Romantic Road in Germany: A Bavaria love affair by Campervan

Difficulty

348 miles/560 km

Distance

6+

Recom. Days

Romantic

Trip type

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Cora Harrison

Freelance writer for Indie Campers, currently trying to find herself in Indonesia but without much luck. Enjoys exploring weird and wonderful world cuisine — the less identifiable, the better.

Romantic Road in Germany Itinerary: Frankfurt to Munich

Romantic Road in Germany map itinerary

Google Maps

Starting in Würzburg, set off with your loved one along the Romantic Road in Germany. 

Past villages that are the epitome of idyllic. Through a landscape so captivating you’ll begin a whole other love affair. Alongside mountain-top castles that are fairytales brought to life. Stopping at medieval walled towns where Gothic spires join Alpine peaks on the horizon, strolling streets of half-timbered houses with overflowing window boxes.

A romantic itinerary travelling the 218 miles long Romantische Straße, feel swept away into a dreamy and delightful utopia that really was designed with love-struck couples in mind.  

Street in Rothenburg, a waypoint of the Romantic Road in Germany

Pick-up in
Frankfurt Pick-up center
1

Marvel at the ancient wonderland that is Würzburg

Würzburg has been called the ‘Pearl of the Romantic Road’. And on the Romantic Road in Germany that takes you past jewel after bewitching Bavarian jewel, that’s no small claim. But Würzburg effortlessly lives up to the hype. 

Between hills carpeted with vineyards, in the heart of Germany’s wine-growing region, the city is best known as home of the Würzburg Residence. A stunning and extravagant palace — think French château meets German Baroque brilliance — with the most magical, and most manicured, gardens you’ll ever see. 

Bridge in Würzburg by night on the Romantic Road in Germany

On arriving, head first to the palace for a baptism by fire — fires of the passionately romantic kind, of course — into what is to come on this road trip. Explore chapels, gardens, and stately halls, all gilt, gold, and crystal. 

Find yourself seduced by the otherworldly splendour of this intriguing building. And once you’ve had your fix of fairy tales, head to a bar to sample some of the wine for which this city is also famous. 

Visiting

Würzburg

1+

Recom. Days

Main route

172 miles

from Munich

2h50min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Bad Mergentheim

spa town and medieval castle

Tauberbischofsheim

beautiful and quintessentially German town

Signal

Eat at

Alte Mainmühle

$$$

river views, surrounded by vineyards

Backöfele

$$$

rustic, authentic Franconian food

Bürgerspital Weinstuben

$$$$

part of local vineyard, great Franconian wines

RV icon

Parking

Kostenfreier öffentlicher Parkplatz

free parking close to Ludwig Bridge

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Stay at

Wohnmobilstellplatz Kitzingen

$$$

riverside and within walking distance of old town

2

Romance in the air in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

If Würzburg felt like an amorous idyll, Rothenberg, your next road trip stop, amps it up further. One of the best-preserved Medieval cities in Germany, here you’ll step back in time to the Bavarian Middle Ages. 

Half-timbered red-roofed houses and cobbled streets are set between majestic churches, striking city walls, ancient ramparts, and a Baroque castle. It’s like the set of a fairytale blockbuster — in fact, the village from Disney’s Pinocchio was based on Rothenburg. 

Architecture in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the second waypoint of the Romantic Road in Germany

Drive your campervan through the green wonderland of the Taubertal valley to reach your next Romantic Road destination in Germany.

Wandering around the town doesn’t take long — but the endless photo ops might. For breathtaking views, climb to the top of the historic Town Hall. And when night falls and most of the tourists leave, patrol the city walls with the night watchman, looking over this ancient picture-perfect town twinkling in the darkness. Rothenburg makes being romantic easy. 

Visiting

Rothenburg

1+

Recom. Days

Main route

40 miles

from Würzburg

50min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Weikersheim

exceptionally photogenic Renaissance palace

Käthe Wohlfahrtt

three-story Christmas emporium open all year

Harburg Castle

medieval gem complete with dungeon and ballroom

Creglingen

quirky little town, home to the Thimble Museum.

Signal

Eat at

Gasthof Goldener Greifen

$$$

14th century stone inn

Louvre

$$$

Japanese cuisine for those craving a change

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Parking

Nördlinger Straße

$

cheap, within walking distance of centre

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Stay at

Camping Tauberromantik

$$$

green, peaceful and walking distance of center

3

Old-world delights in your next stop, Nördlingen

A little over 37 miles further on this Romantic Road in Germany, the next town to charm you is Nördlingen. 

Arrive in another medieval marvel, this time with preserved city walls that encircle its almost perfectly round old town. At its heart is the mighty Gothic wonder that is St. George’s Church — whose tower offers panoramas across town. Less visited than Rothenburg, here you won’t have to jostle other visitors to get those winning couple shots. 

Oh, and incidentally, Nördlingen sits in the middle of a giant crater created 15 million years ago by an asteroid, an extraterrestrial visit that just adds to its magic.

Typical houses in Nördlingen, a destination on this Romantic Road in Germany

Soak up the quaint but captivating old-world atmosphere. Pay a visit to the Rathaus, or town hall, with its gorgeous gables and half-timbered walls. 

Climb the Kirchturm Daniel for views across the ochre-tinted roofs and beyond. Like with Rothenburg, Hollywood has made good use of Nordlingen, which was a backdrop in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — so look out for Oompa Loompas. 

