a short while, we were on the autobahn. The 340i with the 374 bhp inline-6 engine was all ready to unleash its power, but since this is a family trip, I made sedate progress on comfort mode for a while. But that did not last long; soon I was in sports mode, working the beast in the right manner. The instant power delivery reminded me of the Mercedes Benz EQS I drove a few weeks back (both have very similar 0-100 figures). The EQS being a luxurious big car (and electric) goes on in a silent and refined way, whereas the 340i felt rawer with a prominent pushed back into your seat feel. Soon we were in this picturesque city of Heidelberg. The place was literally packed with no parking spots available. Drove around a bit absorbing the surroundings, stopped for a coffee break, and soon we were back on the Autobahn driving towards Baden-Baden.


On a coffee break on the outskirts of Heidelberg




Soon we were in Baden-Baden, drove around for a while, and found a street parking slot in front of Café König, apparently known for its Black Forest cake. And the place didn’t disappoint – a nice spot to spend an hour relaxing, before moving on with the drive.






The famed Black Forest cake!




The drive up the Black Forest High Road was nice with great scenery but not as wonderful as I expected. For most sections speed limits were regulated to 40/60 kmph and the roads were not as exhilarating as some of the sections I drove later in the trip. In fact, it was much better when we were approaching the destination for the evening.










By around 6:30 pm we reached our stop for the evening - a quaint little town called Gutach. The Black Forest Open Air Museum is located here.




The evening was pretty relaxed, walked around Kinzig river (just across the road) and then went for dinner at this beautiful restaurant called Webers Esszeit, next to the museum.

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Day 3:

Started the day slowly. Went for a short stroll around the property, with the weather nice and cold. The breakfast served by Stefan and his wife was just awesome, and by around 10 am, we checked out and started off with the day’s drive.


Mornings like this...










Bread basket - freshly baked




Just a pose before starting!




Ready for the day...

Gutach to Füssen, via Konstanz and Großer Alpsee

Our first stop of the day was this beautiful lakeside city called Konstanz, on the banks of Lake Constance (Bodensee). The Lake is spread across three countries, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and the place almost had a seaside resort town feel to it.


On the way to Konstanz




Konstanz – being a Sunday, the main streets were deserted with all the major shops and establishments closed.





I always like to keep small surprises for the family during the trip. While walking around the neighborhood in Konstanz I said we can stop for a coffee and only when I showed the Swiss flag did the girls realize that we actually walked into a café in Switzerland! Then they noticed the small barricades (for vehicle traffic) across the street which we just walked in


Coffee at a café in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland




Outside the café; the entry point can be seen behind, with absolutely no checks or officials’ presence at the border crossing.




Walking back...




The rail network in Germany is impressive!




Lake Constance














Pizza for lunch...

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Day 3 (cont’d):

After lunch, we continued the drive from Konstanz. The shortest route from Konstanz to Füssen is by crossing the lake to Meersburg on a car ferry and then proceeding via Lindau. The alternative route is to drive through Switzerland around the lake and get to Lindau and thereon. This was another surprise for the family. They got to know that we are actually on a car ferry only after I drove onto the ferry and parked the car. The ferry ride was thoroughly enjoyable and lasted for around 15 minutes.












Off the ferry, back on the road, we made steady progress to Lindau









At Lindau, it was just a fuel/coffee stop and from there we moved on to Großer Alpsee, Immenstadt, a lake just a few kilometers before Füssen. The lakeside was beautiful and looked like a popular spot for the locals to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.










We spent around half an hour at the lake and then proceeded to our stop for the night, Füssen – a beautiful town next to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle.

After checking in at the hotel, we stepped out and as everyone does, we started with a Gelato

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Day 4:

Füssen in the morning – just around 14°c and so peaceful to walk around.










Walking down to the riverside




River Lech...










On the way back to the hotel.












In all the places we stayed in Germany, the breakfast was so good; so much that we often forgot to click pictures of the breakfast




The car this time had a dedicated garage for overnight parking!

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Day 4 (cont'd):

After breakfast, got ready and checked out of the hotel. The day’s schedule did not involve much driving but had a couple of interesting places to cover (one of which was kept strictly as a surprise for the family).

