5-Day Romantic Route Germany Itinerary + Travel Tips

Romantic Route Germany: Itinerary for 5 Days

The word ‘romantic’ doesn’t really go with the stereotypical image that Germans have.

In fact, it almost seems paradoxical. I mean, who are we kidding?! * insert unfunny sausage/beer reference *

But if you’ve been to Germany and outside of Berlin and Munich, you’ll already know that the country is so much more than these cities.

And especially in Bavaria, there’s a brilliant oldwordly charm that’s impossible not to be smitten by.

WHY IT IS CALLED THE ROMANTIC ROAD

The Germany Romantic Road tour, or Romantische Straße as the locals call it, was spun as a tourist must-do shortly after World War II, to promote tourism in war-town Bavaria.

Intial visitors were friends and families of allied personnel stationed in South Germany. Over a short course of time though, word caught on and the road became a hot travel wishlist item in Germany.

Although the term ‘Romantic Road’ was originally a marketing ploy to pique the curiosity of potential travelers, this 413 kilometers long road does a really good job of transporting you into a postcard.

Along the long, winding Romantic Route in Germany, you’ll be driving in and out of tiny German villages and walled towns, you’ll witness colorful flowers in window boxes, half-timbered houses, endless swathes of green fields, medieval castles, and the staggeringly beautiful German countryside.

WHERE DOES THE ROMANTIC ROAD START IN GERMANY

The Romantic Route Germany starts from Würzburg and goes all the way upto Fussen.

While there are a number of airports in cities along the length of the Romantic Route in Germany, the two bigger airports for international travelers are Frankfurt and Munich.

While Frankfurt is closer to Würzburg and is ideal to start your journey from here, the Munich airport is closer to Fussen. Either way, you can begin your Romantic Route Germany itinerary from Würzburg to Fussen, or work your way backwards beginning at Fussen and ending the trip at Würzburg.

Distance from Frankfurt to Würzburg: 120 km (75 miles)
Distance from Munich to Fussen: 119 km (74 miles)

Alternatively, you could also start the journey from any town along the route. As you’ll read in the Romantic Route Germany itinerary below, there are many picturesque towns like Rothenburg and Dinkelsbühl  to stop at.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DRIVE THE ROMANTIC ROAD IN GERMANY

The length of the Romantic Route is 413 km (257 miles).

Of course, driving the Romantic Road in Germany is way easier than it sounds. Along the way, you’ll find many tiny villages and towns that you can literally drive into and out of within minutes.

On the route, there are many signboards with directions in German, English and Japanese.

The itinerary below typically takes you through the length of the Romantic Road from Würzburg to Fussen in 5 days. There are pitstops listed, but you can tailor the itinerary according to your available time. And you can also be spontaneous. The real joy in driving along the Romantic Route in Germany is to be able to stop in any town you’d like, for as long as you fancy.

BEST TIME TO VISIT ROMANTIC ROAD GERMANY

The Romantic Road is accessible throughout the year, however, the route gets quite busy during the summer.

Spring and fall months are a great time to drive along the route, as it isn’t as crowded in the towns, and the weather is kinder. In case you are visiting Munich for Oktoberfest, you can extend your trip to include a drive along the Romantic Road.

However, the absolute best time to plan your German Romantic Route visit is in December, as there are SO MANY Christmas markets in every town along the route! You can stop over at many of these markets along the way, grab some lebkuchen (and gluhwein, if you aren’t driving), and celebrate the big Christmas vibe.

Are you ready to drive along the Romantic Road Germany route? Lezz go!

WHERE DO YOU STOP ON THE ROMANTIC ROAD

In all, there are 28 stops on the Romantic Road but most of these are tiny towns and villages. Many of them might even seem like complete ghost towns as the occupancy is already lean.

And God forbid if you end up here on a Sunday/public holiday, don’t be surprised if you don’t see a living soul. Germans take their off-days very seriously. 😉

The itinerary below includes the best places to stop on the Romantic Road.

