Detour #141: The Romantic Road, Germany
Photo Roman Kraft / Unsplash
Love is in the air and on the asphalt of Germany’s fabled Romantic Road.
Fairy tale castles, vineyards, crystal lakes and majestic mountains line this 220-mile route through Southern Germany. Journey along its winding roads and you’ll find a Germany far removed from the high-octane autobahns and high tech industry and discover a more sentimental side to the country.
And yet it was post-war pragmatism that let to the creation of the Romantic Road when the newly-formed Federal Republic of Germany was keen to rebuild its tourist industry. In 1950 the route from Würzburg to Füssen was mapped to take in medieval castles, walled cities and Germany’s natural beauty.
Seventy years later, millions of love-struck visitors drive the Romantic Road every year, with many beginning their journeys amongst the baroque architecture of Würzburg, which sits neatly between Frankfurt and Nuremburg. Here you’ll find the magnificent Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the most elaborate gardens in all of Germany.
Photo Shutterstock
Head south and you will soon find yourself following the river Tauber, then running parallel with the border of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Within the hour you’ll be in Rothenburg ob der Tauber which might just be Europe’s most quintessential medieval town. Think neo-Gothic churches, intricate fountains and towering spires. In winter when the Christmas market is in full swing and you’re strolling through the stalls with a glass of warm glühwein in one hand and your beloved’s gloved hand in the other even the hardest heart will melt.
Motor on and you’ll pass though the walled city of Nördlingen, the medieval castle at Harburg and the striking rococo church at Steingaden before reaching the Romantic Road’s ultimate photo opportunity. Just outside of Füssen, sitting against a mountain backdrop, overlooking lake Alpsee is Neuschwanstein, a castle of such fairy tale perfection that Disney modelled Cinderella’s castle on it.
The Romantic Road is one to be driven at a gentle pace, gazing lovingly at your co-driver and the scenery in equal measure. As The Supremes sang “You can’t hurry love.”
Photo Jaromir Kavan / Unsplash