16 Storybook Southern Germany Road Trip Stops Including the Romantic Road and Weinstrasse
- Maria DiCicco
- Sep 9
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 3
This quintessential road trip through Germany starts in Frankfurt and ends in Frankfurt, making it easy for international travelers to fly in, rent a car, and explore. This trip is especially great for a fall road trip through Germany, when lively festivals seem to crop up everywhere, even where you least expect it.
On this list find essential Oktoberfest stops to historic castles, from the Romantic Road and wine routes through Southern Germany, to even the sobering concentration camps. The Southern Germany road trip stops here include unique, first-hand suggestions like the best Bavarian towns to stop at, adorable places to stay the night, and some great tour ideas for filling your days with fun.
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Short on time?This road trip takes roughly 7-10 days, perfect for travelers bound by PTO days. The stops venture along the best Bavarian towns on the Romantic Road, as well as many towns that make sense for the circular Southern Germany road trip route:
My Favorite Stays on this Itinerary:Stay in a Castle: Burg Colmberg Hotel Camp in a Wine Barrel: AZUR Waldcamping Auwaldsee My Top Tour Recommendations:Note that this article is meant for meandering and exploring by car, but sometimes you may want to take the guesswork out with a tour.
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A Note on the Romantic Road in Germany
Germany's Bavarian region is most known for its touristic route called the Romantic Road, which ventures from the Main to the Alps. The landscapes change along the way, offering cute villages and eventually mountain escapes.
Some notable stops along the Romantic Road route include:
Wurzburg
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Dinkelsbuhl
Nordlingen
Harburg
Schwangau
Fussen
plus roughly 20 more!
Here's the extensive list, from the guidebook I purchased many moons ago.
Below, I highlight my family's favorite stops along not only the romantic road, but also the neighboring areas outside these Bavarian towns.
Let's begin!
Stay the Night in a Castle in Colmberg
A favorite first night stop for my family, we've stayed at this castle hotel numerous times. It's an easy 2-3 hour drive from Frankfurt airport, allowing for enough time between your jet lagged arrival and an early afternoon aperitif in the hotel lobby to get where you're going.
This day is all about making time down the road and shaking off the jet lag.
I highly recommend making reservations for dinner in the castle hotel restaurant!
Where to Stay: Burg Colmberg Hotel
Visit Storybook Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Twenty minutes from the Colmberg hotel, start the morning early, refreshed and ready to beat the crowds to the storybook town of Rothenburg.
Explore the cobbled lanes, view the timbered buildings, and bop in and out of shops.
Walk the 1.5 mile walk around town and stock up on wooden Christmas ornaments, a classic souvenir during the Christmas market season.
Stay in Charming Dinkelsbuhl
Venture another short 30 min from Rothenburg to Dinkelsbuhl, where you'll have a quiet evening in a charming village. When I visited it was almost eerily quiet, and rainy.
The town is worth a visit for the architecture and charm factor, so find a nice place for dinner and unwind.
Where to Stay: Hotel Weisses Ross
Visit Harburg Castle
About one hour drive the next day, visit the Harburg Castle.
Camp in a Wine Barrel in Ingolstadt
One more hour down the road, stay in modern Ingolstadt for a unique overnight in a wine barrel! Well, it may not be an actual barrel used for wine, but the cozy cabins are adorable.
Wondering what to do while you are there? Aside from camp meals and cold beers in the campground beer garden, the Audi Museum and Factory Tour is an awesome stop in Ingolstadt for car lovers, and worth an hour or so to explore.
Be sure to shop the area stores, especially for dirndls (the classic girly dress for festivals) and gear for Oktoberfest, if you are there in season - Munich will be the next day!
Where to Stay: AZUR Waldcamping Auwaldsee
See the Dachau Concentration Camp en Route to Munich
About a one hour drive (and then another 30 minutes from there to Munich), find the sobering Dachau Concentration Camp.
The memorial site is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. No prior appointment is necessary and entry is free.
