A town you’ve likely seen, but may not realize. Nördlingen, Germany.
It’s our second visit to Nördlingen, the first was six years ago on our broken collarbone trip (me, 3 days into a 3 week trip), on that trip we were taking trains and had left our bikes in München. This time we biked to this walled town which is situated in a much larger crater left by a meteorite millions of years ago. The wall is a huge draw for us. It’s a very unique and cozy attraction. We spent two nights here this time.
The wall walk combines some of my favorite things, car free walks, garden peeping, and house peeping.Really a unique experience to walk the intact wall. One spot had repairs being done, but the rest was walkable.There are houses whose back walls are the town wall, or which are built through the wall.Ah, the glamorous side of bike touring. Resting in the shade of a town WC. It was a long hot day riding to Nördlingen.
Between the wall and its history, and a local train museum, we had plenty to do on our rest day.
We saw this museum across the train platform the last time we were here but didn’t have time to check it out.Rich added for scale, Rich is six foot five. That is a huge piece of machinery. So many historic train locomotives and cars are just sitting on the rails, reminding us of the history of train travel. And the human capacity for innovation.Some are simply falling into decay.But many are lovingly housed and maintained. This is the roundhouse.Yes there was wine, my first Silvaner of the trip. And our first brats. This little place was set up during the Saturday market and had a line when we saw it, we quickly got in line. About 2 minutes after we got our lunch they sold out and closed up.
So where have you likely seen this charming town? In the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971, the Wonkavator flies above the town in the final scene as it crashes out of the factory roof – remember?
If you saw the movie you likely remember a shot like this from the glass elevator.
21 years car free, 11 years serving on transit boards helping SF and Caltrain move forward, and now, traveling the world. Happy doesn’t begin to describe how I feel when traveling with my hubby TravelRich.
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One thought on “A town you’ve likely seen, but may not realize. Nördlingen, Germany.”
I really love Germany- maybe because I’m somewhat proficient in German, maybe because it’s a country where things work and people follow rules, maybe it’s the good beer, good wine, good bread, good cheese, great chocolate and sausage!
We were completely charmed by another walled city 27 years ago.
Have you visited Rothenburg? Another charming walled city.
Less Car, More Life 
I really love Germany- maybe because I’m somewhat proficient in German, maybe because it’s a country where things work and people follow rules, maybe it’s the good beer, good wine, good bread, good cheese, great chocolate and sausage!
We were completely charmed by another walled city 27 years ago.
Have you visited Rothenburg? Another charming walled city.