A Trip Down the Romantic Road
The Romantic Road
The Romantic Road
Every little girl, me included, dreams of living a fairytale. Those dreams have since faded for me, but not before being replaced by a more realistic vision. I wanted to visit the Romantic Road throughout southern Germany.
While all these medieval style towns are original to the Bavarian region, the idea of the Romantische Straße (romantic road) started as a way to promote German tourism. After WWII Germany struggled to display a positive image for tourists leading the arrival of a route through countryside villages and castles. As I discovered during my time in the area, the fairytale route has so much to discover and explore.
Topping my list of the 18 towns found along this route was Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Upon my second day in Bavaria, I met my private tour guide for the day, to drive my mom and I along a few of these picturesque towns. As we had homebased in Munich, it was an hour drive north along the autobahn to reach our first stop, Harburg Castle.
Myth Busted: To Drive or not to Drive
The Autobahn in Germany is infamous across the world for being a highway with no speed limits. However, this isn’t entirely true! Autobahn is the German translation of the word highway, and many stretches of the roads still have speed limits averaging 120 km/ 75m an hour.
Harburg Castle
Sitting above the city of Harburg, is an 11th century castle of the same name. Although the title names this historical site a castle, the location would be better described as fortress. What’s the difference between a castle and fortress? A castle typically served as a royal residence, as seen among the summer villas, hunting lodges, and towering symbols of the late Bavarian elite. A fortress however housed common citizen, functioning as a walled city, protected from outside danger.
My time in Harbrug was far from the tourist center I was met with at Neuschwanstein. The fortress grounds were relatively empty except for the historians begging for us to join a tour. We opted to wander ourselves finding bits of the past laced throughout the cobblestoned square. Up the wall to a defense tower, we passed cannon holes big enough to fit my entire body and a prison damper, cooler, and less humane than any modern punishments. Despite the disturbing prison signs, the top of Harburg, overlooking the city below, truly showcased the prime location of an elevated viewpoint.
Furthermore, on our adventure, we discovered the church. The eerie feeling in the air felt similar to a graveyard… it is a graveyard. Hidden behind the intricate statues guiding the entrance, exit, and aisles, are tombs. Past patrons of the church buried within its own walls. I was entranced by the pristine condition the fortress has stayed in, relatively untouched for 10 centuries.
Wanting to visit this underrated medieval fortress, I have a few tips. Tickets are hard to find online and taking a tour doesn’t allow you the time to wander through hidden nooks. I recommend purchasing tickets onsite and getting there before 10am for the least amount of tour groups. In addition to exploring the castle by day, hotel accommodations are available onsite, meaning the medieval experience can extend into the night.
Pro Posing Tip: Props to You
Play with your environment! Touch the walls or plants around you as well as playing with accessories you might have on!
A Quintessential Medieval Town
I typically would never encourage someone to travel somewhere based off a photo you saw on Instagram; however, I made an exception for the most famous town in all of Bavaria, Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Immediately after seeing the postcard shot of the classic yellow house and brightly colored streets, I had a trip to Germany all planned out.
The town I visited, while packed with historical beauty, is far from the original. During WWII the town was bombed resulting in a partially destroyed city, sitting in rubble ruins. Thankfully the marking plan of the Romantic Road centered around this fairytale wonderland, allowing help to rebuild the town and revive the former glory.
From the famous dessert of a snowball (glazed wafer cookie), to walking the city wall, exploring the ruins hidden in the city garden, and one of the largest Christmas stores in the world, Rothenburg is a place I could revisit time and time again. Exploring this town of dreams, I met so many kind locals sharing stories of their lives here. The community has truly rebuilt itself healing from the past and creating an incredibly diverse community.
If for anything, I would return to Rothenburg for the feeling it gives each local and tourist alike. I completed my childhood dream of living like a princess. If the shoe fits, and baring with swollen feet, it certainly did in Rothenburg. No wonder people claim this town as a real-life Grims’s fairytale, only this one has a less gruesome ending.
Traveler Tip: The Best Purchase
Traveling during summer season can lead to beautiful skies and warm weather. However, the heat can hit you after a long day. Purchasing a fan for €3 can help you last a summer walking day.
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