• Würzburg
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber
• Dinkelsbühl
• Nördlingen
• Hopfen am See
• Schloss Neuschwanstein
• Füssen

ROMANTIC ROAD GERMANY HIGHLIGHTS

Town/City	Distance
Frankfurt	-
Würzburg	120 km (75 miles)
Rotherburg ob der Tauber	60 km (37 miles)
Dinkelsbühl	50 km (31 miles)
Nördlingen	32 km (20 miles)
Augsburg	75 km (47 miles)
Neuschwanstein (Hohenschwangau)	103 km (64 miles)
Füssen	4 km (2.5 miles)
Munich	133 km (83 miles)

DRIVING THE ROMANTIC ROAD GERMANY

By Car

The best way to travel the Romantic Route in Germany is by car. It gives you the independence of mobility. Like I said, the charm of the Romantic Route lies in passing through pretty little towns and villages, and having a car allows you to pull over at any of these, at any time. You won’t have to depend on train schedules or fixed timelines.

Besides, driving on the Autobahn is literally bucket list material. It’s an experience.

You can drive your own car or rent one. Since Frankfurt and Munich are so close to Würzburg and Füssen respectively, and are big city hubs with international airports, you can pick up and drop off your rental car at either of these, itself.

Is it easy to rent a car in Germany?

Renting a car in Germany is relatively inexpensive and extremely easy.

Non-Europeans need a valid driver’s license from their home state or province to legally drive in Germany.

If you’d like to rent a car, you can find amazing deals at rentalcars.com.  They’ll just drop the car at your location and have it picked up after you return. You can also pick up a rental car at the airport you’re flying in to.

You can read more about renting a car in Germany in this article.

By Public Transport

While traveling the Romantic Route in Germany by public transport is technically possible, there is no direct train/bus route that covers the entire length of the road. Most of the smaller villages don’t have central train stations, and you might have to switch between carriages to complete the journey.

If you’d like to know more about traveling the Romantic Road by public transport, here is a detailed article.

Cycling

Biking 400+ km might seem crazy on the face of it, but a lot of people commit to this adventure every year.

If you consider covering this Romantic Route Germany itinerary on a bike, there is a scenic biking path that covers the whole route. It runs along the highway in parts, and is well connected to all the towns falling on the Romantic Road. The route is also fairly flat and not too tough to ride.

Just like cars, it is also easy and convenient to rent bikes to travel along the Romantic Route in Germany. You can find more info here.

ROMANTIC ROUTE GERMANY ITINERARY FOR 5 DAYS

Day 1

Start your road trip and make the first stop at Würzburg.

Würzburg

We’re beginning in a part of Bavaria that has the most distinct cultural identity – Franconia.

And Würzburg is the wine capital of the Franconian region. Are we excited yet??

Würzburg is also one of the most prominent pitstops on the Romantic Route.

Walk around the city center and appreciate the remnants of gothic architecture juxtaposed with modern infrastructure.

Visit the mammoth, brick-red Gothic chapel, Marienkapelle.

Witness the grandeur of the 18th century Würzburg Residenz palace with its ornate interiors and the massive court garden outside. The Residenz is also a UNESCO world heritage site and the palace offers an excellent and inexpensive guided tour.

Then grab a wine/Aperol at the Alte Mainbrücke or the Old Main Bridge, Würzburg’s signature bridge and meeting point. Even if it’s 10 am, it’s wine-o-clock. Can I get an Amen?

At the bridge, enjoy the musical milieu put together by street artists, with the Marienberg Fortress perched on a hill in the distance.

Next, we drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (60 km; 45 minutes driving time). If time allows, you can stop at Bad Mergentheim on the way.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Have I told you that Germany is full of fairytale towns?

