*It was the summer before my senior year of college and I was about to be studying abroad on a ship for an entire semester. I was expected to be in Hamburg, Germany by September 9th, for the disembarkment of Semester at Sea. So I decided why not make a little pre-trip out of it and see where the cheapest flights would take me? It turned out, the best option was to fly from Newark to Ireland first, and then buy a separate airline ticket from Ireland to Germany. In Germany, I would end up taking a 2 week road trip around the country.*

The four days leading up to the Romantic Road were split between Dublin and Munich; these days were so fulfilling and jam packed with adventure. The chaos of finally making it to Germany caught up to me and I was ready for a slower pace. After visiting the sites in Munich, I got into my tiny red rental car and made my way to Fussen, a little city on the border of both Germany and Switzerland; Fussen would also be the beginning of my Romantic Road journey.

When I originally heard about the Romantic Road, I quickly assumed that it was something couples do, or some kind of adventure that involved love? What did I know, I was a 21 year old on her way to study abroad for the first time! It turns out the Romantic Road consists of small towns scattered throughout the center of Germany, which were built during the romantic era. The towns are painted with bright colors, fascinating history, beautiful buildings, and delicious food. 

Day 1 (August 30)- Fussen, Germany

To say I was a disaster when I arrived in Fussen, would be an understatement. I was a little shaken from driving on the autobahn (German highway) and just plain exhausted. I showed up at the hostel right at check-in time and there was no one at the front desk. I let my nerves get the best of me when searching the hostel for an employee… and none were to be found. I got back in my rental car, drove to the nearest cafe, got yelled at in German, and cried my eyes out for about 30 minutes in a grocery store parking lot. After gathering my courage I popped into the grocery store and returned to L.A. hostel where an employee was finally present. 

I took a MUCH needed nap and woke up starving. I set out on a quarter mile walk into town to find dinner, settling for a place named Gasthof Krone… it was hands down the worst decision I made on my entire trip (I know… I sound like I’m complaining a lot but this day was truly a humbling experience). I ordered the sausage and fries, immediately deciding I would be walking to a new restaurant. It breaks my heart to write poorly about a local restaurant, but it was such an underwhelming experience I feel as though I must advise other travelers to dine elsewhere. 

The rest of my evening was absolutely beautiful, all of the bus tourists had left for the evening and the town was incredibly quiet. I wandered the streets of Fussen, admiring the window displays of the shop fronts and the historic buildings that lined the outskirts; I loved the dim lighting and charm of the town. I returned to the hostel for a good night of sleep, knowing I’d need it for the days to come. 

Day 2 (August 31)- Neuschwanstien and Hohenschwangau castles

I set my alarm bright and early so I could wake up at my hostel and bike the 2.5 miles to the base of the famous Neuschwanstien and Hohenschwangau castles. I made sure to pay ten euros for my hostel bike the evening before, so I could be on my way as soon as the sun began to rise. I preordered my tickets online as a bundle deal for both castles and had to show up with enough time to stop at the ticket office. Luckily since it was such a rainy day, most people must have opted to stay in or go on a later time/date because there was no line at all. I gathered my tickets with plenty of time to roam around and grab a snack for breakfast. I picked a cute little place named the Hotel Alpenstuben where I ordered the most delicious apple strudel and hot tea to warm myself up. 

My first tour was the Hohenschwangau castle; from the outside it is painted a bright yellow and has a few small paths that lead up to the castle itself. It is actually the less popular of the two castles, but ended up being my favorite due to the beautiful wall paintings and stories encapsulated by each room. *Please be advised that each castle has a path that must be hiked up to reach the top, I believe that transportation to the top costs extra. At the Hohenschwangau castle I took the short, but steeper path on the way up and the longer path on the way down. It turned out to be a wonderful choice taking the long route down because I was able to admire how blue the neighboring Alpsee lake is. 

Once I reached the bottom, I hopped on my bike and pedaled to the base of the Neuschwanstein castle (visitor tip: there are plenty of bike racks throughout the different stops to lock up your bike). I don’t think I was mentally prepared for how crowded or strenuous the hike up to the famous castle would be. In retrospect, it wasn’t terrible, but my wet clothes and crowds of people made it hard to really keep a steady pace (I can’t imagine how it must be on a clear day). Neuschwanstein castle is something I had been most excited to see because it is one of the most photographed scenes in Germany and I read so many blog posts dedicated to visiting when researching for my trip. I was saddened by how foggy it was, but decided to hike up just a bit further to the Marienbrucke bridge. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! The bridge is an adrenaline rush itself and has a picturesque view of the castle; it was beautiful, even on a rainy day.

The day’s theme was definitely castles and desserts! On my hike down from the castle, on the singular path leading downwards, I saw a booth selling 3 small round powdered donuts… honestly this was a must do for me. If you’re visiting, stop for the damn donuts!! I would probably go back just to eat these again. 