Neuschwanstein Castle, Tegelberg, Highline 179 (Reutte, Austria), and drive to Garmisch-Partenkirchen via Ettal

A 10 minutes drive got us to our first stop of the day – the well-known Neuschwanstein Castle, Disney's inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle. As expected, it was crowded in the morning. We did not opt for the castle tour but instead just took the bus to the foothills so that we can get to Marienbrücke – the bridge that is supposed to provide the best view of the castle.

And it was indeed a wonderful view. You can see paragliders in the picture, who go up to nearby Tegelberg mountain for the glide.




A closer look at Neuschwanstein




Hohenschwangau Castle from a distance




And Lake Alpsee…




Marienbrücke – that’s the bridge we were earlier on…




A couple of km away from Neuschwanstein was Tegelberg, the mountain that’s quite popular with hikers and paragliders. The cable car to the top takes around 10 mins and gives a great view of the area. I believe it should be even better in the winter months.

The parking lot - and a lot more paragliders!




The cable car to the mountain top




View from the top






The launch point for paragliders




When driving out of Tegelberg we saw this beautiful church (St. Coloman) and had to stop for a couple of pictures.






I drove out of Tegelberg and passed through Füssen again. Around 10 minutes later, my wife suddenly mentioned that the roads look different in this part of Germany (good observation skills to notice that – we had crossed over to Austria then!). Then I explained to her that we are now in Austria and that's why I made a stop at a petrol station the previous evening and bought a windshield sticker (Austria vignette, EUR 9.60). Soon we got to a parking lot and this was the sight when stepped out of the car – a bridge that look like a rope/zipline connecting two mountains.




Highline 179 is a rope suspension bridge situated near Reutte, a town at the Austrian-German border. It was just around 20km/25 minutes drive from Fussen/Tegelberg.

View from below




A closer look (3X)




The inclined lift that goes up to the bridge entrance




The bridge...




I thought it will be an easy walk, but it was indeed a bit scary – especially if you look down. Around 50 meters in, the lady in black walked back. The younger one braved another 25 meters or so and joined a returning group. I went around halfway and a bit more, so that I can get a view of the road which we came by.

Should proceed or not…




The road below




Once done with the bridge, we walked around the Ehrenberg castle ruins for a while (it was blazing hot by then), took the incline lift down, and got back to the car.

Ehrenberg castle ruins










The views from the top were magnificent...






Another country, another coffee – in Reutte, Austria.




After that, we drove to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Chose the route via Ettal as the map showed that the road is cutting through a nice patch of green. And that was a wonderful decision, it was one of the best drives on the whole trip, and a few kilometers of the drive were with beautiful Lake Plansee on the right side. We stopped by the lake for around half an hour, and then around 6 pm, reached our hotel in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – our base for the next 3 nights.

Lake Plansee, the water was ice-cold and still had so many folks swimming and spending the evening on the lakeside. Wish we had carried our swimmers!




Parked by the lake




Nightfall in Partenkirchen

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Day 5:

Located on the border of Germany and Austria, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a quintessential Bavarian town (or twin-town). While Garmisch can look a bit more modern and trendier, Partenkirchen retains that old-world charm with cobblestone streets and old houses. Our hotel was in Ludwigstraße, the main street in Partenkirchen, lined with lively cafés and restaurants – a perfect place to stay around for a couple of days and take it slow.

In and around Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm)

We did not have many activities planned for the two full days in Garmisch. As usual, woke up quite early, and looking at the weather outside, decided to go for a short drive around. The weather was just perfect for a drive, and the surroundings looked so beautiful that we parked the car around a sleepy village called Krün and went for a short walk inside.


Nice and foggy...
















Another lake!




Walking back to the car




Back to the hotel (around 8 in the morning)




The only planned activity for the day was to hike around the day was to hike Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm). After breakfast, took the car out and in a few minutes were at the car park of the famous Olympic Ski Stadium – venue of the 1936 Winter Olympics.