The prettiest and most charming little town you’ll stop at, on this Romantic Route Germany itinerary, is Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

This splendid town can instantly transport you into the pages of a fairytale. I’ve been here in the summer, during the Christmas market in December, and during the fall. Rothenburg never disappoints.

I could write a song alright, but in the interest of time, here’s an article with things to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber (with tons of photos which will give you major travel inspiration)!

I’d suggest you aim to get to Rothenburg by evening and stay overnight.

Why you should stay the night at Rothenburg ob der Tauber?

Due to its proximity to some bigger German cities, a lot of visitors arrive during the day and leave by evening, so you’ll have the entire town to yourself minus the crazy hordes of tourists. Besides, Rothenburg looks especially pretty by night!

Where to stay in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We usually stay at the Hotel Gasthof zur Linde, an inexpensive, cozy and comfortable hotel extremely close to the city center. They also have a reasonably good breakfast spread, are pet-friendly, and have free parking (which is a HUGE bonus because nothing’s usually free in Germany!)

Another great recommendation is the Pension Elke Rothenburg. Very close to the city center, the hosts are very welcoming and responsive, and it has everything you need for a good stay in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

You could also book a guided tour in Rothenburg to learn more about the town’s history.

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Day 2

The next morning, you can wake up early to catch some of the morning quiet and dewy charm of Rothenburg. Walk around the Old Town, get breakfast at Brot & Zeit, and then head south to what is perhaps the most colorful town of Germany – Dinkelsbühl (50 km; 40 minutes driving time).

Dinkelsbühl

If you’re in love with Rothenburg by now (I’m sure you’ll be when you visit), you’ll turn into an ode-writing, lyric-weaving, spellbound romanticist when you arrive in Dinkelsbühl.

Every street, every lane, every half-timbered house in this shockingly underrated town is plain gorgeous. And it’s the best way to spend an absolutely flawless day while on the Romantic Road.

The thing about Dinkelsbühl is that it is quite as charming as Rothenburg ob der Tauber but minus the crowds. It’s one of those rare, underrated places that just haven’t gotten in the spotlight yet.

Dinkelsbühl miraculously survived the WW2 bombings unscathed, hence it is one of the few places in Germany with completely intact city walls.

With gabled rooftops, cobblestoned streets, half-timbered houses, and a burst of color everywhere, Dinkelsbühl is one of the most authentically German towns on the Romantic Road.

As you walk around gaping at the pretty sights, make a pit stop at Cafe am Munster for a simple but lovely lunch (they usually have one daily special and it’s delish).

Then visit St.Georg’s Minster, the Weinmarkt and the Deutsches Haus for quintessential Dinkelsbühl architecture.

This amazing article covers all you can do in Dinkelsbühl.

The next stop in our Romantic Route Germany itinerary is Nördlingen (32 km; 30 minutes driving time).

Nördlingen

With a medieval city wall, a formidable church watch tower, and a glorious townscape, Nördlingen is sure to leave a lasting impression on you.

What’s most interesting about the walled town, though, is that it was built in a massive 25 kilometers diameter-wide crater!

A meteorite had struck this area around 15 million years ago and it left a big pit that came to be called Nördlinger Ries. Nördlingen city is built inside this crater, about 6 kilometers southwest of its center.

If you walk along the city walls of Nördlingen, you will have walked the entire length in a circle around the town. Nördlingen is the only town in Germany you can do this in.

Visit St. Georg Dom, a Baroque church that sits in the heart of Nördlingen and is easy to spot as you enter the town. Walk up the steps of the church’s Daniel Tower – the ticket costs EUR 3.50 and is an easy climb. From the top you can get a sense of the circular shape of the town as it lies in the crater.

You’ll mostly get to Nördlingen by late evening, so park yourself here for the night and explore the town the following morning.

Day 3

Spend half a day in Nördlingen and take some time to visit the sights mentioned above.

After Nördlingen, you can visit Augsburg, one of the bigger cities on the Romantic Road.