My family has had several unsettling experiences from visiting concentration camps - from being moved to tears, to the 'feeling' of death in some of the rooms. Just be prepared for an emotional and perhaps hard to stomach visit, but I do highly recommend visiting.
Munich
Munich is a tough nut to put into a few sentences, but we were there for Oktoberfest, so our whole itinerary centered around that.
Here's a few of my notes that may be helpful for your planning efforts:
Visit the sprawling English Garden alone or on a tour for picnics, a waterfront beer garden, or people-watching - you're very likely to catch some nude people having a soak in the sun. Rent a bike to explore at its fullest. See top Munich bike rentals here.
Stop into Jodlerwirt Munich - one of the oldest restaurants in Munich, perfect for Alpine decor and great German eats.
Deutsches Museum - great for aviation and technology buffs. Visit for free as part of the Munich City Attractions Pass.
Listen to the Glockenspiel at 11am in center of Marienplatz square
Viktualienmarkt is a foodie heaven and open air market adjacent to Marienplatz - try the weisswurst or take a Viktualienmarkt food tour.
Oktoberfest in Munich
And of course, if the timing is right - go to Oktoberfest! Oktoberfest is held annually from the Saturday after September 15 to the first Sunday in October, so generally the last week or so in September, and the first week of October.
If you go, plan for insane lines at the subway stations, and be there before 3pm.
It's a carnival atmosphere with rides and games, in addition to the classic beer halls and wine houses (weinstub'ns).
Street food like the steckerlfische, pictured below, is a must to enjoy during a visit to Munich's Oktoberfest.
And of course, you need to dress the part. Stock up on dirndls and such on Amazon in advance. It's always fun when your clothes match the tablecloth!
Where we Stayed in Munich: Courtyard by Marriott Munich City East
On to Austria? Next Is Up To You
Once you leave Munich, there are quite a few options for where to go next. You are getting into Alps country, so you can venture east to Austria or West towards France.
For adventurers heading east from Munich, look into the outstandingly unique tour at Eisriesenwelt. It's located two hours east in Werfen, Austria, and boasts the most ethereal sites I have ever witnessed inside a cave. The ice chutes reminded me of an alien planet. Definitely worth a side trip.
Also, Salzburg is known for their salt mines - fun for the whole family! Don't miss out on the opportunity to indulge in the original Sound of Music Tour either! Do both with this fun for everyone tour.
Or, Go to the Altstadt (Old Town) in Mittenwald
The Bavarian Alps town is dripping with cuteness. They are famous for making violins!
Don't Miss: Take a Hike at Tegelberg
Leaving Munich behind, an hour and a half ride will take you to the lush landscapes of Schwangau and Fussen.
You are going for a hike!
Park at cable car parking (tegelbergbahn) and hike to Tegelberg mountain hut by way of Rohrkopfhuette route.
This takes about 2.5 hours and you can stop for a nice lunch at the Rohrkopfhuette. Hiking details can be found here.
Our hike started in the clouds, so you can see it wasn't exactly scenic at first!
Choose to take the cable car either up or down, making the hike as the other half of your journey.
And trust me, you do not want to pass up the opportunity to relax at the Rohrkopfhuette - it is an adorable Alpine home with filling and comforting food like goulash, gluhwein and other German favorites.
Stopping in at this hut made for a perfect respite from the hike, and it was truly a highlight for me!
Although, the hiking views weren't so bad!
P.S. I found the hike difficult, but I'm a wimp that lives at sea level. Be sure to bring lots of water and stop as often as you need.
Pro tip: Another option instead of the hike or cable car in the same spot is a toboggan ride. I'm sure it's quite the thrill!
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle
Tickets for the Neuschwanstein castle are time based, and it gets crowded. Reserving your tickets in advance is crucial if you want to take a tour of the castle, which typically runs around 30 minutes.
