The Romantic Road

Würzburg: Situated in the northern tip of Bavaria, the city of Würzburg was important in medieval times and today has impressive churches and other attractions worth seeing - the most famous being the Marienburg fortress. Also a popular attraction is the Würzburg Residence - a magnificent palace in the Baroque style built in the early 1700s for the former prince bishops of Würzburg. Other attractions include St. Mary's Chapel, the Market Place, and the New Minster. Located on the River Main, Würzburg is surrounded by vineyards and beautiful countryside. Visit the official Würzburg website. Take the English option in the lower left corner.

Wertheim: Called the "door to the charming Tauber Valley," Wertheim is a quaint medieval town, situated at the confluence of the rivers Tauber and Main, and nestled amongst bucolic meadows, forests, and vineyards. Wertheim is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Old Town Wertheim has narrow lanes and historic structures including a castle and the gothic Kilian's Chapel. And biking, cycling, and Franconian hospitality are at your doorstep. The website features maps, pictures, and package tours. Type "tourist-wertheim.de" into Google and take the translate option. Or, from Google results screen, click on the website "www.tourist-wertheim.com" - the English version of the site. The information differs in the two sites.

Tauberbischofsheim: As one of the oldest towns in the Tauber Valley, Tauberbischofsheim has many fine structures - including its landmark Kurmainz Castle. The castle was constructed in about 1260 and its Türmersturm tower - the town symbol - was added in the 15th and 16th centuries. The castle hosts the Tauber-Franconia Rural Museum. The town's Gothic town hall with its glockenspiel adds great beauty to the town square. The official website is "www.tauberbischofsheim.de" - but even with the Google translate option, little information is available in English.

Lauda-Königshofen: A wine town situated on the Tauber River, Lauda-Königshofen is well-known for its Old Town - filled with impressive churches, bridges, monuments, and half-timbered houses. Its location in the lovely Tauber Valley makes Lauda-Königshofen the perfect base for hikers. And the awesome Main-Tauber-Circle bicycle route begins and ends in Lauda-Königshofen. For the official Lauda-Königshofen website, type "lauda-koenigshofen.de" into Google and take the translate option. Then click "tourism." The website has various links that describe the hiking and cycling possibilities, and contacts if you would like materials sent to you.

Bad Mergentheim: This historic town in the Tauber Valley is filled with buildings that span Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. Visit the Old Town, the castle and museum of the Teutonic Order, and St. John’s Cathedral. The world-famous Bad Mergentheim spa and resort, with its hot mineral springs, is located here. Visit the official Bad-Mergentheim website, and click the English icon.

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Weikersheim: The historic town, first documented in 837, has many ancient lanes filled with magnificent houses, churches, historic monuments, and the former city gate. Visit the stately city square, or marketplace, and notice the city hall, St. George church, and the village museum. Highly recommended is the tour of the Weikersheim Renaissance Castle - built in the 16th century on the foundations of an older castle. The impressive castle gardens are also open to the public. Weikersheim is also known for its vineyards, which grow so splendidly in the soil of the Tauber Valley. Visit the official Weikersheim website, click the emblem in the upper left corner, and then click the British flag near the bottom of the page.

Röttingen: Also called Rötting, the 900 year old wine town lies in the lovely Tauber Valley. Wander the town lanes for romantic and historic buildings and monuments, including the city wall with seven preserved towers, the church and hospital of St. Kilian, half-timbered houses, and the baroque town hall. Like the nearby towns, Röttingen provides access to many hiking and cycling trails that run through the Tauber Valley. To visit the official Röttingen website, type "roettingen.de" into Google and take the translate option. Then click Tourist Information.

Creglingen: Founded around 100 BC by the Celts, Creglingen received its town charter in 1349. It is a medieval town that has retained its historic town square. Wandering the square and narrow lanes of Creglingen, one can view impressive historic structures, some from medieval times, including fachwerk buildings, city towers, the town hall, the Romschlössle, and more. One can also view the remains of the medieval town walls, along with the Jewish Museum and Jewish Cemetery. Visit the official Creglingen website, and click on the left for the English version. There is not much information on the website about the town, but the website does list available B&Bs, inns, flats, and campsites as the town is centrally located in the upper third of the Romantic Road.

Rothenburg: Rothenburg is probably the most famous town of the Romantic Road. Click on the Rothenburg link above for great pictures, information, and the official Rothenburg website. (Or click here to open the Rothenburg webpage in a separate window.)

Schillingsfürst: The city's landmark, which rises high above the town, is the baroque castle of the princes of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. The castle has its own fine website, and can be accessed from the Schillingsfürst website. (Or type "schloss-schillingsfuerst.de/" into Google and take the translate option). Guided tours are available and the castle houses a museum. To visit the official Schillingsfürst website, type "schillingsfürst.de" into Google and take the translate option. Click on "Culture & Leisure" and then click on Tourismus on the right side of the webpage.

Feuchtwangen: Though Feuchtwangen is one of the smaller towns along the Romantic Road, its historic Old Town has the old marketplace (Marktplatz) with its former town hall, fountain, and half-timbered buildings. The Romanesque cloisters are next to the marketplace, and several beautiful historic churches are worth a visit, along with the one surviving town gate (of the original three). Visit the official Feuchtwangen website and click the British flag icon in the upper right.

Dinkelsbühl: click on the Dinkelsbühl link above for pictures, information, and the official Dinkelsbühl website. (Or click here to open the Dinkelsbühl webpage in a separate window.)

Wallerstein: Until 1648, the Wallerstein Castle was located on top of a huge rock (213 ft / 65 m) near the town, but was destroyed during the 30 year war (1618 to 1648) and rebuilt nearby. Visitors to Wallerstein can climb the rock for terrific views of the countryside. Little useful information about Wallerstein is available on the Internet. The official Wallerstein website is slow to load, has no English option, and won't translate in Google.