Visiting

Nordlingen

1

Recom. Days

Main route

56 miles

from Rothenburg ob der Tauber

1h10min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Riesenkrater Museum

for more on the asteroid that hit Nordlingen

Stadtmuseum

everything from Stone Age to 20th-century art

Burg Niederhaus

evocative ancient ruins

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Eat at

Café Radlos

$$$

pizza and pasta in chic setting

La Fontana

$$$

Nördlingen's most popular restaurant

Cafe-buch.de

$$

coffee, cake and secondhand books

RV icon

Parking

Busparkplatz Schlössle, Kaiserwiese

$

cheap and just outside city walls

Signal

Stay at

Campingplatz Ringlesmühle

$$$

quiet with fire pit and cheap beer

4

Explore ancient mysteries in Augsburg

Augsburg is Bavaria’s oldest city, founded before the Romans arrived. Admittedly, it’s not the most romantic of all the towns on this road trip from Frankfurt to Munich. But it has a rich and fascinating history — and stoking the intellect can fuel the flames of passion, right? 

Plus you’ll still have the pleasure of visiting luxurious palatial homes, stumbling upon Baroque fountains, and visiting Gothic churches — if you haven’t had enough yet.

Visit the Rathaus, six stories of history and culture. Then there’s the Perlachturm, a 1000-year-old watch tower. From the top, you’ll spy the Alps further along the Romantic Road in Germany.

Neighbourhood with yellow houses in Augsburg, a waypoint on The Romantic Road in Germany

For your fix of historic beauty, head to the Schaezlerpalais, a Rococo-style mansion and art museum. Relax in a cafe on the Maximilianstrasse and soak up the atmosphere. Wander the historic centre with its townhouses and majestic boulevards.

And, to end, we think a candlelit dinner among the vaulted ceilings of a traditional restaurant sounds like a great idea.

Visiting

Augsburg

1

Recom. Days

Main route

50 miles

from Nördlingen

1h10min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Dinkelsbühl

yet another gorgeous Bavarian town

Dom St. Maria

for Gothic majesty and rare art

Wiekirche church

set in an Alpine meadow with mountain views

Augsburger Puppenkiste

marionette theatre telling fairy-tales

Signal

Eat at

Ratskeller

$$

authentic and traditional Bavarian cuisine

Lustküche

$$$$

romantic with low lighting and candles

John Benton

$$$

a range of European cuisine

RV icon

Parking

HS-Augsburg Parkplatz W-Gebäude

$$$

20 minutes from center on foot

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Stay at

Ludwigshof am See

$$$

lakeside swimming, plenty of space and shade

5

Visit the heavenly castles of Hohenschwangau

Hohenschwangau. Not quite the last stop on the Romantic Road in Germany. But it does feel like Bavaria’s final flourish.

Hohenschwangau is prized above all for Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle to rival all others. Its spires, turrets, towers, and balconies, dramatic and whimsical by turns, have inspired artists from Walt Disney to Wagner, and is exactly where princesses might sleep for hundreds of years. Perched amid a panorama of lakes, fields, and the Bavarian Alps, this is the world’s most iconic storybook castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle, a can't miss on the Romantic Road in Germany

Expect to come across fairies, queens, princes, and perhaps even a witch or two, as you enter the village. You’ll be desperate to head straight to Neuschwanstein, already under its spell. But hang on until sun sets and crowds disperse — this is when the castle is at its most magical.

Until then, there is also the other castle, Hohenschwangau itself, which deserves some of the spotlights shone on its more famous sibling.

Visiting

Hohenschwangau

1

Recom. Days

Main route

68 miles

from Augsburg

1h30min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Füssen

Pastel-coloured town at foot of the Alps.

Landsberg am Lech

Colourful Wes Anderson-esque town.

Forggensee Lake

Sparkling blue and surrounded by meadows.

Linderhof Palace

Famed for its Hall of Mirrors.

Signal

Eat at

Hotel Hirsch

$$$$$

Ballroom-style setting with Haute Bavarian cuisine.

Schlossbrauhaus Schwangau

$$

Micro-brewery, traditional food.

Madame Plüsch

$$$

Retro furnishings, lots of character.

RV icon

Parking

Parkplatz Schwangau

$$$$

Short walk to Neuschwanstein castle.

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Stay at

Camping Brunnen

$$$$

Lakeside with spectacular views.

6

Final stop: the marvellously picturesque Munich

The end of your romantic road trip is the region’s capital, Munich, a city best known for its raucous beer festival, Oktoberfest, but a compelling destination all year round. Here rich tradition meets contemporary art and BMW museums meet Lederhosen-sporting locals.

With its elegant royal palaces, Christmas markets in winter, fairy-light strewn gardens in summer, and, of course, its beer, Munich is a city where each and every component kindles romance.

Siegestor in Munich

Wander streets made for holding hands. Visit one of the many galleries in Kunstareal. Climb the 86 steps to the top of the Frauenkirche for superb views. Enjoy people watching in the English Garden. Explore the hip and bohemian Schwabing.

Finally, peruse the culinary treats at Viktualienmarkt, the famous food market. Then cleanse the palate with an enormous tankard of beer in one of the many thrumming beer halls. And experience Gemütlichkeit — a combination of cosiness, well-being, and relaxation — a feeling surely best experienced as one half of a couple.

Visiting

Munich

1

Recom. Days

Main route

81 miles

from Hohenschwangau

1h50min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Haus der Kunst

Interdisciplinary art gallery.

Müllersches Volksbad

Art Nouveau swimming pool and sauna.

Signal

Eat at

Hofbräuhaus

$$

Oldest beer hall in the world.

Ratskeller

$$$

Historic extravagance, Bavarian specialities.

Master’s Home

$$$

Stately home themed, wood panelling and hunting paraphernalia.

RV icon

Parking

Bus parking Allianz-Arena

$$$

Campervan parking 40 mins from city center on public transport.

Signal

Stay at

Campingplatz Nord-West

$$$

Close to public transport to city center.

Drop-off in
Munich Pick-up center

17 miles

from Munich

35min

drive