Romantic Road®
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PLANNING GUIDE Romantic Road ® from the River Main to the Alps Sightseeing Itinerary Insider tips 2 PLANNING GUIDE LONG DISTANCE HIKING TRAIL CONTENTS Hiking in the countryside along the Romantic Road ..................... 2 460 km of unadulterated romanticism .............................. 3 Tips for explorers, connoisseurs and aficionados .......................... 3 Würzburg ............................... 4/5 Wertheim ............................... 6/7 Tauberbischofsheim ................ 8/9 Lauda-Königshofen .............. 10/11 Bad Mergentheim .................12/13 Weikersheim ........................14/15 Röttingen ................................16 Creglingen ...............................17 Rothenburg ob der Tauber ......18/19 Hiking in the Countryside along the Romantic Road Schillingsfürst ..........................20 Almost everyone has heard of it: the Romantic Road, where you will immediately see why it is called “above Romantic journey through time ...21 the unbroken series of romantic towns and landscapes the Tauber”. Beforehand, you will have passed through Feuchtwangen .....................22/23 between Würzburg and Füssen, between the valley of Lauda-Königshofen, Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim, Dinkelsbühl .........................24/25 the River Main and the foothills of the Alps. The Roman- Röttingen and Creglingen with its famous Church of Wallerstein...............................26 tic Road Long Distance Cycle Path has been in existence our Lord. The Franconian Heights are more severe since 1988; in 2006 a route for true aficionados was ad- and cooler with panoramic views and ancient villages Bicycle tours ............................27 ded: the Romantic Road Long Distance Hiking Trail. embedded in gentle valleys. The western part has be- Nördlingen im Ries ...............28/29 The new trail does not run along main roads (when- longed to the Hohenlohe dynasty for centuries. The Harburg ...................................30 ever possible - today, it is not always possible to avoid route takes us through Schillingsfürst, an important asphalt) but along tracks through forests, fields and royal residence, Feuchtwangen and Dinkelsbühl before Romantic Road International ...........31 meadows, along footpaths through the towns as far coming to Wallerstein in the Ries district. We cross the as practicable and always through the town centres. Ries - Germany‘s only extensive, circular crater, the re- Donauwörth ........................32/33 Rain ...................................34/35 After all, why hike the Romantic Road if the aim is to sult of an impact from a huge meteorite - via the district Augsburg ............................36/37 avoid the romantic old towns between Würzburg and capital, Nördlingen. The subsequent route to Donau- Friedberg .................................38 Füssen, between Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Augs- wörth and Rain via Harburg is easy and takes us across burg and between Creglingen and Dinkelsbühl? Why the imperceptible but important European watershed Festivals and festival plays .........39 avoid ancient imperial towns, such as Donauwörth, between the Franconian Heights and the Swabian Alb. Landsberg am Lech ............... 40/41 aristocratic towns, such as Schillingsfürst, towns of The Lech Valley, which we follow from Donauwörth, via Pfaffenwinkel ......................42/43 the Teutonic Order, such as Bad Mergentheim and royal Rain, Augsburg and Friedberg, to Landsberg am Lech, Hohenfurch ..............................44 residencies, such as Wallerstein? Not to mention all the Hohenfurch, Schongau and Peiting, is a long, easy rou- Schongau .................................45 half-timbered town halls, the Gothic parish churches, te towards the distant Alps. Floodplains and fields al- Peiting ....................................46 the quiet squares and the splashing of their fountains, ternate with woods, meadows, wetlands and the river is Rottenbuch ..............................47 Wildsteig .................................48 the Baroque pilgrimage churches, the ancient castles, never far away. Then, we climb the foothills of the Alps Steingaden...............................49 friendly villages, palaces, wayside chapels and, in the with views of the limestone mountains in the south and Halblech .............................50/51 far south of the country, the epitome of German roman- pass through Rottenbuch, Wildsteig, Steingaden with Schwangau ..........................52/53 ticism, Neuschwanstein, the dream castle of the fairy- its world-famous Church in the Meadow and Halblech. Füssen ................................54/55 tale king, Ludwig II. All in all, this hiking trail has more Through increasingly demanding hills and seemingly fascinating buildings and artistic monuments than any endless grazing land and meadows, we draw closer to other. the mountains until the final stretch takes us in their And this, of course, ignores the miles and miles of beau- shadow past Bannwaldsee, Schwangau, the enchanting tiful countryside. At the beginning of the hiking trail in castle of Neuschwanstein and Alpsee to Füssen. Würzburg, the slopes of the Main Valley are lined by vine- If you walk the Romantic Road long-distance hiking Published by: yards. Many of them, such as the ‘Würzburger Stein‘, are trail without a break, you will need about three weeks. Romantische Straße ® Touristik-Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR, not only renowned for their great wines but are also only If you take some time out to enjoy the scenery, art and Dinkelsbühl a stone‘s throw away. The Tauber Valley truly earns the culture, you will need around four weeks. Copy, photos and information: appellation ‘charming‘ with soft lines, varied scenery, And that‘s a reason to celebrate if there Member towns and Romantische enchanting views and romantic settings along the ever was one! Strasse ® river. Particularly charming are the close ties between Hikeline hiking guide (in German): Errors and omissions excepted. nature and areas that have been cultivated for many Romantic Road Subject to change without notice generations. You ramble along the valley, past peaks Long Distance Hiking Trail and being unsold. and tributary valleys, one more attractive than the Hiking guide and maps on a scale of 1:35,000 other, between Tauberbischofsheim and Rothenburg Part 1 – From Würzburg to Donauwörth Part 2 – From Donauwörth to Füssen Romantic Road ® 3 LONG DISTANCE HIKING TRAIL 460 KM OF UNADULTERATED ROMANTICISM Tips for explorers, connoisseurs and aficionados The Romantic Road is a must for con- noisseurs of the finer things in life. The spectrum of fine restaurants and hotels is wide: from cosy farms and family-oriented guesthouses, via rustic inns, traditional, family-run houses and modern chain hotels, to trendy event and lifestyle hotels. Naturally, all offer dishes and wi- nes typical of the region, from tasty snacks and Franconian specialities to stylish afternoon tea. No matter whe- ther you prefer great wines from the Main, Tauber or Hohenlohe districts or first-class beer, the local products in restaurants, wine cooperatives, wine galleries and breweries gene- rally bear witness to their patrician or aristocratic origins. Splendid resi- More than 460 fascinating kilometres between tradition and trends dences, mighty castles and enchant- ing palaces are an open invitation The Romantic Road is unique: the leading and oldest natural beauty, with picturesque villages and towns to enjoy the three cornerstones of German holiday route. Hugely popular among inter- such as Hohenfurch, Schongau, Peiting, Rottenbuch, the Romantic Road: art, culture and national guests and the trademark for over 400 fas- Wildsteig and Steingaden. cuisine. cinating kilometres, it is the classic alternative to On any journey through the varied the motorway from north to south or vice versa, and The traces of each epoch are unmistakable and leave and attractive countryside, you can a counterbalance to the hustle and bustle of modern unforgettable impressions in harmony with the en- expect more than just a treat for your taste buds. Everyone is sure to be de- life. Descriptions such as art, culture and culinary rou- chanting countryside. Thus, the Romantic Road is a lighted regardless of whether he or te, festival and gourmet road, activities and events destination for people, no matter what their interest. she comes alone, with their family, course underscore the contrasts between ancient and Culture fans, festival visitors, music and art lovers are friends or a club. Along the Romantic Road, you can come face to face with modern from one end to the other. no less well catered for than historians and collectors. the ‘hunters of the night‘ in a game No matter whether you go by car, bike or on foot, on Historical and traditional festivals, lansquenet meet- park, discover Christmas - the epito- an excursion, for a weekend, a short break or ‘proper‘ ings and fishing competitions in Donauwörth, opera, me of German romanticism - on 365 days of the year, awaken the child in holiday, you can be sure of experiencing 3,000 years of theatre, ballet and musicals outdoors, in romantic man at the Railway Museum with its German and European history in fast motion at the 29 castles, palaces, civic halls and extraordinary stages, veteran locomotives and carriages, towns between the River Main and the Alps, between St. Ulrich‘s and Leonhard‘s processions and horse bles- or try your luck at one of the region‘s casinos. the Baroque splendour of the princebishops‘ resi-