The Romantic Road begins in Würzburg, a university city on the Main River surrounded by vineyards. Start at the Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO-listed Baroque palace with the largest ceiling fresco in the world — Tiepolo's masterpiece covers 677 square meters and depicts the four continents known at the time. The Court Garden behind the palace is a formal Baroque garden perfect for a morning stroll.
Cross the Alte Mainbrücke (Old Main Bridge), lined with Baroque statues of saints and one of Germany's most atmospheric spots, especially at sunset when locals gather to drink Frankenwein from the Bürgerspital wine estate's stand right on the bridge. Walk up to the Marienberg Fortress above the river for panoramic views over the city and the surrounding Franconian wine country.
Eat: Bürgerspital Weinstuben for Franconian specialties — try Schäufele (roasted pork shoulder) paired with a local Silvaner wine. Franconia is the only German wine region that uses the distinctive Bocksbeutel flask-shaped bottle.
Stay: Hotel Residence or Hotel Grüner Baum.
Drive south through the Tauber Valley, stopping at Tauberbischofsheim and Bad Mergentheim if time permits. Bad Mergentheim was the seat of the Teutonic Knights for 300 years — their castle is now a museum worth a brief visit.
Continue to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the jewel of the Romantic Road and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. The complete ring of 14th-century walls is walkable (3.5 km circuit), and the half-timbered houses along the Plönlein (a tiny triangular square with two towers) are Germany's most photographed streetscape.
Don't miss the Medieval Crime Museum (grimly fascinating instruments of punishment), the Reichsstadtmuseum in a former Dominican convent, and the St. James's Church with Tilman Riemenschneider's masterpiece altarpiece, the Holy Blood Altar. In the evening, join the Night Watchman's Tour (in English at 8:00 PM, March-December) — a costumed guide leads you through the lamplit streets with stories of medieval life, plague, and war.
Eat: Zur Höll ("To Hell") — Rothenburg's oldest house (1200 AD), now a wine bar and restaurant in a stone-vaulted cellar. Try Schneeballen ("snowballs"), a fried pastry unique to Rothenburg, from Diller's on the main square.
Stay: Hotel Herrnschlösschen or Burg-Hotel (on the town wall with valley views).
Drive south through Dinkelsbühl, another walled medieval town that rivals Rothenburg but without the tourist crowds. The 15th-century St. George's Minster is a late Gothic hall church of harmonious proportions. Walk the walls and the colorful Weinmarkt square, then have coffee in one of the half-timbered cafés. Dinkelsbühl feels like Rothenburg did 30 years ago — genuine and unhurried.
Continue to Nördlingen, unique in that it sits inside a 15-million-year-old meteorite crater (the Ries). The town walls are fully intact and walkable, and from the church tower (Daniel) you can see the circular shape of the crater. The stone used to build the church contains tiny diamonds formed by the meteorite impact — visible with a magnifying glass.
End the day in Augsburg, one of Germany's oldest cities (founded by the Romans in 15 BC). Visit the Fuggerei, the world's oldest social housing project — built in 1521 by the Fugger banking family, it still houses residents today for an annual rent of €0.88 plus three daily prayers for the Fugger family. The Renaissance-era Rathaus (City Hall) and the Golden Hall inside are magnificent.
Stay: Hotel Maximilian's or Übernacht Urban Lodge.
Drive south through the Pfaffenwinkel ("Priests' Corner"), a region of rolling green hills dotted with Baroque pilgrimage churches. Stop at the Wieskirche (UNESCO World Heritage), an 18th-century Rococo pilgrimage church in a meadow beneath the Alps. The interior is an explosion of pastel stuccowork, gilt, and trompe l'oeil painting — one of the supreme achievements of Bavarian Rococo art.
Continue to Füssen, the southern terminus of the Romantic Road, sitting at the foot of the Alps on the Austrian border. The star attraction is Schloss Neuschwanstein, Ludwig II's fairy-tale castle perched on a cliff above the Pöllat Gorge. Book tickets online well in advance (mandatory timed entry). The interior tour takes 30 minutes; the exterior views from the Marienbrücke suspension bridge are equally stunning. Visit Hohenschwangau Castle across the valley too — it's where Ludwig grew up and is arguably more interesting inside.
Füssen's old town is lovely in its own right: a Benedictine monastery with Baroque frescoes (now the Museum of Füssen), the castle above the town, and views across the Forggensee to the mountains. If you have a fifth day, drive to Linderhof Palace (another Ludwig II creation) or hike in the Ammergau Alps.
Eat: Gasthof Krone in Füssen for Bavarian classics — Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle) and Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake with plum sauce). Pair with a local Weißbier.
Driving tip: The Romantic Road is not a motorway — it follows regular country roads (Bundesstraßen) through towns and villages. Speed limits change frequently. Watch for tractors and cyclists on rural stretches. Free parking is easy to find outside the major towns.
Stay: Hotel Hirsch or Luitpoldpark-Hotel in Füssen.
For multi-country trips, pick up and return the car in the same country to avoid expensive one-way drop-off fees (often €200-500).
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Rental car (5 days, compact) | €150-250 |
| Fuel (petrol, 400 km) | €50-70 |
| Tolls | €0 (no tolls on this route) |
| Accommodation (4 nights mid-range) | €350-600 |
| Food (meals for 2 people) | €300-500 |
| Activities (castles, museums, Night Watchman tour) | €80-130 |
| Parking fees | €20-40 |
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Country-by-country driving requirements, packing list, and emergency contacts — all in one PDF.
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