Exploring the Enchanting Romantic Road Bike Path, Germany
Exploring the Enchanting Romantic Road Bike Path, Germany – As we had such a warm Autumn, we decided at very short notice to explore Bavaria some more as we have limited knowledge of this incredible part of Germany. Whenever we go on a bike tour, I always consider how much more of Europe there is to explore and wonder how I will fit it all in. One tour at a time, I suppose!!
In my mind, Germany is a land of fairy tales and picturesque landscapes and is home to some of the world’s most charming cycling routes. The Romantic Road Bike Path is one of the gems, stretching 500 kilometres through the heart of Bavaria. This route takes you on a journey through medieval towns and breathtaking landscapes.
The Romantic Road starts in Wurzburg and finishes in Füssen, close to the Austrian border, so the most practical way for us to get to the start was on the train.
Our journey to the start – the practical part of the route
We took the train from Fieberbrunn in Tirol to Munich and then onto Wurzburg, where the Romantic Road begins. We opted for “regional” trains to Munich because Intercity trains have limited places for bikes, which meant finding a suitable train time was hard.
Austrian Intercity trains, in particular, are quite challenging to manoeuvre your ebike onto and will generally involve a high step onto the train. This means if I am travelling alone, I must rely on strangers to take pity on me and help get my ebike on board and hang up on a rail.
The regional trains typically are roll-on, roll-off type trains, making everything easier; it means longer journeys but more straightforward to manoeuvre your ebike.
We took an Intercity from Munich to Wurzburg, which only had three spaces for bikes, but as we had pre-booked, we had space guaranteed. It was a lovely, clean train which was very comfortable with working Wifi and pleasant staff.
We left early in the morning and arrived in Wurzburg at 1430; this meant we could fit in a stretch in the afternoon, which we needed after a few hours on the train.
Start of the Romantic Road – Würzburg
The Romantic Road Bike Path begins in the historic city of Würzburg on the Main River. You think of Germany, and you probably think “beer”; however, Würzburg is smack bang in the middle of Fränkische Weinland (the Franconian Wine area) with white and red wine on offer in those round bottles. You probably had one with a candle stuck in it years ago.
We were struck by the number of cruise boats on the river, which shouldn’t be surprising as it is a famous river for cruising, but there were a lot of vessels nonetheless.
The magnificent Würzburg Residence(think – castle!) is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it’s an impressive sight keeping guard over the city. Würzburg is an excellent place to start your Romantic Journey as you are immediately immersed in the theme of the route – “oldy worldly” medieval towns and cities. Think Pinocchio, Damsels and Knights in shining armour.
Wertheim
Our first stop was in Wertheim on the River Main and River Tauber. The town sees a lot of day/evening tourists from the River Cruises, but we didn’t see many tourists after dark. It is a lovely place to wander around, along the river and through the higgledy-piggledy streets. We ate at the Zum Ochsen in the Marktplatz, which was delicious and excellent service, too. My husband had the beer of the house, and I had a “Federweißer”, which is the first wine of the season, which I am positive made me tiddly from the feet up. Walking was undoubtedly a little difficult afterwards!
My favourite section of the tour
Day 2 was my favourite; we cycled through vineyards, passing the scenic villages of Tauberbischofsheim and Lauda-Königshofen. These small towns embody the Romantic Road, with their half-timbered houses and cobbled streets that seem frozen in time. You can really get your imagination going in these pretty little towns. The scenery was beautiful, with narrow valleys filled with vineyards and orchards laden with apples at this time of year.
We stopped for lunch in Bad Mergentheim at this fabulous Greek restaurant. I know it’s not exactly the whole German food route, but we also love Greece, having worked there for a few summers. So, Greek food it was at the Zunftstuben Poseidon, which is definitely worth a stop. Not only was the food tasty, but the people were friendly and helpful. Thank you.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
The route then leads you to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, arguably the crown jewel of the Romantic Road. This well-preserved medieval town is a fairy tale that comes to life with its impressive city walls, charming town square, and colourful buildings. You can’t help but feel like you’ve stepped into a storybook as you explore its winding streets. Be sure to try the local speciality, Schneeballen (snowballs), a delightful pastry that’s as delicious as it is odd-looking.
