The Romantic Road follows an old trade route and leads from the
city of Würzburg to the foothills of the Alps. Driving along the
Romantic Raod, or part of it, gives you a chance to experience
medieval towns, baroque palaces and King Ludwig's castle.
You can see a map of the Romantic Road at
http://www.romanticroad.com/.After driving south from Würzburg, your first stop should be the
palace in the town of Weikersheim, with its marvelous baroque
gardens. Further along the road, the town of Creglingen offers
the Herrgottskirche, a church famous for its altar carved by
Tilman Riemenschneider in the early 16th century.
The road then follows the Tauber river to marvelous Rothenburg.
Take your time to walk around this charming town enclosed by a
wall and towers. Among the main tourist attractions are the
Crime Museum, St. Jacob's Church (with another altar by
Riemenschneider), Käthe Wohlfart's Christmas Village, where you
can buy Christmas-related items all year long, and the Doll and
Toy Museum.
The town of Dinkelsbühl is similar to Rothenburg, as it has
preserved its medieval character, though its is much less
overrun by tourists. Further south, you reach Nördlingen, a
walled town dominated by the 270-foot steeple of St. George's
Church. Nördlingen is famous for a geological feature, as it is
situated in the center of a 15-mile wide meteor crater. You can
learn about it in the "Rieskratermuseum".
The city of Augsburg, which was founded by the Romans 2,000
years ago, is the largest city on the Romantic Road, so be
prepared for some heavier traffic here. Among the highlights are
the town hall, the cathedral and the Fuggerei, a settlement that
the rich merchant family Fugger created for poor citizens in the
16th century.
Further south, as you begin approaching the foothills of the
Alps, you should visit the Wies Church, a perfect example of the
Rococo style. And finally, near the town of Füssen, the is
Castle Neuschwanstein, built by Bavarian King Ludwig II in the
late 19th century.
