Romantic Road Germany

I know the Romantic Road is popular here and elsewhere, but after spending a week in/around Salzburg it was very disappointing. On our first trip in the area, we drove from Salzburg to Rothenburg via the R. Road, stopping at Dinkelsbuhl. I love both towns, but I didn’t think the drive was much. Last summer we drove from Rothenburg to Salzburg via the autobahn.

After Fussen you might consider spending some time in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen area. We stopped briefly in Mittenwald and would have loved to stay longer. Then continuing to the Salzburg area.

I love castles/fortresses, and enjoyed Hohenwerfen just south of Salzburg. The surrounding area is gorgeous. If you have the chance, try paragliding. We went with Fly Tandem over Salzburg and it was amazing!! They have flights over the mountains near Werfen also.

I haven’t been to Switzerland (yet!) but I understand it’s very expensive.

Switzerland doesn't have to be expensive. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of the restaurants, so if you get an Airbnb or VRBO with a kitchen you can shop at the great little Coop stores for meal supplies. I stayed in the Lauterbrunnen valley and there were quite a few options for Airbnb. If your trip is at the beginning of May, the weather can be iffy for the Swiss Alps. I'll let others provide more info. Alsace is also nice, we did stay one night in Colmar and saw a bit of the town. Colmar was nice but we really enjoyed the smaller cities like Eguisheim where we stayed for two nights. And, you can also get to Salzburg easily and inexpensively from Munich. There is a lot to do both in Salzburg and outside of town. Regarding Fussen, I always recommend that people do Hohenschwangau first. It provides great information on the family, its furnished and provides context for Neuschwanstein. You have a lot of good options!

First, please do not consider driving on the day of your arrival. You'll be tired, sleepy, jet lagged, and driving on unfamiliar roads. Some folks are not bothered by those things, some are driving somewhat impaired, and still others shouldn't be allowed near sharp instruments. Not sure which category applies to you.

My suggestion, since I lived in Aschaffenburg and Wurzburg is this. If you have the time, take the train from Frankfurt to Aschaffenburg and spend the first day there. It has a neat castle, a replica of a Pompeiian (sp?) estate house, and several nice parks for getting over jet lag. Rent a car there the next day and start your drive to Wurzburg. Just south of Aschaffenburg on the old road to Wurzburg is the town of Haibach and just south of there is the village of Mespelbrun which has castle that has been in the same family for four or five centuries. It's still lived in and is surrounded by a moat. A real fairy tale place and tours are usually available. Then it's an easy drive to Wurzburg.

In Wurzburg The Prince Bishops Residence is a must see. Be sure you check out the small chapel on one end of the building. Absolutely stunning inside but easy to miss if you're not looking for it. St. Killians Dom is also a biggie as is the market on market days. If time is tight, skip the fortress. The view of it from the town is better than the view of the town from the fortress.

Rothenburg is just a short drive away.

Do a google search for Aschaffenburg, Mespelbrun, and Wurzburg and see what you think.

From Frankfurt go south to Bensheim then along the Niebelungstraase thru Lindenfels, Michelstadt, Amorbach to Miltenberg. Along the Main to Wertheim and either start the RR there or continue to Wurzburg to start there.

Thank you for your suggestions! Very good advice about not driving after our long flight. As we have looked into Frankfurt we are thinking we may skip Frankfurt altogether and fly in to Munich. We like the idea of staying South. Any thoughts on where to stay the first day after arriving in Munich? Should we just stay there or is there someplace kind of close to the airport that would be awesome? Kap