THE
GERMAN ROMANTIC ROAD
Traveling Germany's Most Famous Touring Trail
Not
really a road in particular, but an idea. When tourism returned in
Germany post war descriptive theme routes began to be coined, roads
or routes linking like-themed destinations, wine roads through vineyards
and wine regions, castle roads past medieval fortresses, fairy tale trails
following the footsteps of story telling brothers. The Romantic Road
(Romantische Strasse) is one of the best known and most popular of these
theme tourist travel routes through old towns and medieval market
squares. For 2010, the Romantic Road is celebrating 60 years, with
special anniversary events beginning in May and continuing throughout
the year.
The
Romantic Road links a series of historic towns almost directly north
to south
from
Würzburg on the River Main in Franconia south-east
of Frankfurt to Füssen at the foot of the Alps on the German border
with Austria, south-west of Munich. The route links about 30 towns of
quaint character, walled cities of particular German middle romantic
identity and small villages following a medieval trade path. Fairy tail
castles, churches of Baroque domed towers, local German
cuisine, rivers and green countryside mark a trip along the Romantic
Road.
Würzburg is
noted for its Marienburg Fortress, and the UNESCO World Heritage
site of its masterpiece of Baroque style the Palace of the Prince
Bishop, the Cathedral Museum and Mozart Festival. Rothenburg
ob der Tauber is probably the most famous town along
the Romantic Road, with its intact walls, gingerbread town square and
its legend of the being saved from
destruction by a beer bet, so representative of old world Germany it
was the location for scenes from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.
Rothenburg is where the Romantic Road crosses the Castle Road from Mannheim
to Prague (see German Castle
Road). Rothenburg hosts one of Germany’s best
Chirstmas Markets and unique museums (see Rothenburg
on the Tauber). Dinkelsbühl is a former “Free Imperial” town
located in the middle of the Romantic Road route, with 16 towers, fountains,
one of Germany’s most beautiful late Gothic hall churches and Wine
Market (see Dinkelsbuhl
Walled Town). Feuchtwangen hosts
the annual Cloister Festival, one of the country’s
most traditional (see Schloss
Sommersdorf).
Harburg is a small town on the Wörnitz
River on the Swabian Highlands with one of southern Germany’s
best preserved castles. Augsburg is the biggest city
on the route, founded by the Romans and named for Caesar Augustus,
it is one
of Germany's
oldest cities (see Augsburg
Mozart). Landsberg am Lech in the Swabian plain to the west
of Munich was founded by Henry the Lion 700 years ago where the trade
route
crossed the River
Lech, with its old town marketplace framed by the beautiful river rapids
through the old town and its historic Schmalz Tower and the fairytale-like
Mutterturm (see Romantic
Towers of Landsberg). Schwangau in
southern Bavaria is where Walt Disney while touring the Romantic Road
discovered King
Ludwig’s fanciful Neuschwanstein Castle, which inspired the animator's
Disneyland Fairy Castle (see Mad
Ludwig’s Fantasy Neuschwanstein). Füssen is Bavaria’s highest town with a
late medieval town center and celebrates its most famed patron with “Ludwig:
the Musical”.
Following The Romantic Road
There
are a few ways to follow the Romantic Road. By car from either Munich
starting in
the south or from Frankfurt at the northern end. Get
a rental car from Munich’s airport and return it at Frankfurt,
or double back. By bus, Deutsche Touring runs regular bus service along
the romantic road, advance purchase for a tour is available, or simply
ride from town to town as you like and get a ticket on the spot when
you're ready to move on. Maps of the Romantic Road can be found at tourism
offices in Munich, Frankfurt and most anywhere along the route. Biking
the romantic route is a popular mode of leisurely exercise and Romantic
Road group and guided tours can be found. Check the official Come
to Germany website for offers. Of course you don’t
have to follow the route specifically, the towns along the Romantic Road
can be discovered along with other destinations in the area of southern
Germany, venture over into the Black Forest between the romantic road
and the border with France (see Black
Forest). In July see the knights
at the Kaltenberg Festival (see Kaltenberg
Tournament). Visit the car museums
of Stuttgart (see Porsche
Museum and Mercedes)
or explore the beer halls
of Munich. © Bargain
Travel Europe
Best hotel deals compare prices on the Romantic Road on TripAdvisor
Web Info
Romantische
Strasse
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel Europe and WLPV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
See Also:
GERMAN LIMES ROAD - ROMAN FORTS AND MUSEUMS
SCHLOSS
NYMPHENBURG - KINGS PALACE MUNICH
HOHENZOLLERN
CASTLE CASTLE IN THE CLOUDS
ROMANTIK
HOTEL MARKUSTURM ROTHENBURG