From the carpark, it's around a km walk to the entrance of Partnachklamm. After paying the entrance fee, we entered this surreal world of narrow walkways that cut through the massive rocks/cliffs and the roaring sound of water rushing thru the gorge beneath. It was a breathtaking experience and after traversing through the gorge, we decided to do a hike up the hills for another 15-20 mins and take the cable car back to the starting point of the gorge.


Olympic Ski Jump




On the way to the gorge




View from the entrance




The narrow walkways, with towering cliffs and gushing water!












A rainbow from water droplets




A good place to get some rest before moving on. And the water was ice-cold!




The walk up to the cable-car point was harder than expected




The small cable car (5-6 people capacity) that took us back to the gorge entrance




Back in Garmisch for lunch...

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Day 5 (cont’d):

After some rest and no specific plans for the afternoon, we went for a coffee and then decided to take the car and just drive around for a while.

Oberammergau and Schloss Linderhof

Drove around a bit and when near Oberammergau, saw this designated parking area on a riverside. Stopped there and spent some time around the river absorbing nature...








A couple of explorers...




Later while driving back, saw a signboard to Linderhof Palace and we decided to stop by. Did not go inside the palace, but the whole area was really nice to walk around, take a couple of photos, and it was like having the whole place for ourselves.














After going around the palace, decided to return to Garmisch. To keep up with the tradition that my daughter follows dutifully, decided to stop by a McDonald’s.

A couple of cyclists! It must be awesome to bike around this region...




McDonald's and the evening sky






A church opposite where we stayed




Closing the day...

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Day 6:

Another day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Zugspitze and Lake Eibsee

The plan for the day was to go up to Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak. After breakfast, started a bit early and drove to Eibsee, Grainau the base from which the Cable car Zugspitze operates. We could have taken the cogwheel train from the Zugspitzbahn station in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but I thought of spending some time around Lake Eibsee after the descent from Zugspitze. It’s from Eibsee station the train will start the ascent to the mountain, giving some stunning views of lake Eibsee before entering the 4.5km long Zugspitz tunnel. The train goes up to Zugspitz Plateau which is around 2,600 meters high, and from there the Gletscherbahn cable car goes all the way up to the Zugspitze summit which stands tall at 2962 meters high. We did the train ride + Gletscherbahn cable car for the climb, and for the return leg, took the cable car from the summit all the way down.


Parked at Eibsee base station. The cable car to the Zugspitze summit can be seen in the background




Cogwheel train...




View of Lake Eibsee from the train






At the train station on top




Peak summer, but still a bit of snow/ice patches can be seen




A few random shots, before taking the cable car to the summit














Dogs are welcomed everywhere in Germany - be it in malls, trams/trains, or cable cars




On the ice






After spending around an hour there, we then took the cable car to the summit




While in the cable car…




Coffee with a view of Lake Eibsee below




At the summit, you can walk over to the Austria side of the mountain




View from the Austria side




A random shot from Austria




Back in Germany, waiting for the cable car




Cable car approaching, afar can see the train track, base station and Lake Eibsee




The descent via cable car was fast. We then stopped by Lake Eibsee for a while before returning to the hotel.

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Day 6 (cont’d):

Lake Eibsee probably was the most beautiful lake we came across in Bavaria – crystal clear water with stunning backdrops, and the whole area had this nice holiday buzz to it. If we had another day to spare, we would have spent the whole day hiking around the lake (definitely a listed place for a future visit).




Much needed on a hot summer afternoon!




Saw this small lake (Frillensee) next to Lake Eibsee, and decided to walk to the other side (can see us on the far side)




Tired after the walk…




Eibsee – beautiful clear water...




And super cold!




Reflecting...




After getting back to the hotel, (in the late afternoon) we went to try out the Alpine Coaster at Kolbensattel, Oberammergau. No picture as the ski lift and the coaster was a bit risky to hold the phone while on the ride.

Later in the evening – found this nice Greek restaurant, close to where we stay






On a walk...

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Day 7:

Last morning in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Eagle's Nest and Lake Königssee, Berchtesgaden, and drive to Munich

The initial thought was to drive directly to Munich, which is just around an hour’s drive (90 km). But since we are already in the Bavarian Alps, thought it may be good to do a drive to Berchtesgaden, close to the Austria border (Salzburg). And for the past two days, the car hardly got a chance to stretch its legs. So a short drive to Munich became a reasonably long day of driving (around 400 km).

