Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany’s Bavaria is a pretty, fairytale-like destination that inspired Disney’s 1940 Pinocchio film, and it’s just three hours from the UK
Isobel Pankhurst Audience Writer
11:15, 19 Jan 2026
This fairytale-like town is just three hours from the UK(Image: bluejayphoto via Getty Images)
Just a three-hour journey from Britain lies the enchanting, storybook town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, Germany. A visit to this destination has been likened to ‘stepping into a Disney film’ – and there’s an excellent reason behind this comparison.
During the creation of the 1940 animated classic Pinocchio, Walt Disney drew visual inspiration from this stunning location for the town where Geppetto and Pinocchio resided. Rothenburg’s Plönlein, meaning ‘small place by the fountain’, stands as arguably the town’s most iconic feature, and it was this very spot that captivated Disney’s animators.
This medieval gateway to the Hospital District showcases a yellow half-timbered house alongside two towers from the ancient city walls, which have remained standing since 1360.
Emphasising the Pinocchio connection, Rothenburg’s official website states: “The Plönlein is a real world star: For many people, the half-timbered house on the Plönlein represents the typical Rothenburg old town motif.
“Starting with Walt Disney classic Pinocchio(1940), its architecture is repeatedly copied by artists, architects and designers when it comes to depicting a typical medieval European backdrop.”
Beyond Pinocchio, Rothenburg’s Plönlein has also appeared in the Tekken video game series and the Little Snow Fairy Sugar anime programme.
To reach this magnificent Bavarian destination, it’s a two-hour flight to Nuremberg Airport followed by an hour’s drive. Return flights from London Stansted to Nuremberg can be secured for just £30 with Ryanair.
After exploring the Plönlein, there’s loads more to experience in Rothenburg, including the famous Town Hall, Blade Gate, Castle Garden, the Medieval Crime Museum, and the German Christmas Museum.
TODAY is Sunshine Saturday – traditionally the busiest day for Brits to book their 2026 holidays.
But where to go? Travel association Abta’s research shows nearly half of us want to visit a country we haven’t been to before.
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ABTA’s top 10 picks for 2026 aim to inspire Brits to try somewhere new this Sunshine SaturdayCredit: Getty Images
And today, with the help of their expert members, they’ve come up with a top 10 list of places to visit in 2026 .
Abta’s Graeme Buck says: “With a focus on countries or areas that may not immediately spring to mind, offering alternatives to more well-known destinations, there should be something for everyone.”
Lisa Minot looks at Abta’s lust list for 2026.
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BORNEO: This island in South East Asia is home to unspoilt rainforests, enormous cave systems, imposing Mount Kinabalu and endless wild animal encounters.
Take a boat safari along the Kinabatangan River to spot crocodiles, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.
Head to the Danum Valley in Sabah to search for orangutans and clouded leopards.
Book with: Intrepid Travel, G Adventures and Travelbag.
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COLOMBIA: With the latest series of CelebrityRace Across The World culminating in Colombia’s Peninsula de la Guajira, we’ve all been entranced by the beauty of this South American gem.
With idyllic beaches, historic cities, rainforests and, of course, great coffee, a tour is a great way to get a snapshot of its highlights, from the colourful colonial city of Cartagena to the Caribbean beaches of Tayrona National Park.
Book with: Exodus, G Adventures and Intrepid Travel.
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EGYPT: The much-anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, makes Egypt a must-visit for 2026.
The museum houses more than 100,000 artefacts from Ancient Egypt, including the incredible treasures of Tutankhamun.
A river cruise along the Nile is a great way to take in all of the key sights, including the temples of Luxor and Aswan.
Sun-seekers will also appreciate the great value offered at Red Sea resorts, including Hurghada and Marsa Alam.
FRENCH POLYNESIA: With its palm-fringed beaches and dark blue lagoons, this vision of paradise is definitely worth travelling to the other side of the world for.
More than 100 islands make up this Pacific archipelago, so this is real bucket list territory.
Tick off as many sights as you can, from the busy markets of capital Papeete, on the island of Tahiti, to the honeymoon beaches of Bora Bora.
Book with: Scott Dunn, Kuoni and Trailfinders.
GERMANY’S BALTIC COAST: Miles of sandy beaches backed by chalk cliffs and beech forests make the German Riviera a favourite for locals – but few outsiders know it exists.
Easy to get to from Hambug or Berlin by train, head to Rugen, Germany’s largest island for fashionable Binz beach.
Hike or bike through the coastal countryside or discover Heiligendamm, known as the White Town by the Sea – the country’s oldest seaside resort with pretty neoclassical architecture and upmarket spas.
The area is also ideal for those looking for cooler summer temperatures.
Book with: Leger Travel, Riviera Travel.
GRENADA: A true taste of the Caribbean’s natural charms, Grenada is known as the Spice Island where its fertile soils produce nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, turmeric and vanilla as well as cacao for chocolate.
Summer is ‘Spicemas’ with parties and parades in the pretty capital, St George’s.
And get more nature in the Grand Etang National Park with its lake, lush vegetation and Mona monkeys.
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ISLANDS OF THE GULF OF NAPLES: Just a short ferry ride from Naples, Capri is known as a celebrity magnet and prices can be dizzying in the chic shops and fancy restaurants.
But the neighbouring island of Ischia offers a very different experience — a green, wooded mountainous island with great hiking options as well as the chance to relax on pretty beaches or soak away your worries in the Poseidon Gardens thermal pools.
And little Procida, with its pastel-coloured fishermen’s houses and laid-back vibe, has provided the perfect backdrop for films including The Talented Mr Ripley.
Book with: Citalia and TUI.
LA RIOJA: Look north to Spain’s La Rioja wine region for a different taste of our favourite holiday destination.
