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Romantic Road: Route Guide

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The half-timbered Plönlein corner of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Romantic Road strings medieval walled towns along a gentle southern German valley. Rothenburg's half-timbered lanes look lifted from a storybook, beer gardens pace the drive, and it all ends at Neuschwanstein, the castle so fantastical it inspired Disney's.

Romantic Road is a 350 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–6 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for September, built from 197 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

3–6
days
350km
distance
6
Stops
197
curated stops

Plan your own version → 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 6-day plan · best time to go

The route

Würzburg→ 65 kmRothenburg→ 50 kmDinkelsbühl→ 30 kmNördlingen→ 85 kmAugsburg→ 120 kmFüssen

What you'll see

Käppele
Visit a hillside church with a history of miracles and Neumann's design.
Würzburg
St. Jakobskirche
Admire intricate sculptures in a serene Gothic sanctuary.
Rothenburg
St. George
Admire soaring sandstone columns and luminous interiors.
Dinkelsbühl
St. Georgskirche
Take in panoramic views from a towering church.
Nördlingen
Augsburg Cathedral
Gaze at ancient stained glass in this Romanesque foundation.
Augsburg
Wieskirche
Marvel at the Rococo splendor of this UNESCO masterpiece.
Füssen
Juliusspital
Taste renowned Franconian wines from the historic Juliusspital cellar.
Würzburg
Market Square
Enjoy lively chatter and café aromas amid historic buildings.
Rothenburg

Choose your length

3-day plan16 stops · 10.7 h transit5.3 stops/day · 3.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan23 stops · 11.4 h transit5.8 stops/day · 2.9 h transit/daySee the full plan →6-day plan39 stops · 11.6 h transit6.5 stops/day · 1.9 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: September, December

Christmas markets transform the walled towns — Rothenburg's is storybook stuff; dress warm.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →