Hi-
My husband will be in Frankfurt for work and I am planning to join him. We have five nights and we are flying out of Munich. Is it possible to do both the Romantic Road and Salzburg on this trip? If not, is there one you would recommend. Any hotel recommendations would be welcomed as well. We love rooms with a balcony and nice views of either churches or national treasures. My husband is comfortable driving in Europe.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Posted by
148 posts
This is a great driving trip. Drive from Frankfurt to Rothenburg ob der Tauber (takes about 2 hours all on the Autobahn). Spend the night. Then Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Fussen (again spend the night takes a little over 2 hours to drive). Here you want to see Neuschwanstein Castle. On the third day drive to Munich to drop off the car at the airport (about 2 hours). Do the airport drop because your not near the city of Munich. Then take the train to Salzburg (about 1 hour and 30 minutes) later in the afternoon and spend 2 nights in Salzburg. Plenty to do and see in Salzburg for those days. On the fifth day take train back to Munich and spend the night there for your trip back home on the sixth day. Now you have to get the train tickets, the car and hotels which are very easy to do. Go to YouTube for some very good information of each city.
Posted by
Paradise
6897 posts
The Romantic Road is not an especially scenic drive. It is one way of traveling to the German Alps, and it does connect certain small, old-world towns of interest in mostly linear fashion. Some towns are more interesting than others... The route was created in the 1950's to promote tourism to Germany, and participating towns pay fees to be listed, so the route changes from time to time, just like other theme-roads in Germany (the Castle Road, the Fairytale Road, etc.) It's catchy name does in fact capture a LOT of tourists; it's a quick-and-easy way to plan a car journey, since it's all pre-planned , so it can be pretty busy sometimes.
My suggestion: Before opting for the entire Romantic Road, have a look at some of the other interesting places in Bavaria before deciding on a route to Salzburg. There are some excellent options in more scenic places that might be more interesting to you. Below are a few suggestions that come to mind.
- Regensburg, best-preserved medieval town in Germany (UNESCO World Heritage Status)
- Weltenburg Abbey and the "Donaudurchbruch", or Danube River Narrows, near Kelheim (take a cruise)
- Bad Windsheim's Franconian Open Air Museum (outstanding collection of local historic buildings)
- Burghausen (world's longest castle)
- Herrenchiemsee Palace (on an island in the Chiemsee, a large lake known as the "Bavarian ocean" and near the Alps.
Posted by
Atlanta
5131 posts
Since you want to drive "The Road", consider starting in Wurzburg. The Prince Bishop's Residence is really something to see; especially the small chapel on one end. Very easy to tour there and then have a short drive to Rothenburg.
Posted by
Chicago
62 posts
On the third day drive to Munich to drop off the car at the airport (about 2 hours). Do the airport drop because your not near the city of Munich.
Why drive past the Munich train station downtown and drop off the car at the airport up north when you have to take the train from the airport back to the main train station in Munich to get to Salzburg? There are plenty of car rental places near the Munich train stations.
I'm dropping off my car rental in Munich near the Ostbahnhof train station which just so happens to be one block from my hotel. I'd check for car rentals near Haupbahnhof.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Wow, thank you all for the thoughtful responses. I am going to review and will let you know what we end up doing.