Since downtown Fussen was located just between the castles and my hostel, I made a point to make a pit stop into town for dinner at the Asia Garden, ordering the fried noodles with lots of veggies. Everything on the main downtown streets are pretty touristy, but I still enjoyed wandering down the small streets and getting lost. 

Day 3 (September 1)- Augsburg, Germany

After the first night in my Fussen city hostel, I was relieved when the first round of people left because I thought I might get a full night of sleep…. Wrong! I could not seem to escape the loud snoring roommates at the hostel. So I took most of the late morning to sleep once they left, checking out at exactly 10am (I have since invested in a wonderful pair of noise canceling headphones). 

I had only a brief outline of things to do during my next stop in Bavaria’s oldest city, Augsburg. Schaezler Palace was a place that appeared on many guides for things to do in Augsburg, also acting as an art museum with different color-painted rooms. I would like to note that I am not very educated when it comes to art, so the audio tour wasn’t worth it to me. I found myself being more interested in the history of the building and just walking around to admire it all. However, I must say that the 5 euros was worth it, specifically for the green room. 

Shortly after, I found the most wonderful self-guided walking tour thanks to the signs located around the city. One of my favorite stops was the Ulrichsplatz, an extremely old church with stunning details and paintings- churches were a recurring theme throughout my adventures in Germany, particularly on the Romantic Road. I was also directed through the city park and into Old town. Per another blogger recommendation, I had dinner at the Weber Haus. I ordered the famous dumplings in cheese sauce- it was more than filling and I really enjoyed my dining experience here. 

Other notable stops included: Augustus fountain, Perlachturm tower, Mercury Fountain, and the Cathedral Dom Church.

I got back into my tiny red rental car and drove to my airbnb for the night, staying at a cute little farm home in the middle of nowhere (a peaceful night of sleep finally!).

Day 4 (September 2)- Harburg Castle, Nordlingen Ries, Dinkelsbuhl, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

I woke up on Sunday to what I would call my busiest day in Germany thus far. First I drove 40 minutes to the Harbug castle. Harburg castle was built by Hohenstaufen emperors in the 11th or 12th century and is said to be one of the best preserved castles in Europe. Walking the castle walls and taking a step back into history, was well worth the visit. 

I really enjoyed the castle, but felt as if I could have gotten a good feel of the castle from a self-guided tour, as opposed to the paid tour. I am usually very vigilant in researching activities and knowing exactly what to expect. However, somehow I got stuck on a German tour of the castle, swearing I booked one in English. Thankfully this happened to several other people, which led me to meeting some new friends Ulma and John (John was visiting his grandma Ulma and is from California). Despite the looks from our tour guide, Ulma did her best to translate for us and I am forever grateful for her. *Please note that there are English tours, but I have since read several other travel blog accounts of this exact tour guide targeting tourists and shaming them- I recommend watching a youtube video of the history beforehand and taking a self guided tour.* I also don’t recommend stopping at the castle cafe for food unless you are very hungry and need a quick bite to eat.

Next I drove another 20 minutes to a small town named Nordlinger Ries, which is apparently built on a crater. I did a quick stroll around the historic castle walls which line the 1.5 mile radius of the town (free). I ended my stroll by paying 2.5 (3.5 now) euros to climb the 350 creaky stairs to the top of Saint George’s clock tower. My favorite part was getting to meet the famous Wendelstein, the tower cat; she is known to walk all 350 steps down into town, returning each time. 

Nordlingen is a wonderful small town, but was not a personal favorite of mine. If you are short on time and need to cut anything out of your itinerary, it might be this. However, if you have the time, stop and admire the old buildings and quaintness of the town.

Like I said earlier, I had an extremely busy day and was soon off to the next stop on my itinerary. I drove 30 minutes north to the town of Dinkelsbühl. I remember arriving and thinking how mesmerizing the colors of the buildings were here; the colors in every town were vivid, but Dinklebuhl has a deep shade that really draws the visitors in. I did another self-guided tour around the city, composed of my own research and that of other internet recommendations. Some of my favorite stops were St. George Minster (not to be confused with the church in Nordlingen), lazy tower, and the Nordlinger gate. However, the best thing I found to do here was just wandering the historical streets and really admiring the surroundings. 

On my way out of town, I stopped for dinner at a restaurant named the Golden Rose, where I ordered a delicious meal of fish and a side of potato salad. The only thing I can note is that my waitress gave me a hard time about paying with my credit card, which is very normal in smaller towns in Germany… make sure to have plenty of Euros when visiting!! Other than that this was a wonderful place to have a meal. 

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is arguably the most famous city on the romantic road, also the most touristy… and in my opinion, it is apparent why. There are so many wonderful shops, activities, and sites to see. When I arrived after 35 minutes of driving, I immediately checked in at my locally owned hotel Gasthof Butz. By this point it was raining and I was exhausted, but I had one of my most anticipated activities starting in just an hour. The night watchman’s tour takes place daily from April to December at 8pm starting in the market square (for English speakers) and costs 8 euros for adults.