Crossing the Isar river on the way; we met again later in Munich




Soon we were on the autobahn (A8), heading towards Salzburg, and took the exit to Berchtesgaden. Somewhere in the drive, we entered and exited Austria and soon got to the parking lot at the base of Eagle's Nest (or the Kehlsteinhaus in German). This is the famous (or infamous) holiday home that was said to be opened/inaugurated on Hitler’s 50th birthday. Private vehicles are allowed only to the base of the mountain and from there designated buses to take the visitors to the car park on the top. From there a 124m tunnel leads to a decorated elevator which does another 124m ascend to the house. Apparently, Hitler was afraid of heights and has done only 14 documented visits to this place. Now the house is a just restaurant with some great views of the valley.

Hitler had walked through this tunnel. For me, the mountain and the house on the top were a bit underwhelming but that eerie sensation of walking through this 124m long tunnel was worth the effort of driving all the way to Berchtesgaden.




At the end of the tunnel is the well-decorated elevator (photography is prohibited inside the lift)




Kehlsteinhaus from a distance






Braving the hot sun for a pose!








Some more views from the top








Lake Königssee can be seen in the background - our next stop before heading to Munich…




The bus timings were marked on the ticket, but since we did not stay long on the top, requested a time change and managed to get back to the carpark earlier. Drove to Lake Königssee which was just a few km away. The parking area was packed and while I was taking a tour of the parkplatz, saw a VW camper van with the driver waving to us. Rolled down the windows, and she said “I have a ticket for full-day parking, but I am leaving now. Do you want this?”. Happily accepted the ticket and thanked her for saving EUR 8.50 – small gestures that can leave long-lasting impressions of a place and the people. And we had a few such moments throughout our travel in Germany.

Lake Königssee is Germany's third deepest lake and is also said to be the cleanest lake in Germany. I am not a huge fan of boat rides, but the water with different hues of blue and green, the surrounding mountains, the serenity, and a bit of tradition thrown in – it was indeed a nice way to spend the afternoon.

Walking to the lakeside…




First view of the lake




Onboard the boat




An almost dried-out waterfall




Like an infinity pool…




The surrounding mountains/rock walls can create a beautiful echo. Talking about traditions, at one point the boat was stopped and the captain proudly played the trumpet (flugelhorn) to demonstrate the echo chamber – around 45 seconds of nature’s orchestra!




St Bartholomew's Church – the first stop for the boat




We spend around 30 mins walking around the church and lazing around on the waterside.










On the boat back to the shore.




Walking back to the carpark




It was a short visit (and a bit rushed), but Berchtesgaden has a lot more to offer and I am looking forward to visiting the town again and probably spending a couple of days there.

Soon we hit the expressway, and again entered and exited Austria. This time there was a checkpoint on the Austria-Germany border where we just had to slow down with officers just glancing into the car while we were driving through. That was the only time I saw some officials at the border crossing. Once back on the German autobahn it was easy work for the Beemer to quickly cover the distance (around 150 km) to Munich.


At a fuel/coffee stop on the way




Got to Munich late evening, parked the car in the basement, and for the next two days, it was complete rest for the black beauty!

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Day 8, 9:

The previous evening when I drove into Munich, the first thing we noticed was how different the city is, say when compared to Frankfurt. Munich got a very relaxed air to it and felt like a city that is nice to walk around. The hotel basement was linked to the subway station, and with the Euro9 ticket in hand, it was quite easy to traverse through the city for the next two days.

In and around Munich…

It was a slow start in the morning. Went down for a leisurely breakfast (loved the big buffet breakfast spread in every place we stayed in Germany), and we set off to explore Munich.

I found Munich to be a very walkable city. From the hotel, it was around a 10-minute walk to Marienplatz – the so-called center of the Bavarian capital. The place was packed with locals and tourists alike, and the world-famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel came into action at the stroke of the hour (11 am). With music in the air, dancing figurines, and the crowd below, it was quite an experience!




