Driving routes in Germany that will take your breath away
Lisa Chenery September 20, 2014
Lisa Chenery September 20, 2014
Home of the autobahn, Germany enjoys a great reputation amongst speed-freaks as a driving destination for holidays. Germany is also home to some spectacular scenery and stunning driving routes that will leave you breathless.
A 625-mile road which takes you all the way from Mannheim to the Czech Republic, Castle Road is so-named because the route is lined with over 70 castles and palaces. If you’re planning on driving Castle Road, then be sure to book in a stop-off at Castle Hotel Colmberg, a 1000-year-old castle which now operates as a hotel, with amazing views of the surrounding countryside.
If you’re driving in the winter, then be sure to hit the Christmas markets at the Imperial Castle at Nuremburg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a small town in Bavaria which offers a perfectly-preserved snapshot of medieval life.
A 220-mile trail in Bavaria, the Romantic Road was named in the 1950s by travel agents, but has been a trading route for the south of Germany since medieval times. The Romantic Road features what many tourists describe as quintessentially German towns, cities and countryside.
Since the Romantic Road is one of Germany’s most popular driving routes, it can get crowded in the summer, the best times to visit are winter or spring. Where better to spend Valentine’s Day than a route called the Romantic Road?
The German Wine Road does exactly what it says on the tin. Set in Rhineland Palatinate, it is the country’s oldest scenic drive. At just 50 miles, the Wine Road is considerably shorter than most of the other routes, but there is still plenty to see as you travel from Germany’s second-largest wine-growing region all the way to the French border.
In autumn and summer there are open-air wine festivals in many of the quaint villages and towns along the Wine Road, so while the road may be short, you may find it takes a while to drive it!
Given that Germany is home of the Brothers Grimm, it’s no surprise that the country’s scenery is so often described as “fairy-tale”. With castles, mountains, valleys and more, the scenic Fairy Tale Road is a beautiful, 370-mile road which takes you from Hannau up to Bremen in the north. Visit the location of many of the Brothers Grimm’s classic fairy tales, including Hamelin, home of the Pied Piper, Trendelburg, where Rapunzel was locked away and the Schwalm Region, home to Little Red Riding Hood.
You can also spend a night in Castle Sababurg, where Sleeping Beauty lay, although try not to sleep for 100 years like she did, as you might get stung for late check out!
One of the oldest driving routes in Germany, the Black Forest High Road is also one of the most famous routes in the world. Because of this, it can get busy, so be sure to rise early to enjoy the route at its best, there are plenty of mountain hotels for you to grab a quick rest should you get tired on your journey, and while you’re passing through, why not stop and admire a sunrise or sunset from the elevated highway?
Check out Hohenzollern Castle, an 11th century palace that is still under private ownership, over half a million people visit this magnificent castle every year, and with good reason, it is one of the most beautiful buildings you are ever likely to see.
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