A local man by the name of Hans Georg Baumgartner started the tour and has continued to do so over the past years; he takes you throughout the city’s streets, acting as a historic night watchman and educating tourists/locals on Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s fascinating history. I learned so much about the dark history of the city and just how gruesum and dangerous it was for the poor. I took this tour in 2018, and to this day in 2023 it is still one of the best I’ve ever been on.

Before making my way to my cute historic hotel for a much needed night of sleep, I stopped for dessert at Eis Café Dolomiti. It was so yummy and the vanilla and banana ice cream was the perfect ending to a wonderful day. 

Day 5: Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Würzburg 

In the morning when I woke up, I had only one goal in mind: get lost in the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It was one of the cities I had read so much about due to its extreme popularity amongst the Romantic Road travelers. During my mini adventure I wandered along the city’s walls and came across the many famous towers, most of which were covered during the Night Watchman’s tour the evening before: Roderturm, Gerlachschmiede, Plonlein, Kobolzeller Steige, Spitalgasse towers. 

I made it a point to stop into some of the many Christmas themed shops for gifts to bring home to my family, including an authentic nutcracker and some handmade tree ornaments. I also tried the highly recommended Schneballs dessert and went to Burkenstock to buy a pair of sandals for my upcoming study abroad voyage. Hint: the famous sandals are much cheaper in Germany than what they retail for in the US!! 

When the early morning concluded and the tourist buses started to make their way into town, I knew it was my time to start my 45 minute drive to Wurzburg, which is the official end of the Romantic Road tour. I got pretty lucky because my AirBnB was located across from some wonderful restaurants. I kicked off my early afternoon at the UniCafe where I ordered the banana and nutella waffles… yum!! I honestly felt like I couldn’t go wrong with the food in Wurzburg, everything was so darn good. Nonetheless, it was time to walk off my breakfast and site see.

I walked past many fascinating sites such as the St. Michael’s church, the city hall, and made my way to the residents’ palace and gardens. In my journal I wrote that roaming around the gardens was one of the most romantic things that I had ever done… no pun intended from being on the actual Romantic Road. I remember this being such a life changing moment for me, it was one of the only times I had traveled by myself and I felt so accomplished being able to manage on my own. The “Romantic” road wasn’t about loving someone else or traveling, but loving the independent person I was becoming at the young age of 21. 

That evening I dined at the other restaurant across from my AirBnB, as I was craving some American food. At Burgerheart I ordered the triple cheeseburger, crème brûlée, and a glass of Silverander wine- 10/10 probably the best burger I’ve ever had. 

Day 6 and 7: Würzburg and Dresden

The one big landmark I wanted to see in Würzburg was the Marienberg Fortress, so I began my morning with a 22 minute walk to the Fortress. As I approached the old bridge at the base of the structure, I instantly knew that this was one of my favorite places in all of Germany; the way the light hit the surrounding areas and the people outside drinking wine, enjoying their late morning, cultivated an incomparable environment. As I walked across the bridge, admiring the statues and beginning my trek to the top of the hill, I wished more than ever that I had more time to spend in this city.  

Once I arrived at the entrance of the fortress gate, I wandered around and found my favorite view in all of Germany. At the front of the fortress lies the garden, which overlooks the entire aerial view of the city. I took some time imagining what life must’ve been like for the people that lived here in the medieval times. 

On the way down I was able to take the long way which led to the hill side of endless rows of grapevines, which are used for local wine making. 

As many would argue, Wurzburg is the end of the German Romantic Road. However, I am going to end this blog post in a very historic city named Dresden. 

During my short overnight stay, I couch surfed for the second time during my adventure around Germany. I have said this many times before, but as a broke 21 year old college student, it was imperative for me to be able to travel on a budget in order to leave a little early and explore before I officially started my semester-long journey studying abroad. Couch surfing is a website where you can meet like minded travelers that allow you to stay in their spare bedroom or couch for free. I always made sure to stay with people that had many positive reviews and assess my situation upon arrival. 

After my 3 hour drive from Wurzburg to Dresden, I stayed with a college student named Eduardo from Chile and we had a fun time exploring the city together. I am fascinated by history so I requested we spend the majority of our time walking around Altstadt (old town). This is where we got to see the Furstenzug (longest porcelain tile mural) and Bruhlsche Terrasse. It was really refreshing to have someone to talk to and explore with since I had been traveling alone for the past week. 

Dresden was the perfect stop between the end of the Romantic Road and my next stop Berlin, I probably wouldn’t feel the need to go back. Although I enjoyed the history, I wasn’t impressed with the city and didn’t feel the same charm that I’d felt with almost every other place I’d been to thus far. I would recommend a quick 24-48 trip to Dresden or skipping the city altogether to spend more time in other destinations. 

My journey from just north of the Swedish border into central Germany was a glimpse of independence for me, breaking free of boundaries I’d grown up with in small town Pennsylvania. I really loved the culture and history I discovered in the lesser traveled towns. I felt confident in my ability to find my way during the upcoming semester at sea. Now onto the larger cities of Berlin and Hamburg!