We had a long day on the bike to get to Rothenburg, so after a quick dinner and an even faster wander around, we were tucked up in bed early. However, early the following morning, we spent a couple of hours mooching around the historic centre, and I’m so glad we did as by the time we left, the place was hoaching with tourists all taking selfies with the abundance of teddy bears on sale.
Rothenburg to Nördlingen
Continuing along the Romantic Road, you’ll encounter the town of Dinkelsbühl. This place offers a glimpse into the past with its medieval fortifications and picturesque square. We had our lunch and did some people-watching and recuperating, ready for the 2nd half of our day.
We always have a scoot around a town to take it in and get our bearings. Then, while at lunch, we read about it and check out the bits we want to see after lunch. Top Tip – it’s a good idea to prepare a list of places and things you want to see before you set off on your tour. You can always add to it while you are on the route.
We stayed our 3rd night in Nördlingen; honestly, it wasn’t my favourite place. It felt like it was trying to be a city and a cute town and not doing either very well. I may not be fair to the place, but that’s my opinion. Perhaps I need to revisit it and see what it’s really like. Each city has its unique character and story; some of them I thought prettier than others, but each to their own.
Nördlingen to Augsburg
Out of Nördlingen, there was a diversion which wasn’t well signposted for the bike path, and we ended up on a main road and had to take decisive action to get back onto a side road. Once we found the track again, you could see the landscape changing from quaint towns and rolling hills with vineyards to Bavarian farmland and lush forests. The bike path follows river valleys and beside lakes; some are reservoirs, and some are natural.
Passing farms along the way, you can smell the pig farms (unpleasant) and see many free-range chicken farms, where the chickens live and roam in what I like to call chicken hotels. Coming from farming stock, I am always interested in how they farm in different countries. What struck me in Bavaria was how tidy all the farms were, like, unbelievably tidy. I thought Austria was neat and well-ordered, but Bavaria takes it to the next level.
Harburg – gets a special mention.
We rounded a corner of the River Wörnitz to see Harburg in front of us, with its pretty coloured houses and red roofs, all guarded by the castle above; it’s a lovely setting. We spent a while sitting on the bridge chatting about how pretty it was, looking at the water depths marked on the houses and trying to imagine what it would look like if there were a flood. Eventually, I needed the loo (a very common occurrence); I managed to follow the signs in the wrong direction, and some lovely ladies helped me find alternative toilets while they chatted with Pete. They were incredibly helpful and also very interested in what we were doing and so on. Thank you to those ladies; you were my lifesaver that day.
Most people we meet are curious about what we do; the fact that my husband is on a regular bike, he gets all the praise! Irrelevant if I am cycling for 70 or 100kms; I’m on an ebike, and some people believe I don’t actually have to expend any energy. Honestly, I can’t be bothered explaining anymore, so I smile, nod politely, and get on with enjoying my day in the saddle.
Onto Augsburg
After the beauty of Harburg, you cycle around the far side, and there is a monstrous plant; we later learned it was a cement factory. It seems a shame when Harburg is so quaint; I am not sure why such an eyesore was built beside it. But needs must, I suppose.
You cycle past lots of lovely farmland and rivers all the way to Donauswörth, pleasant, easy cycling on flat paths and side roads. There are some great stopping points with lovely views along this stretch of the river, so take your time if it’s a nice day.
We had a delicious lunch in Donauwörth of pumpkin soup with original Styrian pumpkin oil, which was a reminder of home! (Austria, rather than Steiermark).
Then it was onto Augsburg for our 4th night — Augsburg, which apparently has more bridges than Venice and has the oldest social housing estate in the world. – the information I pick up on bike tours is sometimes a bit random.