You have a few options for tickets:
Getting to the castle involves some hiking, so here's a few tips from my trip:
Park at P1 or P3 (there is a small fee) and pick up your official tickets at the ticket center the day of reservation
Expect about a 40 minute walk to the top
View Neuschwanstein from Mary's Bridge (plan for hike up to take at least 30 minutes)
There's snacks at the top!
Pro tip: save time for a cute little horse and carriage ride at the bottom of the castle, either for the ride up or back!
Where to Stay Near Neuschwanstein Castle
Depending on your itinerary, you may want to stay the night at the base of the castle at Hotel Mueller, or perhaps find a cute Pension or Gastehaus (guesthouse) nearby.
A few cute suggestions include:
Stop or Stay in Lake Constance and Meersburg
After being in the mountains for a day or two, you will perhaps enjoy a relaxing lakeside setting at Lake Constance. We stayed in Meersburg, a waterfront town with vineyards and a nearby Zeppelin Museum, if that excites you.
Be sure to have an alfresco dinner, and enjoy some nice strolls along the lakefront. Note that many of the Rhine River and Christmas Market Cruises stop through Lake Konstanz (Constance).
Where to Stay in Meersburg: Hotel Lowen-Weinstube
Have Wine and Snacks at Schloss Staufenberg
Drive through the Black Forest to Schloss Staufenberg as you make your way north.
Go for epic wine tasting and an afternoon snack on their stunning terrace. Paired with Weingut Markgraf von Baden, this is part winery, part restaurant, all in a castle setting.
French Border Towns Heading Back Towards Frankfurt
Visit Colmar, France
Colmar, France is another picture perfect town worthy of a stop.
Stay in Strasbourg, France
Drive to your hotel in Strasbourg and plan for a nice afternoon walking around the old town. If desired: visit Cathedral, wine cellar in old city hospital (free), and definitely visit Le Petite France.
Where to Stay in Strasbourg: Hôtel & Spa Le Bouclier D'or
Drive Down the Weinstrasse (Germany's Wine Road)
Along the route expect the unexpected, like wine festivals and other local town events.
The Rheinhessen, along the river Rhine, boasts the best German Wine Route called the Deutsches Weinstrasse. It spans some 85 km and you can start at the wine gate at Schweigen-Rechtenbach.
The two most notable towns in the weinstrasse are Bad Durkheim and Neustadt. You'll see wine tasting signs (winzergenossenshaft or weinprobes), where you can pop in for a tasting and to pick up any purchases you desire from various vintners along the way.
Schloss Vollrads is a winery and castle in Oestrich-Winkel, about 10 minutes east of Rudesheim, below, or you can also note down a monastery with wine tasting and tour at Kloster Erbach.
I typically recommend having wine tastings booked in advance, and always bring your trusty VinGardeValise wine suitcase with you for storing and sending home your finds.
Learn more about my favorite wine suitcase here and use ALWAYS20 for 20% off your purchase.
Meanwhile, the weinstrasse is also begging for roadside picnics. Find a proper looking spot and enjoy.
See what I mean about your clothes matching your tablecloth? We literally used my husband's Oktoberfest shirt as our picnic tablecloth. No problem with me!
Rudesheim am Rhein
A perfect stop for your final night in Germany, Rudesheim am Rhein is only about 37 minutes from the Frankfurt airport.
To get there, you may need to take the autoferry (autofahre) from across the river at Bingen, which is a fun little way to break up your driving day. The ferry is about a ten minute trip and runs regularly.
Spend a quiet afternoon and evening in town shopping ,dining, and relaxing. Consider dining at Rudesheimer Schloss, a lively meal in a Castle setting with music and even outrageous drinking games for everyone to enjoy.
Rudesheim is especially lovely at the holidays, with Christmas market vendors lining the streets and plenty of tourists coming in on their Rhine River Christmas Market Cruises.
Where to Stay in Rudesheim: Hotel Lindenwirt
Southern Germany Road Trip: Overall
This Southern Germany road trip itinerary has the best of everything - the best Bavarian towns, the best culinary adventures, and the most scenic drives. It is sure to be a hit with your family!