We were more interested in the smaller towns and villages as that is where the real draw of the Romantic Road lies.

Which explains the choice of our next destination – Hopfen am See, a rare find we chanced upon and instantly fell in love with.

Nördlingen to Augsburg: 75 km (1 hour driving time)
Augsburg to Hopfen am See: 108 km (1.5 hours driving time)
Nördlingen to Hopfen am See: 204 km (2.15 hours driving time)

Hopfen am See

This is a special stop that you won’t see in any Romantic Road itinerary or travel guide.

Why, you ask? Because it’s extremely close to the more touristy locations like Füssen and Neuschwanstein Castle, yet is completely unexplored and pristine.

Hopefensee is a beautiful lake at the foot of the Alps, just a 15-minute drive from Schloss Neuschwanstein.

We stayed here for two nights and it really fit well with our plan.

Why you should stay in Hopfen am See: The closest town to Schloss Neuschwanstein is Füssen, which landed on the tourist map as an ideal place to stay at if you’re visiting the castle, as part of your Romantic Route Germany itinerary. Hence, the hotels might be expensive, depending on what time in the year you head there.

Hopfen am See is extremely close to Neuschwanstein, yet is not half as touristy. It’s a great place if you want to get a more local experience and save some bucks.

We spent 2 nights at a fantastic property in Hopfen am See called Landhaus Kössel. Cute, cosy, and right in the center of the Alps. The rooms are really comfortable, there’s a decent breakfast spread, and you get gorgeous balcony views of the Alps!

The hotel offers great value for money and I recommend staying here 100%.

Why you should stay at Hopfen am See for two nights:

So you can wake up early and get to Neuschwanstein Castle in time before the crowds throng the spot. We’ll get to this in a bit (below).

You’ll most likely arrive in Hopfen am See by the evening. Get dinner at Vitushoehle, an Irish bar bang opposite the hotel (amazing burgers; veggie options that can easily be veganized).

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Day 4

Neuschwanstein Castle + Hohenschwangau Castle

We’re finally getting to the most coveted part of our Romantic Route Germany itinerary!

Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, and also features in its company logo.

Schloss (Castle) Neuschwanstein is just 8 kilometers from Landhaus Kössel, in a small village called Schwangau. It is the biggest highlight of Germany’s Romantic Road tour, and is one of the biggest landmarks in Europe.

There’s a parking lot with ample space as you enter the premises.

Important: Bear in mind that you must aim at getting here latest by 9 a.m.

After this, throngs of visitors start pouring in, and I mean buses full of tourists (there are a lot of bus connections offering day trips from Munich up to the Neuschwanstein castle). Which is why you should stay overnight at Hopfen am See; it just makes more sense.

Besides, tickets to the castle often get sold out by 12 or 12:30 p.m.

Buy a combined ticket for Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Both castles are stunning and important in their own right. The price is around EUR 26 per person for a combined ticket (may vary depending on the time of the year). This also includes a tour guide or an audio one.

From the ticket counter, there’s a hike up to Marienbrücke where you get the castle view you’ve probably seen in most Instagram pictures:

From Marienbrücke, you can hike up further to get even better views.

Both Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are among the prettiest fairytale castles in Germany.

Schloss Neuschwanstein: “The Mad King” Ludwig II had this gorgeous castle made to live his dream life inspired by medieval legend, art, and music. The interiors are grand, sometimes eccentric. On the whole, though, the castle has a MUCH greater appeal from the outside.

Schloss Hohenschwangau: This was the abode of King Ludwig II while growing up. The king never really liked the Hohenschwangau castle and built Schloss Neuschwanstein on a hill higher than this one, as a way to make a point. You can tell he was pretty headstrong as a child!

The castles (and the hike) will take you an entire day and you’ll be pretty exhausted by the evening. End your day with dinner, drinks, and a leisurely walk along Lake Hopfensee.

 

Day 5

On Day 5, head to the final stop on the Germany Romantic Road tour, Füssen (5 km; 8 minutes driving time).