The Basque country has been proving popular for Brits and with Rioja sitting the other side of the River Ebro, there’s even more to explore from the capital Logrono, with some of the best tapas in Spain to one of the many wineries like the Marques de Riscal and the cosy bodegas in the town of Haro.
Expect spectacular scenery in the Sierra de Cebollera with its mountains, forests and wildlife including boar and birds of prey.
Book with: Brittany Ferries for self-drive breaks and Travelsphere for tours.
LUXEMBOURG: The delightful European duchy of Luxembourg packs a great deal within its compact borders: historic towns, fairytale castles and beautiful countryside.
Visits have increased six per cent year on year.
Start your trip in Luxembourg City, on the banks of a dramatic river gorge, then hop on the free public transport to visit the old town of Vianden with its castles.
Nature lovers will adore exploring the Mullerthal woods with its stunning beech groves, streams, canyons and cave systems.
Book with: Just Go! for coach holidays and First Choice for packages.
SERBIA: From its hip and buzzy capital Belgrade to its spectacular national parks, Serbia is ripe for discovery by those seeking a lesser-known European destination.
Get a taste for the capital’s ancient past at the Kalemegdan Fortress and sip cocktails in the hip Dorcol quarter.
Further afield, cycle along the inspiring Iron Gates gorge, carved out over millenia by the mighty River Danube or go deep into nature in the Tara National Park with dense forests, deep canyons and two lakes popular with water sports.
Robbers stole items worth up to $105bn from safe-deposit boxes held at a German retail bank in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia state, during the Christmas holiday, German police said on Tuesday.
The German news agency dpa reported that it may rank among the biggest thefts in the country’s history.
What happened and what was stolen?
The thieves broke into a branch of Sparkasse bank in the city of Gelsenkirchen, in North Rhine-Westphalia state, from an adjacent parking garage, according to the police, at some point when businesses were closed for the Christmas holiday.
The German state is home to museums and Gothic architecture. Its capital, Dusseldorf, is known for its shopping boulevard and the Rheinturm telecommunications tower.
Using a large drill, the thieves bore through a thick concrete wall of the bank and gained access to an underground vault room. Then, they forced open some 3,000 safe deposit boxes, before making off with cash, gold and jewellery.
A police spokesperson likened the break-in to the movie, Ocean’s Eleven, and described it as “very professionally executed”, according to the AFP news agency.
“A great deal of prior knowledge and/or a great deal of criminal energy must have been involved to plan and carry this out,” the spokesperson told the agency.
The bank said “more than 95 percent of the 3,250 customer safe deposit boxes were broken into by unknown perpetrators.”
Police say they were alerted to the robbery when a fire alarm went off on Monday, but have not confirmed exactly when the robbery took place.
How much are the stolen items worth?
Investigators estimate the total value of the stolen items to be anything between 10 and 90 million euros ($11.8m and $105.7m), according to police spokesperson Thomas Nowaczyk.
Police said the average insured value of each deposit box was more than 10,000 euros ($11,700). However, officers said several victims have reported that the contents of their boxes were worth significantly more than the insured amounts.
What do we know about the robbers?
No arrests have been made, and the thieves remain at large.
Security camera footage showed a black Audi RS 6 leaving the bank’s parking garage during the early hours of Monday, with masked people inside.
The police said the car’s licence plate had been stolen earlier in the city of Hanover, about 200km (124 miles) northeast of Gelsenkirchen, where the robbery took place.
How have bank customers reacted?
On Tuesday, angry customers rallied outside the bank branch, demanding answers about the robbery from the bank.
The police spokesperson told AFP that the bank branch remained closed for security reasons after threats were made against bank employees.
“We’re still on site, keeping an eye on things,” AFP quoted the police spokesperson as saying, adding “the situation has calmed down considerably.”
How has the bank responded?
The bank is writing to notify all customers affected by the robbery. It also set up a customer hotline for those affected.
It said it is also working with insurers to determine how compensation claims will be handled.
“We are shocked,” said bank press spokesman Frank Krallmann. “We are standing by our customers and hope that the perpetrators will be caught.”
Which other significant heists have happened recently?
October 2025: The Louvre, France
In late October, a gang of robbers broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole eight Napoleonic pieces of jewellery in less than seven minutes. The thieves made off on motorcycles laden with eight items dating back to the Napoleonic era, dropping a ninth on their way out.
The stolen items of jewellery were estimated to be worth $102m.
So far, French authorities have arrested eight suspects over the Louvre heist.
The first four suspects, three men and a woman, were arrested, formally investigated and charged.
The last four suspects taken into custody are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, from the Paris area. They are being investigated as possible accomplices. The names of the suspects arrested have not been made public.
September 2025: Museum of Natural History, France
On September 30, a 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in Barcelona on suspicion of stealing six gold nuggets from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. The gold nuggets were worth about 1.5 million euros ($1.76m).
The woman was arrested while trying to dispose of melted gold – it is unclear who melted it or how. The museum’s alarms and security system had been disabled in a cyberattack, but it is also unclear whether the thieves were also behind that cyberattack or whether the theft was opportunistic.
March 2024: Los Angeles cash site, United States
Thieves stole at least $30m in cash from a GardaWorld facility in Los Angeles over the Easter weekend.
GardaWorld is a global security company which provides services such as facilities management, property management and cash handling.
Local media called the heist one of the biggest cash heists in LA history. There has not been a public announcement indicating that the burglars have been caught.
Footage shows a massive hole in the vault of Sparkasse Bank in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, where thieves made off with valuables estimated to be worth between 10 and 90 million euros ($11.7 to 105.7 million), police said. Angry customers assembled outside the bank on Tuesday demanding answers.
