Next to Iceland, driving the Romantic Road might be the best driving experience we’ve had on the trip. It actually started prior to reaching the Romantic Road as I got my first taste of Germany’s Autobahn as we crossed the German border from The Netherlands. Contrary to popular belief, the Autobahn is not entirely a speed limit-free experience. There are a lot of sections that are speed controlled, so you really have to keep your eye out for the signs. One thing that has amazed me about German drivers is that even though they might be flying at over 100mph on some stretches, when there are signs limiting speed to 60 km/h, they definitely slow down and follow the rules! Given that we’re driving a 15-foot 9-seat minibus around with very precious cargo, I’m not trying to keep up with all the Audis and Porches, but it has been fun cruising at 85 mph when the conditions have been right.
The speed is not what has made driving around Bavaria so incredible, though. The views are so amazing! From grazing livestock on rolling green hills, to quaint villages and farmhouses, to castles and centuries-old churches, there is not a dull section of this drive. Our first day took us from Wurzburg to Augsburg, with stops in Weikersheim, Rothenburg (which was extremely enjoyable), Feuchtwangen, Altstadt, and Nordlingen. Each town has its own charm and was well worth the stop. Google says the drive from Wurzburg to Augsburg takes 2.5 hours, but we left at 11am and didn’t arrive until almost 7pm because of all the side roads, stops for pictures, and strolling around towns. The time was so worth it–we’ve loved the drive.
Weikersheim:
Rothenburg from a distance:
Rothenburg:
Aldstadt:
Nordlingen:
What a lovely drive so far! Feuchtwangen is such a funny name – if you translate it, it means “moist cheeks”. Maybe it’s so beautiful it makes people cry?
That’s funny! I didn’t know that. I like your explanation 😆