Nördlingen: a fabulous city with medieval walls, a church tower one can climb for lovely views, and located in one of the earth's largest meteor craters! Click on the Nördlingen link above for great pictures, information, and the official Nördlingen website. (Or click here to open the Nördlingen webpage in a separate window.)

Harburg : Overlooking the town of Harburg sits the magnificent Harburg Castle. Click on the Harburg Castle link above for fabulous pictures, information, and official website links. (Or click here to open the Harburg Castle webpage in a separate window.)

Donauwörth: click on the Donauwörth link above for pictures, information, and the official Donauwörth website. (Or click here to open the Donauwörth webpage in a separate window.)

Augsburg: Founded in 15 BC, Augsburg was named for the Roman emperor Augustus. As such, it is the oldest city in Bavaria, and one of the largest. Augsburg can be used as a base for touring the Romantic Road due to its ample accommodations, and the city itself offers numerous, wonderful attractions. Visit the official Augsburg website for more information. Click on the English version in the upper left corner.

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Friedberg: In Friedberg, one can view the old city walls, the historic town hall, the Marie Fountain, various churches, and the Wittelsbach Castle - complete with museum and observation tower. The city provides regular or custom guided tours, and downloadable brochures are available on the website. To reach the official Friedberg website, type "friedberg.de" into Google and take the translate option.

Landsberg am Lech: Historic, beautiful Landsberg am Lech is filled with over 500 wonderful attractions from medieval times onward. Located on the river Lech, the city is surrounded by ancient trees and steep slopes, and the Bavarian Alps can be seen in the distance. Finding the official website is almost impossible, but follow our directions below and you will find the official website filled with many wonderful pictures and lots of information. To access the official Landsberg am Lech website, copy and paste the following into Google, without the quotes: "landsberg.de/web.nsf/id/pa_asan6u7ctr.html" - and then take the translate option on the first listing. (A second listing will give you an error message). Click on the list of attractions to your left. Under "Downloads," click "City tour" and to get a great color map of the city that you can print.

Hohenfurch: Called "High Furch" on its website, Hohenfurch is a small town with a population of about 1500. Wander the Upper and Lower Village and visit the beautiful parish church - the current structure dating from the early 1800s. South of town stands St. Ursula Chapel. Originating in 1520, it is one of the most beautiful baroque churches in the area. Extensive hiking and cycling paths are also available. To visit the official Hohenfurch website, type "hohenfurch.de" into Google and take the translate option. Then click the Tourism tab. The website also has information regarding accommodations.

Schongau: The gateway to the Pfaffenwinkel region of Bavaria, Schongau is a charming town filled with many interesting structures, including the 15th century Ballhaus, churches, and medieval towers. Schongau is the only German city south of the Danube to retain much of its city wall, the oldest part dating from the 13th century. Visit the official Schongau website by typing "schongau.de" into Google and taking the translate option. Click the Tourism and Culture tab.

Peiting: Situated on the right bank of the Lech and nestled in the rolling alpine foothills, Peiting is a friendly market town of about 12,000, and is one of Bavaria's oldest settlements. Some of Peiting's attractions are the Parish Church of St. Michael and the pilgrimage church Maria Egg, which dates back to 1645. Near Peiting, along the ancient Roman Road Via Claudia Augusta, is the Peiting Villa Rustica - or Roman country houses. Hiking and cycling paths are detailed on the Peiting website, and the area is popular for its natural attractions. The Peiting website lists many hotels and guest houses. To visit the official Peiting website, type "peiting.de" into Google and take the translate option. Then click Tourist Info on the left side.

Rottenbuch: Along with the little village of Böbing, Rottenbuch is located in the heart of the Pfaffenwinkel region of Bavaria. Rottenbuch is an idyllic village, surrounded by beautiful rolling farmland, meadows, and forests. The official website has a large selection of hotels and guest houses, village and farm apartments, and camping facilities for folks who would like to use Rottenbuch as a base for exploring the area. Visit the official Rottenbuch website by typing "rottenbuch-boebing.de/" into Google and taking the translate option.

Wildsteig: Due to its location in the alpine foothills, Wildsteig provides stunning views of the Alps and offers many recreational activities for the whole family. Wildsteig is also very close to many of the castles and churches along the Romantic Road. To visit the official Wildsteig website, type "wildsteig.de" into Google and translate the site.

Steingaden: A state-recognized resort, Steingaden is a small village high in the Alpine Foreland. Also located in the Pfaffenwindel region, Steingaden can be used as a base for Nordic walking, cycling, and visiting the nearby churches and castles. To visit the official Steingaden website, type "steingaden.de" into Google and take the translate option. (The English option on the regular website does not function.)

Halblech: Like most towns in the area, Halblech is a charming collection of hamlets with stunning views of the Alps, but it is the nearby attractions and natural wonders of the area that are emphasized. Halblech is situated in Bavaria’s largest nature reserve, the "Ammer Mountain Range." The official Halblech website has an English option and contains many pictures of the area. Click on the English flag at the top.

Schwangau: With breathtaking views of the Alps, Schwangau is very close to King Ludwig's castles and other natural attractions on the southern portion of the Romantic Road. Visit the official Schwangau website, hover the cursor over Language/Sprache, and then click on the English flag when it appears.

Füssen: Füssen is often used by tourists as the base for visiting the fairy tale castles of southern Bavaria. Click the Füssen link above for pictures, information, and the official websites for Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle, and Linderhof Castle. (Or click here to open the Füssen webpage in a separate window.)

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