The Grain and Grape

A surprise change of plans over the holidays brought us to Dinkelsbühl, a medieval walled German town. Following our original plans, we drove north to Bavarian wine country for a 2-night get-away near Würzburg. However, when we arrived at our Airbnb, the key lockbox was empty. Our host was traveling for the holidays himself, and so although he was horrified and apologetic for this mistake, there was no way to get us the key.

Luckily, we found a hotel with openings in nearby Dinkelsbühl through a quick Google Maps search. When we drove in through the old town gate on cobblestone streets, we found ourselves in one of the prettiest medieval towns out of all the medieval towns we’ve been to in Europe.

unique Hotel stay

Europe has some unique hotel rooms, and the directions to our room read like a treasure map. First, we parked as instructed outside the town walls. Then, in the pitch darkness that is early evening in northern Europe, we set off with our backpacks and flashlights, following a cartoon paper map.

We crossed the first narrow pedestrian bridge, over the river. Then a second little bridge, not on the map, took us over the moat. This brought us through a gate and inside the old stone walls. A right turn behind some private homes, and we found the six steps going down to a gravel path. We were in between backyards, and looking at the inside of the town walls.

Our room was the old Gatekeeper’s Lodge built into the wall, and it was wonderful! The Lodge has a tiny living area, with a small fridge, a hot plate, and sink, as well as a nice bathroom, and then stairs that curved upstairs to a bedroom under the eaves. We even had our own little backyard with deck chairs, right on the moat!

From the initial disappointment of our Airbnb falling through, to finding this magical town with a special space to stay, this was a Christmas Miracle.

Dinkelsbühl

In 1632, local children convinced the invading Swedish general to save Dinkelsbühl from destruction, and it also made it through both World War I and II with no damage. As a result, the preserved buildings of the Old Town, the stone walls, the moat, and the surrounding countryside all provide quaint old world views.

Designated paths provide two easy ways to tour all around the town, one inside, and one outside the walls.

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Dinkelsbühl is a quiet town on Germany’s Romantic Road, and we loved the lack of crowds, the warm welcome, and the photo opportunities from the still waters of the moat. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the better-known destination, but also can feel a little staged for tourism.

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