The Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) is a beautiful European route that you can make a real trip out of. Located in Western Bavaria, the popular scenic drive starts at the historic town of Würzburg and finishes at Füssen, near the Austrian border.
There’s no shortage of sights on this 350 kilometre (220 mi) road with historic walled towns and villages, gothic churches, wine country, and medieval castles and buildings all dotted along the way. It used to be a trade route during the middle ages which connected the centre of Germany with southern Germany.
Usually, people start the route in the north and finish in the south. But, if you want to continue travelling to Austria or Italy, it’s best to start from the south. There are many towns along the way, including Würzburg, Tauberbischofsheim, Lauda, Bad Mergentheim, Creglingen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, Harburg, Donauwörth, Augsburg, Landsberg, Schongau, Pfaffenwinkel, Schwangau, and Füssen.
How many kilometres is it / How long does it take to ride it?
Are there any accommodation or camping options along the way? There are a lot of places to stay in the towns mentioned above. Each town and village has plenty of b&b’s, guesthouses, and hostels. There are also a number of hotels in Wurzburg, Füssen, Rothenburg, Bad Mergentheim, Dinkelsbühl, and Schwangau that are biker-friendly.
If camping is your thing, you’re in luck, because these towns all have campsites: Würzburg, Creglingen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Schillingsfürst, Oberndorf, Affing, Landsberg am Lech, Rottenbuch, Schwangau, and Füssen im Allgäu.
Interesting sights on the route? Popular sights along the Romantic Road include medieval castles and historic buildings such as the Würzburg Residenz, the former residence of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, which was built by Balthasar Neumann. The Würzburg Residenz is one of the most important pieces of baroque architecture in Europe.
Fuggerei, a historic site in Augsburg is thought to be the world’s oldest housing project. It was founded by Jakob Fugger, also known as Jakob Fugger the Rich, as a housing complex for needy Augsburgers. Harburg Castle, a picturesque castle on a cliff above Harburg village, is also one of the highlights along the way. But, Schloss Weikersheim, located in Weikersheim is, arguably, the castle most worth seeing along the Romantic Road.
The Marienberg Fortress is a symbol of Würzburg and served as the home of the local prince-bishops for nearly five centuries. The Goldener Saal or Golden Hall is the most impressive of the Rathaus’s rooms at the Augsburg Town Hall. There are plenty of famous churches along the way too, including St. Kilian Cathedral, the fourth largest Romanesque cathedral in Germany; St Anna Kirche, a Renaissance Church in Augsburg; church Wieskirche (church in the meadow), a must-see church in Pfaffenwinkel; Wies Church, a famous Pilgrimage Church in Steingaden.
There are also a number of museums along the road such as the Romisches Museum, Reichsstadtmuseum, which is located in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and the Deutsches Weihnachtsmuseum (Christmas museum) which is also in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
If you’re a wine drinker then you should add Würzburg town to your ‘must see’ list, which a popular stop due to its exceptional wines and vineyards.
What is the best time of year to travel the route? The Romantic Road can get crowded in summer. If you want to avoid congestion, late summer and early autumn are the best seasons to travel the Romantic Road.
Is the route ever closed over winter? The Romantic Road is open year-round, however, some sights may be closed in winter or have restricted opening hours.
Where are people able to get fuel when they are riding the route? There’s no shortage of petrol stations dotted along the route in the major towns mentioned above.
Photo credit: ptwo / CC BY Photo credit: ptwo / CC BY Photo credit: ptwo / CC BY Photo credit: ptwo / CC BY 