Quick Stop On the A7

Günzburg is pretty, as is Memmingen. But by far the best sight on the A7 is Ottobeuren, a few kilometers southeast of Memmingen, with its magnificent late Baroque monastery church by Johan Michael Fischer.

(Also very interesting is Kempten, a double town consisting of a medieval citizens' town and a baroque ecclesiastical town, but this is just before Füssen).

Good morning. I know that area pretty well, although never have visited Gunzburg so can't speak about there.

My two suggestions (and a bonus third) are not in the middle of this short drive but rather the first and bonus are towards the top and the second is towards the bottom - and I feel, for me anyway, all are worth hopping off the autobahn for.

Before I start, the A7 is undergoing some rebuilding both north and south of Rothenburg so be prepared for narrow lanes and subtle signage for Rothenburg. Maybe by the time you get there they will have moved on but when I was there at the end of last summer the junction at Rothenburg was being completely rebuilt and traffic was on temporary roadways - it didn't look like it would be finished anytime soon.

My first suggestion is just off the autobahn after it has crossed the A6, and that is Dinkelsbühl. A walled town with a great town centre, and they have storks living on the roof of the town hall, with video feed down to the street. I think of it as Rothenburg without the crowds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinkelsb%C3%BChl A Disney film was shot there in 1962.

Continuing down the B25 is the bonus - Nördlingen is another walled town, with the distinction of having been built in the crater of a meteor. Very different. But because you expressed a need to keep moving and Nördlingen is a bit further away from the autobahn I have called it a bonus.

My other suggestion is Ottobeuren which is 11 km southeast of Memmingen. It has the amazing baroque Ottobeuren Abbey, and the interior is breathtaking. https://www.abtei-ottobeuren.de/ Full disclosure, I have a connection there, but I would recommend it even if I didn't.

I hope you enjoy your trip.

Looking for a restaurant and a nice little town: Ellwangen and Gasthof Roter Ochsen (closed mondays)
45 min south of Rothenburg on the Autobahn A7 exit 113

From there 2hrs to Füssen

Thank you for the suggestions! I think Memmingen may be the winner. I know I said I only wanted a quick stop but I saw they have a Desperate Housewives of the Middle Ages tour that sounds too good to pass up! If you have any suggestions there for lunch I’d appreciate the info. And if there is dessert maybe I can get my teens to agree to see the church in Ottobeuren.

Thank you too for the road construction information. Always good to be reminded to plan for obstacles!

Been driving A7 for years. Never seems to be finished. But the intersection around the Rothenburg exit seems to be wrapping up. Went through there in December (Xmas Markets) and it looked like they were wrapping it up.

that's good news!!