Experience the Biking and Hiking Routes on the Romantic Road

Are you eager to pedal away or lace up your hiking boots? Then the Romantic Road holiday route is your place. On numerous sections, you'll discover romantic locations, nature, and impressive architecture.

You can stroll through old city gates or linger in picturesque timber-framed settings, swim with mountain views, or marvel at world-famous castles - the Romantic Road offers all of this. You can take a day trip here or a trip over several days, with hiking boots or pedals under your feet.

At a total length of 285 miles, Germany's oldest holiday road is dotted with unique landscapes and picturesque places. Altogether, 29 towns with many attractions are spread along the route. The travel bettercities.net presents a selection of seven routes.

The hiking route from Würzburg to Helmstadt forms the first stage along the Romantic Road. The starting point is the Würzburg Lion Bridge, and a detour to the baroque Pilgrimage Church of the Visitation, commonly known as Käppele, is a must. This 18th-century building with its bulbous domes perches on Nicolausberg overlooking the city.

The path continues through the Steinbach Valley and to the community of Kist with the beautiful St. Bartholomew's Parish Church, whose tower cross represents the highest point in the Würzburg district. The total length of 17 miles also passes through the Irtenberg Forest with the 18th-century Forester's House Irtenberg, and finally ends in the market town of Helmstadt.

Tauberbischofsheim is located on the Romantic Road and is an ideal starting point for active vacationers. But first, the pretty place itself wants to be discovered. In Tauberbischofsheim, where the world's most successful fencing club calls home, you'll find timber-frame romance and the historic Kurmainz Castle.

Around the town, numerous biking and hiking opportunities are available. On the "TBB by Bike" cycling adventure tour, for example, you travel 19 miles through various districts, to viewpoints, and cultural attractions. For hikers, the nature of the Tauber Valley is attractive, with its hills forming challenging ascents and descents.

On the route from Tauberbischofsheim to Beckstein, the largest mill wheel in Germany is discovered in Oberlauda, and then it continues through forests to the destination of Beckstein. The wine town is reached after 8.7 miles and is romantically nestled between vineyards. Interested visitors can visit historic presses or embark on the wine trail.

A romantic route of 34 miles awaits cyclists and e-bikers on the tour from Weikersheim to Schillingsfürst. A stop should be planned in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, known for its picturesque medieval architecture and romantic streets lined with half-timbered houses.

The old city wall of Rothenburg ob der Tauber with numerous towers can be explored on a 2.5-mile tower trail. And anyone interested in the legal affairs of the last 1000 years, including witch trials and torture instruments, should visit the Medieval Crime Museum in the town.

Then it continues over the Frankenhöhe to Schillingsfürst with its baroque palace. The building is located high above the city on a promontory and can be visited from April to October. Several museums are also housed within the historic walls.

Already the starting point Dinkelsbühl invites you to explore. The city survived the Thirty Years' War and World War II almost undamaged and presents itself with a picturesque townscape. The half-timbered houses of the old town and the minster are completely enclosed by the medieval city wall, which can be circumnavigated on a hiking trail.

From here you go hiking for about 13 miles to Fremdingen. This section crosses the Öttinger Forest, followed by meadows and woodlands. Noteworthy attractions of this route include the 18th-century Holy Cross Chapel in Wilburgstetten and the small chapels and churches in Fremdingen like St. Leonhard's Chapel or St. Joseph's Chapel.

Cyclists experience over 31 miles of the Romantic Road from Dinkelsbühl to Harburg. The route follows the Wörnitz River to Wallerstein with its castle and princely brewery. A different kind of attraction is offered further along in the town of Nördlingen. Fifteen million years ago, a meteorite struck this area, creating a huge crater. Nördlingen lies in the middle of the Nördlinger Ries crater, surrounded by an interesting cultural and natural landscape.

At the destination Harburg, a visit to the castle of the same name on the southeastern edge of the Nördlinger Ries is a must. The large castle complex dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. During a tour, you will learn more about the castle church and water tower, loopholes and courthouse, and the dungeon.

Augsburg is the starting point for this stage of the Romantic Road. The city impresses with buildings from the Gothic, Renaissance, and Rococo periods and has a unique water management system designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two hundred thirty-eight miles of watercourses run through the city. Other technical and art-historical objects include monumental fountains and waterworks.

The bike tour from Augsburg is about 28 miles long and leads through the Western Woods Nature Park and along the Lech River, where swimming spots invite you to cool off in summer weather. Through Scheuring and Kaufering, it continues to the medieval town of Landsberg am Lech. Winding alleys, gates, and towers, colorful Rococo churches, and townhouses welcome visitors here. Highlights of the town include the Mother Tower, where you can climb for a great view of the old town, and a café at its base offers a nice place for a break.

Around 13 miles lie ahead for hikers who tread the path from Rottenbuch to Halblech. Fans of sacred buildings will find the Parish Church of the Nativity of Mary at the starting point interesting with its magnificent Baroque and Rococo elements inside.

The route leads through shady forests, past wildflower meadows to the village of Wildsteig, which likes to compare itself to the Shire from 'The Lord of the Rings.' Meadows, pastures, forests, and moors paired with an alpine backdrop shape the landscape. The route continues to the Wies Church, which with its splendid interior is one of the world's most famous Rococo churches.

In the district of Trauchgau in Halblech, the stage ends and an especially beautiful relaxation option awaits water lovers: In the heated Alpine pool, you can not only relax but also enjoy a great mountain view.

We begin the final stage of the Romantic Road, from Wildsteig to Füssen. The route rewards cyclists with a detour to Steingaden's picturesque Monastery Garden St. John and with impressive Alpine views. Along the way, another swimming opportunity presents itself, this time at the idyllic Bannwaldsee.

But there's no mistake: The highlight of this route is visiting Neuschwanstein Castle above Hohenschwangau. The world-famous Disney Castle on the rugged rocks attracts around 1.5 million visitors annually and enchants with its fairytale appearance.

The tour ends in the town of Füssen, the southernmost point of the Romantic Road, which is nestled in a landscape of lakes and hills. In the historic town on the edge of the Alps, the Romantic Road, the German Alpine Road, and the tri-national Roman road Via Claudia Augusta converge, and in the street cafes of the old town, you almost feel like you're in Italy and can reflect on your tour.

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