🏰 Germany’s Romantic Road: a guide to the fairytale route
When people talk about romance in travel, they most often think of France. Indeed, what can outshine in its romance boat rides on the Seine, leisurely savoring wine with your significant other and admiring the capital of charm from the Eiffel Tower? But there is no aspect of life in which the Germans would not challenge their eternal rivals – the French.
So in the dispute over romance, Germany unexpectedly decided to impose rivalry on France. Having created in the 1950s a special route through the best attractions in the south of the country, the “Romantic Road of Germany”. Well, let's evaluate whether the German route is so romantic and what sweet places are offered to us.
Where is the Romantic Road?
Germany's Romantic Road is a 350-kilometer route through 28 locations in the south of the country (Bavaria). Its starting point in the north is Würzburg. And you will cross the finish line in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, in Fussen.
The route is beautiful because it connects enchanting natural views, the valleys of the north and the mountain ranges of the south, with the best man-made wonders of German architecture , such as the Würzburg Residence and Neuschwanstein Castle. You can choose the largest pearls from this tiara of German classics to visit. But ideally, it is better to leisurely ride the entire route. And change your view of Germany forever.
If German romance is to your liking, our story on how to spend a honeymoon in Germany will be an organic continuation.
How to travel along the Romantic Road
The easiest way to get to the starting points of the route in the north or south is by plane with favorable tickets. There is no shortage of flights to Frankfurt am Main or Munich. In the first case, you will find yourself an hour's drive from Wurzburg, in the second you will be closer to Fussen.
Airports also offer a wide window of opportunity. You can take advantage of specialized bus tours. You will be picked up directly from the airport and driven to the other end of Bavaria. A traveler who has less time or is more meticulous when studying monuments is offered to travel not the entire Romantic Road, but only a few of its locations. Prices, depending on the chosen route and entertainment along the way, range from 30 to 230 euros.
For those who like to travel independently and do not like to depend on a compressed tour schedule, there are options to get to a number of points on the route differently. For example, by bus ( use the extensive Flixbus network) or by train (Deutsche Bahn).
And the most convenient option would be to rent a car, for example, from Europcar. This will allow you to look into every corner of the Romantic Road and not rush anywhere. Perhaps only to quickly return the rented car, because the prices are steep – from 100 euros per day.
Lifehacks
When planning a trip, the first question a tourist has is what dates are best to place a bet on? In summer, the Romantic Road looks more interesting: green forests give way to the snow caps of the Bavarian Alps. By the way, they wrote about the Saxon Alps here. Frost will not soon drive you away from walks through medieval streets and parks. But in the summer there are a lot of tourists in the locations of the route.
Winter seems to be a good option for those who love New Year and Christmas fairs and performances. The Germans really know a lot about their organization. If you are wondering which fair to go to to get in the mood, take a special tour. And February is the perfect time for sentiment. The route is ideal for traveling with your other half or (why not?) looking for her at tables in cozy cafes.
Another bright page of the trip can be wine adventures. It would be simply blasphemous to ignore German wine tasting on the Romantic Road. After all, the road passes through one of the main wine regions of the country – Franconia. Some tours are specifically designed to explore this “intoxicating” part of German culture.
If your route involves a lot of travel by train, then we’ll share a way to save a lot of money. Deutsche Bahn offers regional day tickets for Bavaria. The larger the group of passengers (up to five people), the cheaper the ticket for one. For example, for one passenger unlimited travel in Bavaria will cost 29 euros / day, and for five – 69 euros / day. Ideal if you are traveling with your family.
Finally, bicycle tourism has recently become increasingly popular. The cycling infrastructure is well developed both in general in Germany and within the borders of the Romantic Road. But with such a trip, we recommend moving from south to north, and not vice versa. This way you will go down the mountains, not up.
Sights of the Romantic Road
The duration of your trip depends on the time available. You can travel 350 kilometers in one daylight. But such running around is of little use. Therefore, we recommend dedicating at least a few days to the route. And we will tell you what you should definitely include in it.
Wurzburg
The romantic road of Germany will conquer you from its very first point. Würzburg is one of the most majestic and beautiful cities in the country. The proud and arrogant 11th century Marienburg fortress rises right in the middle of the Franconian vineyards, personifying the two main passions of local knights – fighting and drinking.
From knightly power to secular pomp: we move on to the episcopal residence of the 18th century. This is the calling card of the city; its 167-meter facade adorns most postcards and souvenirs. It is not surprising that the townspeople are so proud of their landmark. The bishop's residence became the first secular building in Germany to be awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. And on the ceiling of the residence you will find one of the largest frescoes in the country.
A visit to Würzburg is not complete without sighing about the majestic architecture of local churches. Nominally the oldest is the 11th century Romanesque Cathedral of St. Kilian. True, it was raised from the ruins in the middle of the 20th century. Be sure to also visit the Market Square with the 14th century Church of the Virgin Mary.