Isar river




Bikes everywhere...




Marienplatz










A few steps from Marienplatz were the Viktualienmarkt – Munich’s popular market in the city center. The open-air restaurant in the middle of the market was packed and a helpful waitress managed to find a shared table for us. That probably was the best lunch we had on the whole trip – soaking up the atmosphere over some delicious Bavarian food.

Viktualienmarkt










Did some shopping after lunch, went back to the hotel for a while, and in the later afternoon took the tram to the famous English Garden. It’s a massive patch of green in the city, walked around a bit and then spent some time watching the skillful surfers riding the wave. And it was fun to see people swimming and moving along with the along with flowing water. With a plan to return for a swim the next day, we walked back to the hotel (around 2 km).














Found an easy spot to get into the water








A nice window seat to spend the evening




Some more gelato




Walking back






Woke up to a rainy morning the next day, with temperatures staying around 10°C in the morning (and it stayed below 15°C for the whole day). This means we had to abort the plan to return to English Garden for a swim. Spent the day exploring the city a bit more, visiting Nymphenburg Palace, and a couple of hours of shopping.


Wet & gloomy morning




Nymphenburg Palace










Streets were packed again in the afternoon!




On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for dinner at this popular Afghan restaurant (Chopan) we noticed the previous night. The place was packed but because it was early evening, the friendly staff managed to find a table for us. Finished off the night with a visit to the iconic Hofbräuhaus München.

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Day 10:

Last morning in Munich, it was time for the car to be back on the road after 3 nights of rest in the hotel basement. It's the last long drive of the trip, with us heading back to Frankfurt, with a stopover at Rothenburg ob der Tauber. But before leaving Frankfurt we had one more stop to make!

BMW Welt, and drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Doing a road trip in Bavaria, and driving a BMW, we had to visit the home of the BMW. I wanted to do the full museum tour, but due to time limitations, the visit was limited to the Welt. Still, it was quite a satisfying visit, and what made it even sweeter was that I got the opportunity to visit three of the coveted automotive sites in a span of one month – the Mercedes Benz Museum and Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, and now the BMW Welt in Munich.

As I mentioned above, this was more like touching the surface, need to do a full-fledged museum visit when I get to Munich next time.

Parked at the BMW Welt basement parking, in the company of an iX and a Lynk & Co 01. It’s the first time I saw the 01 and later spotted a couple of those on the way to Frankfurt.






The BMW HQ and Museum




Inside the Welt




The café and the merchandise store






A few selected displays

The M3 and the M4






The 8






The iX – simply can win the contest for the most hideous grille pattern, that too on an electric car!




The i7




The i4M50




The cute little Isetta (read here)




A couple of Rolls Royce displays

The Phantom






The Cullinan




The Mini range

The Mini Vision Urbanaut concept




A plant inside to show the green credentials?




The Mini JCW




The Countryman Electric




The Clubman




Girls checking out the Cabrio




A few motorbikes on display at the second level








A customary click before leaving the Welt




At a lunch stop on the way to Rothenburg, somewhere between Augsburg and Ulm




The progress on the Autobahn after lunch was a bit slow, thanks to the slow traffic due to roadworks/maintenance. And finally managed to reach Rothenburg around 5:30 pm

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Day 10 (cont'd):

Our last stop in Bavaria – Rothenburg ob der Tauber is an old medieval town in northern Bavaria, with fully intact city walls, old half-timbered houses, and beautiful cobblestone-laid streets. The place is quite touristy but has still managed to keep its charm intact, and even with quite a few people always seen on the streets, there is this sense of calmness all around. Again, this is another place we have earmarked for a future visit.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We entered the town through the tower entrance seen in the background.




Another clock tower on the other side




Walking through the alleys...






Path to the stone walls




The walkway on the walls








Off the wall




Back on the street




Time for another gelato...






Stopped by a nice German restaurant (Alter Kelle) for dinner, and then walked back to the hotel…




Our hotel was right in front of the most sought-after photo spot in the whole town – the Plönlein. Earlier in the evening when we arrived, the whole town was there for that perfect click for Instagram. But late into the evening, with few people around – the whole setting looked so beautiful!