The impressive Town Hall and modern shopping streets don’t make you think this is a poor city; however, it is known as the poorest city in Bavaria. I was raised in the countryside and have never lived in a city before, so I always find them a little stressful. Still, it was nice to stroll around the city on a hot evening in October, which seemed full of young people, I presume from the University. We gorged on noodles and then finished it with ice cream. Well, we had done some considerable mileage at that point.
Augsburg to Schöngau
The following morning, we headed out of Augsburg, which has the most beautiful parks to cycle through. The autumn sunshine made for some fantastic colours, and we took our time taking quite a few photos. Between Augsburg and Landsberg, there is a lot of riding through forests or between forests and reservoirs. It’s pleasant riding, but we did get a little bored towards the end of the morning as you can’t see much other than trees and water. Maybe we were too picky, but that was the way we felt.
We stopped in Landsberg for lunch in Georg-Hellmair Platz, which seemed quieter than the main square. After lunch, we looked around the town; the area by the river is a nice resting spot. The town’s orange rooves with the river in front make for good photos. If you remember to take any, that is, rather than talking so much that you forget!
I enjoyed the afternoon scenery; it was a lot of farmland, with cows and sheep dotted along the route. What amazed me about the whole route was the number of sunflower fields, which made me very happy as they are my favourite flowers. However, I thought they would have all been cut by October, so it made me smile to see so many.
We ended the day in Schöngau with a massive ice cream, or should I say “gelato”, as it was a proper Italian creamery. The gelato was delicious, but Schöngau is a little disappointing. Possibly because the rest of the towns and cities along the route are so impressive, it just seemed a bit modern, and to be honest, I’m not sure if it should be part of the Romantic Road as it didn’t quite fit in.
Slight change in plans
The final leg on day six would have been to Füssen. However, the weather was changing, and we decided to get home before it broke, and we ended up cold and wet. So, we detoured from Schöngau to Munich, which was a really enjoyable ride. The farmland theme continued with a few hills here and there. We stopped for lunch in Starnberg, which is the main town on the Starnbergersee. This is the watersports and party playground for people from Munich, as it is only 30 minutes from the city. That day, they just so happened to have food trucks set up in the central area, so we had plenty of food choices from all over the world to bolster us for the 2nd part of the route into Munich.
The final leg to Füssen
We did the final leg of the Romantic Road to Füssen a couple of years ago, and I remember it fondly as you have that constant reminder you are heading for the mountains, as they are right there in front of you. The path takes in rivers, farmland, a couple of pretty villages, and then you end up by the Forgensee into Füssen.
Füssen is near Austria’s border, and this region is known for its beautiful lakes and the stunning Hohenschwangau & Neuschwanstein Castles. It’s the perfect place to celebrate the end of your journey and reflect on the incredible experiences you’ve had along the way.
Neuschwanstein Castle, often dubbed the “Fairy Tale Castle.” Perched on a hill just 5 km from Füssen, it is well worth a visit. As the final day is relatively short, we had planned to revisit the castle as it is pretty magical. The castle inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle, but whether you are a Disney fan or not, it is well worth a visit.
Thank you to the Tourism Office in Füssen for supplying these beautiful photos to show you the stunning finish point to this incredible bike path.
Tourismus und Marketing_Michael Helmer
Tourismus und Marketing_Sebastian Jahn
Tourismus und Marketing_Struck Mathias
Tourismus und Marketing_David Terrey
The maps
We made the journey over six days, but it depends on how much you want to see along the way and how many kilometres you feel you can do. Remember, when calculating your day, take in any ascents you will do, as this can make a big difference. 200m of ascent compared to 700m could change the whole face of your day.
This was the end of the summer for us, so we had been on our bikes a lot, and our fitness was pretty good. How you choose to split up the days is entirely up to you. It will depend on how much time you have available. You can see the exact route we took in Komoot. You can use this to start your planning and then adjust each day to your own capabilities. One word of caution with Komoot that we have found is that the actual mileage you do is generally more. So, when I thought we were doing 70km, it turned out to be 76km. Whether that was my planning or the app, I am not sure, but this is not the first time I have experienced that.