Füssen

A comfortable drive from the hotel Landhaus Kössel in Hopfen am See and 10 minutes from Schloss Neuschwanstein, the next stop on Day 5 of our Romantic Route Germany itinerary is Füssen.

Park in the city center, and walk down to the Lechefall im Füssen, a waterfall with the bluest water you’d have ever seen. It also has a deeply cut Alpine gorge, the biggest in Europe.

This point at the Lechefal is also just a kilometer away from the Austrian border, so if you walk further down the road along the river, you’ll land up in Austria! Life’s all about cheap thrills isn’t it 😀

Make a quick stop at the Holy Ghost Hospital Church with its frescoed front facade that’s hard to miss.

Then head to the Füssen Old Town, grab a coffee and admire the cute aesthetic that’s somewhat reminiscent of Innsbruck.

(BONUS Addition to Your Romantic Route Germany Itinerary)

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

From Füssen you can drive for an hour to another whimsical, colorful German town called Garmisch-Partenkirchen, or Garmisch for short.

Though it is technically not on the Romantic Route in Germany, you should definitely reserve a visit to Garmisch.

Mostly known as a popular ski resort, Garmisch will surprise you with whimsically frescoed buildings, narrow streets and cute little shops, all enveloped in striking Alpine glory.

You can also make Garmisch your base and make day trips to lakes like Eibsee and Chiemsee, or even further to Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria.

We planned our Romantic Road travel in December, hence it was 100% sweater (read: bulky jackets and 4 layers of warm clothing) weather. As it happened, we spotted a glühwein stall in the city center and plonked ourselves there. Priorities, you know.

Visit Pfarrkirche St. Martin, a Parish church bang in the middle of the town. While it looks rather ordinary from the outside, the church is replete with beautiful interiors, striking murals, and excellent stonework.

Then head to China Garden for dinner, a nice cozy place with German and English-speaking staff.

From here you can head back, drive to Munich or you can spend one night in Garmisch (this hotel is in a small village nearby called Etal, and will turn out to be cheaper).

After completing the Romantic Road Germany route, you could head to Zugspitze, the tallest mountain peak in Germany. This is very close to Garmisch and you can catch some of the best views of the Alps from Zugspitze.

So, to summarize the 5 day Romantic Road Germany itinerary:

• Day 1: Start in Würzburg and drive to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. If you have time, stop at Bad Mergentheim enroute. Stay in Rothenburg overnight.
• Day 2: Dinkelsbüuhl and Nördlingen. Stay the night at Nördlingen.
• Day 3: Spend half a day in Nördlingen. Drive to Hopfen am See to spend the night here.
• Day 4: Start early at Neuschwanstein Castle, followed by a tour of Hohenschwangau Castle.
• Day 5: Spend the day walking around Füssen Old Town. Then head to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

TIPS FOR TRAVELING THE ROMANTIC ROAD IN GERMANY

If you’re visiting the country for the first time, there are a few things worth knowing about before embarking on the Germany Romantic Road tour:

• Sundays in Germany are ruhetage  or ‘quiet days’, which means all supermarkets, shops, offices and sometimes (though rarely) even restaurants are closed. Keeping this in mind might help while planning your itinerary.
• Public restrooms are generally never free; they mostly charge 50c to 1 euro. Make sure you carry some change in coins, in case.
• Cash is king in Germany. You can’t rely solely on card transactions, especially in the smaller towns along the Romantic Road. It is a good idea to have sufficient cash on you.
• Needless to say, it helps to have good and reliable GPS, either on phone or in your vehicle. While there are several signboards planted along the stretch of the Romantic Road, it is easy to get confused and one wrong turn can put you considerably off the route.

Looking for more inspiration? You might like these posts:

A German Fairytale Town: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
How to Spend One Day in Frankfurt
11 Cool Things You Didn’t Know about Cologne