Considered one of the most beautiful regions of Europe, Bavaria is the biggest German state located in the Southeast corner of the country. Blessed with an amazing natural scenery and a rich culture history due to the many different civilisations to have inhabited the region, Bavaria offers something unique to every traveler.
As Thomas had moved to Frankfurt, we decided to go on a road trip and rent a car (cheap deals of car rentals can be found in Frankfurt Airport agencies, but be aware of the extra insurance costs often excluded from the deals) to explore the Northern Bavarian region which is only a 3-hour ride away from Frankfurt. It was also the perfect opportunity to try the famous without-speed-limit German highways. As we only had a long weekend to travel, we selected three cities that could not be missed and came up with this itinerary for your perfect road trip to Northern Bavaria.
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INTRODUCTION TO BAVARIA
Bavaria is Germany's most visited region. It features a high number of traditional villages, medieval castles and seats of power. Bavaria's main cities include Munich and Nuremberg but its most famous site is the Neuschwanstein Castle which is located in Southern Bavaria. The 3-day road trip introduced in this post covers the region of Northern Bavaria and more precisely the cities of Bamberg, Nuremberg and Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber.
The settlement of Iron Age Celtic tribes marks the creation of Bavaria. This event was followed by the conquests of the Roman Empire during the 1st century BC before being integrated into the Holy Roman Empire. It then became an independent kingdom. In 1871, Bavaria joined the German Empire led by the Prussians while retaining its title of kingdom. It is in 1949 that Bavaria finally became a state of the Federal Republic of Germany.
A 3-DAY ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
1. BAMBERG
The first destination of this road trip is Bamberg. Bamberg, also known as the Franconian Rome, is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to the early medieval plan of the town and its several well-preserved ecclesiastical and secular buildings dating back to the medieval period. Our advice would be to go and visit this charming town first and spend a full day strolling around its cute little streets. Many points of interests can be found in this typical German town: don't forget to check out the beautiful architecture of the Town Hall, the Little Venice as well as Bamberg Cathedral.
| For more information about Bamberg, check our post here |
2. NUREMBERG
The second destination of this road trip is Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German). Although the city of Nuremberg is the biggest city of the three, it does not lack charming sites to visit. However, the city also has a sad history since it hosted the Nazi rallies and, later on, became the site for the trials of war crimes at the Palace of Justice. We'd also suggest that you spend a full day visiting this city that has many points of interest. The main highlights include the Imperial Castle, the Hangman's Bridge, the Nazi Rally Grounds and the Market Square.
| For more information about Nuremberg, check our post here |
3. ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER
The final destination of this road trip is Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is definitely our favorite town. Rothenburg was built during the 13th century on a peak overlooking the Tauber river and then flourished around it. Very tiny in size, Rothenburg has so much to offer. It is the typical German town you have in mind when thinking of colorful and lively villages of Germany. We'd suggest to spend a full day to get lost in its many narrow and colorful streets. When in Rothenburg, make sure to visit the Castle Gardens, the Markt-Platz as well as the iconic house of Plönlein.
| For more information about Rothenburg, check our post here |
GENERAL INFORMATION
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY?
For this road trip itinerary, we recommend to have at least 3 days: one day dedicated for the visit of each destination. Each of these cities won't take you more than a day to visit, that's why if you're staying longer, we suggest that you drive south and visit other iconic parts of the region (for more information, check the section below).
WHERE SHOULD YOU STAY?
We think that staying in Nuremberg is the best option. One of the reason for this is that the city is located half way between all the cities and because it is a very lively town. Also, Nuremberg offers a wide range of hotels at affordable prices. We'd say that the second best option would be to stay in Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber in order to prolong the magic it has, however, we do not know whether the town is very lively at night.
OTHER PLACES IN SOUTHERN BAVARIA
If staying more than three days in Bavaria, you can definitely drive south and visit the mesmerizing town of Füssen as well as the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle. The drive will be definitely worth it as Southern Bavaria is very different from its northern part.
1. FÜSSEN
This southern Bavarian little town of Füssen looks like a fairy-tale. The city is over 700 years old and is located on the edge of the Alps. Füssen is the ideal starting point for visiting the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle. When visiting this Bavarian town, don't forget to check out the Medieval Castle, the Church of the Holy Spirit and the Leechfall Waterfall.
| For more information about Füssen, check our post here |
2. NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE
This famous landmark of Bavaria was built during the second half of the 19th century under the command of King Ludwig II, a nostalgic monarch who, unsatisfied and uninterested with the political situation, preferred to focus on his artistic endeavors for celebrating ancient royalty lines and knights’ legends by building a fantasy world around him. We highly recommend to spend the day visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle and its surroundings.
| For more information about the Neuschwanstein Castle, check our post here |
OUR FINAL THOUGHTS
We absolutely loved the road trip we did in this region of Germany, we only wish we had more time to explore more places! We hope that with all the information we provided, you are now able to have a better idea of which cities to visit and to spend more time in.
And now it's your turn to let us know your impressions, thoughts and also tips to visit this region of Germany. Have you already visited Northern Bavaria? We look forward to reading your comments in the section below.
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