Romantic Road

I would suggest either Harburg (castle) or Nördlingen (walled city). I really liked Nördlingen. The wall is very much like that of Rothenburg, i.e., has a Wehrgang you can walk on, but Nördlingen is much less touristy than Rothenburg. Harburg is a thousand year old castle that was never destroyed.

I stayed at Gastof Post and liked it. It's not inside the town wall, but near the wall on the main road into town and only ½ mile walk to the town square.

Many great choices, we lived in Augsburg and loved that city over 2000 years old. Some great hotels in the downtown area.

Thank you! I looked at both. Augsburg is the halfway point.

it isn't a very long drive and there is the A7 adjacent (watch out for road works near RodT).

If you stick to the B roads (17, 2, 25, follow the signs after the B25 gives up when you reach the A6 autobahn) remember that every ant hill requires you to slow to at least 50 kph at or before the sign or risk getting your picture taken (unless the town name is on a green background), and you need to slow to 70 kph or less if posted at every intersection, or most anyway.

When you get tired of the up and down speed limits you can go over to the autobahn...

I've always said (and I rode almost the entire Romantic Road in 2007) that there is nothing special about the RR itself, just a two lane rural road clogged with trucks, buses, cars, and farm machinery. I did the whole trip using public transportation, just to prove you don't need a car. Most of my travel was by bus on the actual road designated as the RR; some was by train where there weren't buses.

It's the towns on the Romantic Road that make it special. I spent most of my time visiting the towns, not riding on the Road. It took me four and a half days with stops in Wieskirche (my starting point), Schongau, Landsberg aL, Donauwörth, Harburg, Nördlingen, Dinklesbühl, Feuchtwangen, Rothenburg, Weikersheim, and Bad Mergentheim, ending in Würzburg. I spent nights in Landsberg, Nördlingen, Feuchtwangen, and near Weikersheim, before 2 nights in Würzburg.

Nordlingen or Dinklesbuhl. Nordlingen is in the center of the crater from the meteor that hit and created the Swabish Alps. Has a nice museum on this, has a great wall you can wall all the way around (at least as good as RodT's), and has a nice central market on Saturdays. I usually stay in smaller places when I visit. Dinklesbuhl is, to me, more attractive than Rothenburg, and it's another city I'd rather spend time in vs. fighting the tourists.

Depending on when you go, check and see if the open-air museum in Bad Windsheim is open. it's definitely worth a visit. Just 15 minutes from RodT. https://freilandmuseum.de/

These are all very helpful,thanks

Also, any hotel & restaurant suggestions for Rothenburg?

We stayed at Mittermeiers Alter Ego last summer which is right outside the eastern wall entrance. Modern, clean, a/c, and a good bargain.

Coincidentally, I drove from Rothenberg to Fussen in one shot last year but took the A7. Very easy drive but I see you're doing RR.

Thanks, I like your idea of driving to Rothenburg directly. Driving the RR sounds long & slow.