Weikersheim
Or little Versailles. Rivalry with France again!
Weikersheim's official website promises: “You will be enchanted.” And she's not lying. The ensemble represents a case where external beauty matches the internal. The large park, along with the garden and the greenhouse, will hardly challenge Versailles, but will make you spend hours circling under the canopy of centuries-old trees, soaking in the spirit of the Renaissance and Baroque era.
The castle is famous for its knights' hall, decorated with hunting scenes, life-size animal figures and a cassette ceiling with genre paintings. A moment of mysticism: at one time there was an alchemist’s laboratory here.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Even cautious and reserved diplomats officially nicknamed Rothenburg ob der Tauber “the most romantic city in Germany.” Attracted by such a poster, the city is visited annually by three million tourists with a population of only 11 thousand people!
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the few German cities where the medieval city wall with towers has been completely preserved. Maybe it’s thanks to her, or maybe in general thanks to the careful attitude of local residents towards their cultural heritage, that a medieval spirit hovers in the city.
It’s curious, but the main attraction and atmosphere of the past might not exist in the city. According to legend, in the 17th century, during the 30 Years' War, the city was captured by an army of Catholics. The winning commander was given a three-liter cup of wine at the tavern. He proposed a bet to the burgomaster of the conquered city, Georg Nusch: if Nusch drinks a jug of wine in one gulp, Rothenburg will not be destroyed. So that the Germans don’t know how to drink… Nush thought and drained the huge container. Thanks to this alcoholic feat, the city survived, and since then it has hosted the Meister trunk theatrical festival.
And the scenes filmed in Rothenburg were supposed to be included in the film ” Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” But for some reason the ideal medieval scenery of the city remained unclaimed by the director. Which made the residents sad.
Dinkelsbühl
Another amazing concentration of medieval spirit on the Romantic Road. Looking at the panorama of the city, I don’t even want to list its attractions. After all, it is a solid ensemble in itself, creating the proper atmosphere with triangular roofs of multi-colored gingerbread houses, paving stones that have seen millions of feet, and 16 surviving medieval towers.
Its peculiarity is that the administration meticulously preserved the old part separately from the new city quarters. And rightly so: there is no point in mixing the classics with architectural decadence. Moreover, the ” old city ” remained squeezed into the medieval wall and was almost completely surrounded by it. Therefore, using the example of Dinkelsbühl, we can see how the city looked in the Middle Ages.
Every summer the city hosts the Kinderzehe costume show. For a strange reason, I must say: in honor of the surrender of Dinkelsbühl to Swedish troops during the same 30-year war.
Neuschwanstein
According to composer Richard Wagner, Neuschwanstein was built in the style of real knight's castles. The Bavarian ruler Ludwig II, who built the castle, however, had his own opinion on this matter. The soaring towers of the castle are no match for the heavy and massive walls of the medieval classics. Neuschwanstein in a series of German castles is like an exquisite dude at a meeting of the Soviet Komsomol.
From its first days of existence, the miracle castle attracted crowds of fans. Ultimately, with their donations they helped complete its construction. The glory of the castle has not perished over the centuries; today it is actively supported by the Disney film company. Yes, it was Neuschwanstein that formed the basis of the Sleeping Beauty Castle. And that, in turn, appears on the company logo.
It is worth spending 17.5 euros for a ticket inside to see the luxurious interiors of the building. Illustrations to Wagner’s operas and ancient German legends play a key role in them. And, of course, swans (from German Neuschwanstein translates as “new swan stone”).
Piligrimos has made for you a selection of other magnificent German castles that you will want to visit.
And also…
One of Europe's most stunning medieval castles towers over Harburg. And the area itself is a real reserve of antiquities. Exhibits and buildings from the times of the Roman Empire, ancient Germans and medieval princes have been preserved here.
You can plunge even deeper into the past in Augsburg, a city with a two-thousand-year history, one of the top oldest settlements in the country. Tourists are especially attracted by the old town hall and its richly decorated golden hall, the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, and the Basilica of Saints Ulrich and Afra. But it wouldn’t hurt to move away from the sublime to the mundane. Augsburg is home to the Fuggerei, the world's first social housing district. It was founded in 1516. Those wishing to receive shelter here had to live in Augsburg for at least two years, be Catholics and find themselves in poverty through no fault of their own.
After the bustle of the city, for solitude and relaxation for the soul, come to Wildsteig, a small mountain rural community. Those who want to be in nature turn off the Romantic Road here. The picturesque foothills of the Alps and lakes will undoubtedly contribute to this.
An excellent addition to Wildsteig is the nearby Viskirhe church. It was recognized as one of the most important Rococo monuments in the world and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. But all words will fade before the contemplation of the skillfully painted ceiling and walls.