The Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) was created in 1950 to bring visitors back to post-war Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and it has been Germany’s most famous holiday route ever since. It runs for roughly 460 km from Würzburg on the Main to Füssen at the foot of the Alps, close to Neuschwanstein Castle.
Along the way it passes vineyards, the Tauber valley, a string of walled medieval towns — Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, built inside a meteorite crater — the clifftop Harburg Castle, the Renaissance city of Augsburg and the Pfaffenwinkel’s baroque churches. Signposts are in German and, charmingly, Japanese: the route has been hugely popular with Japanese visitors for decades.
Top things to do: The Romantic Road
Drive the northern half
The stretch from Würzburg to Rothenburg through the Tauber valley — Tauberbischofsheim, Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim and Creglingen with its Riemenschneider altar — is the prettiest part of the route and easily done in a day.
Take a day tour from Munich
Without a car, the easiest option is a coach day trip from Munich that visits Harburg, Nördlingen, Dinkelsbühl and Rothenburg.
Cycle or hike it
A signposted cycle route and a long-distance footpath follow the road; the Tauber valley section is gentle and very scenic.
How to get there
- By car: the most flexible way; allow at least 2–3 days for the whole route.
- By coach: a seasonal Romantic Road coach has traditionally served the route in summer; check the current timetable.
- By train: the route is served only in pieces — Würzburg, Rothenburg (via Steinach), Nördlingen, Augsburg and Füssen have stations.
Insider tips
- Spend at least one night in Rothenburg — it is the one stop that truly rewards an evening.
- Driving north to south saves the Alps and Neuschwanstein for the finale.
- In December, the route becomes a Christmas-market trail: Würzburg, Rothenburg, Dinkelsbühl and Augsburg all have beautiful markets.
- Book Neuschwanstein tickets well ahead if you plan to finish in Füssen.
Best tours & tickets: The Romantic Road
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see The Romantic Road and the rest of Rothenburg:
Day trip from €81 From Munich: Rothenburg and Romantic Road Day Trip by Bus
The best-selling way to see Rothenburg without a car. A coach takes you up the Romantic Road from Munich with stops at Harburg Castle, the meteorite crater of the Nördlinger Ries and Dinkelsbühl, then gives you the afternoon inside Rothenburg’s walls before driving back in the evening.
- Harburg Castle and the Nördlinger Ries crater on the way
- A stop in the walled town of Dinkelsbühl
- Free time to explore Rothenburg on your own
Private day trip from €351 Private Day Trip Munich to Harburg, Dinkelsbühl & Rothenburg
The Romantic Road’s three great medieval stops — the clifftop Harburg Castle, the unspoilt town of Dinkelsbühl and Rothenburg itself — with a private driver and no fixed schedule. Excellent value when split between four or more people.
- Door-to-door pickup in Munich
- Harburg Castle, Dinkelsbühl and Rothenburg in one route
- Your own driver and your own pace
Private day trip from €543 From Munich: Private Guided Tour to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
The premium version: your own guide-driver collects you in Munich, takes the back roads through the Bavarian countryside with stops wherever you like, and walks you through Rothenburg in person rather than dropping you off.
- A private guide and vehicle from your Munich hotel
- Village churches and viewpoints on the Romantic Road
- Guided walk through Rothenburg
Day trip from €108 Frankfurt: Romantic Road & Rothenburg ob der Tauber Tour
A well-reviewed coach day trip for anyone staying in Frankfurt or flying in or out of its airport. You travel south-east along the Romantic Road, get several hours to explore Rothenburg on your own terms, and are back in Frankfurt in the evening.
- Comfortable coach from central Frankfurt
- Scenic drive along the Tauber valley stretch of the Romantic Road
- Plenty of free time inside Rothenburg
