We were in Rothenburg at the end of May, and the wall was not crowded at 8:30 AM. We started at the Spitaltor end, as we stayed near there. The best fortifications are there. There are numerous towers along the way, but none were available to climb. The Rodertor Tower is sometimes open. The only negative was sometimes the smell of urine and beer bottles left behind by visitors who hadn’t been there for the views.

Rothenburg is completely encircled by a town wall 3400 m long. Almost 2,5 km of this wall can be walked under a tile roof for wonderful vistas of both the old town and through the firing slits of the beautiful surrounding countryside as well. The town wall is probably the main attraction for many of the visitors to this remarkable medieval town.

Access to the wall is free and possible at various points in the town. A popular point to start a wall walk is from the Kobozeller Tor, close to the Plönlein. From here you can walk on the wall towards Spital Bastion at the south end of the town while appreciating the views of the Tauber valley. Spital Bastion is the strongest fortification with two outer courtyards and seven gates. In medieval times the steep slopes towards the river was always bare for defensive purposes and helps explain why Rothenburg is called "above" the Tauber and not "on" the river as most other river front cities are in Germany. Exit the old town at Spital Bastion to appreciate the fortifications as potential invaders would have done.

From Spital Bastion it is possible to walk almost 2 km along the wall towards Klingebastei in the north. The names of people who donated money for the repair of Rothenburg after the Second World War are written on stone bricks along this section. Some of the views towards the newer part of town are less inspiring than those towards the Tauber valley.

About halfway is the Roedertor. This tower gate date from the late fourteenth century and can at times be ascended for magnificent views. A little further on is the Galgentor (Gallows Gate), which is the only entry point for cars during traffic restriction times. The part of the wall that can be walked ends at Klingentor in the northwest of the town. The view from outside the gate towards the Tauber Valley is magnificent and emphasizes why Rothenburg is "above" the Tauber even more than the view from Spital Bastion does.

If your time or energy is limited concentrate on the Spital Bastion and the Roedertor.

Rothenburg gets very busy during the day and the walls get crowded as well. In the late afternoon or early morning, however, it is possible to enjoy large sections of the wall almost on your own with just the occasional fellow traveler passing by.