Dinkelsbuhl

The basics

Having prospered as a woolen-cloth trading center in the 13th and 14th centuries, Dinkelsbuhl Old Town oozes history from every pore. Wander its alleyways and squares, past its pastel-painted, gabled houses to view landmarks such as the grand dwellings of its Wine Market (Weinmarkt), the 15th-century St. George’s Minster (Munster St. Georg), and the Town Mill (Stadtmühle). Additional highlights include the town’s medieval walls, gates, and watchtowers, which are fringed by ponds and parkland.

Visit Dinkelsbuhl on a private or group Romantic Road tour between Munich and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, enjoy its festive market on a multi-stop Christmas market tour, or call here on a self-drive road trip. Once here, take a guided walking tour or explore independently: perhaps dipping into the quaint museums, walking around the perimeter walls, and enjoying the charming craft shops, cafés, and restaurants.

Things to know before you go

• Dinkelsbuhl is perfect for history, architecture, and photography devotees, and any first-time visitors to Germany.

• Wear comfortable shoes—although the Old Town is compact, it’s largely cobbled.

• While there is some street parking in the Old Town, there are several payable and free parking lots outside the town walls.

How to get there

Dinkelsbuhl is easy to reach by car—expect a roughly 2.5-hour drive from Munich or close to an hour’s drive from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to the north. The town is also served by regular, albeit indirect, rail services from Munich and Rothenburg—expect to change trains or switch to buses for the final leg. Public buses also run direct to Dinkelsbuhl from Rothenburg, but they’re infrequent.

When to get there

Dinkelsbuhl Old Town is charming year-round, but comes into its own during summer when its café and pub tables spill outdoors. Visitors spike in mid-July, when the town’s historical Kinderzeche Festival sees historical re-enactments and parades. December heralds the annual Christmas Market, when food and craft stalls illuminate the town and snow coats the gabled houses.

Must-see museums in Dinkelsbuhl

Dinkelsbuhl’s museums promise the perfect break from outdoor sightseeing. The House of History (Haus de Geschichte) traces the town’s past through artworks and antiques, and chronicles the brutal witch trials that occurred here in the 17th century. The Kinderzech-Zeughaus, meanwhile, examines Dinkelsbuhl’s Kinderzeche Festival—a celebration of the town’s survival of the 16th-century Thirty Years War—while the 3D Museum will keep sightseeing-weary kids captivated with its optical illusions.