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An 8-day self-drive through Bavaria's most charming medieval towns, from the baroque palace city of Würzburg south to the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein.
RoutebookThe Romantic Road (Romantische Strasse) is Germany's most-travelled scenic highway and one of Europe's great driving routes. Created in 1950 to link a chain of Bavarian and Swabian towns that time had largely passed by, the 460 km road runs from the wine-country city of Würzburg south to the Alpine town of Füssen, ending within sight of Neuschwanstein Castle. This 8-day itinerary picks the standout stops: the UNESCO-listed Würzburg Residence, the perfectly preserved walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the quieter but equally beautiful Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, the Roman-founded city of Augsburg and its extraordinary Fuggerei, the riverside charm of Landsberg am Lech, and the dramatic Alpine finale at Füssen. Driving legs are short throughout, rarely more than 90 minutes between stops, so the pace is relaxed and there is always time to pull over for a church, a castle ruin or a vineyard view.
Best time: May to October; spring and early autumn are quietest
4 overnight bases · 3 stops on the way
On the way
Culture
Würzburg Residence: Tiepolo's Grand Staircase Fresco
The UNESCO-listed Würzburg Residence houses what art historians consider among the world's largest ceiling frescos, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo above the palace's grand staircase.
Activity
Walk Rothenburg's Full Town Wall Circuit
A covered two-kilometre circuit of Rothenburg's intact medieval walls, passing over gatehouses and towers with views across the old town's rooftops.
Viewpoint
Nördlingen from the Daniel Tower
Climb 350 steps inside St George's Church tower for a bird's-eye view of the circular medieval street plan, shaped by the ancient meteor crater beneath the town.
Culture
The Fuggerei: World's Oldest Social Housing
Built in 1521 and still inhabited today at a symbolic rent of roughly one euro per year, the Fuggerei in Augsburg is a remarkable piece of living social history spanning five centuries.
Viewpoint
Neuschwanstein Castle from the Marienbrücke
The most famous view in Bavaria: the fairytale castle framed by forest and Alpine peaks, seen from the iron footbridge above the Pöllat gorge.
Scenic Drive
The Romantic Road through the Bavarian Countryside
The stretch between Rothenburg and Augsburg winds through rolling farmland, hop fields and small market towns at a pace that rewards unhurried driving and spontaneous stops.
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