A former trade route, Germany's Romantic Road is a 220-mile
(350km) portion of highway stretching from central Germany to the
southern border with Austria. A popular route for holidays in
Germany, the Romantic Road is actually a modern concept meant to
encapsulate the typically Bavarian atmosphere and culture of the
villages and towns along the way.
Easy to follow, with brown signs posted in several languages,
the Romantic Road is an ideal route for seeing fairy-tale castles
and charming, quintessentially German towns. Travellers should
note, however, that the route is so popular now that the best sites
tend to be overrun with tourists in the peak summer months (June to
August). Spring and autumn are good alternatives for those who
prefer to skip the crowds.
The Romantic Road starts in Wurzburg, a town famous for its
wineries and gourmet restaurants. Visitors should be sure to see
the Residence Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From there the road goes to Rothenburg ob der Tauber and
Dinkelsbuhl, two of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany,
and the 1,000-year-old Castle Hotel Colmberg. The 2,000-year-old
town of Augsburg, an old Roman trading centre, features beautiful
buildings and traditional Bavarian restaurants.
Pfaffenwinkel and Neuschwanstein are key stops on the route,
famous for their churches, castles, and pretty rolling
countryside.
There are many ways to travel the Romantic Road: by train, bus
tour, car, or even bicycle. Hop-on, hop-off bus tickets are
available from Frankfurt, and you can also hire bicycles at any
train station for only a few euros if you have a valid train
ticket.