The Romantic Road: Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Augsburg, Fussen, and Munich

Day 1 : Wurzburg

An easy 75-minute drive from Frankfurt airport, Würzburg is a university town, surrounded by vineyards with a number of wine pubs for you to experience. The Residenz in Würzburg, for many centuries home of the bishops who ruled the town, is one of Germany's most splendid Baroque palaces. You'll spend your first night here.

Day 2 : Wurzburg, Rothenburg

After breakfast at your hotel, take the short drive south to Tauberbischofsheim, a historic town with one of the most complete medieval town centers in all of Germany. Spend some time walking around this interesting town before heading southeast to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the crown jewel of the Romantic Road. Here you step back in time once again by walking the ramparts of the town walls and by visiting the 12th-century castle. An important crossroads for trade during the Middle Ages, Rothenburg was defeated and nearly destroyed during the Thirty Years' War between Protestants and Catholics; and the Black Death in 1634 further decimated the town, leaving it preserved as a 17th-century museum. Tonight, you'll have a 3-Course Dinner at Hotel Eisenhut, your accommodations for this evening. At 8 p.m. you'll join the Night Watchman's Tour of Rothenburg. This one-hour walking tour will show you some of the hidden treasures of this town and give you some fascinating history.

Day 3 : Rothenburg, Augsburg

After breakfast at your hotel, head south on the E43 road to Dinkelsbühl, another medieval gem with its four gateways and walls still intact, beautiful Renaissance half-timbered houses and one of the most important churches in southern Germany, St. George Minster, a masterpiece of 15th-century Gothic style.After your visit to Dinkelsbühl, continue south on the Romantic Road to Augsburg, a university city and Germany's third-oldest town. It was founded by the Roman Emperor Augustus' step-children, which is how it got its name. The town center is very attractive, with many beautiful fountains, a Renaissance Town Hall, and an interesting cathedral with beautiful 12th-century stained glass. Playwright Berthold Brecht and Amadeus Mozart's father, Leopold, were both born here and both of their birth houses are now museums. St. Anne's Church, formerly part of a Carmelite abbey where Martin Luther stayed in 1518, is the oldest Renaissance building in Germany.

Day 4 : Augsburg, Fussen

After breakfast, drive south to Füssen, the gateway to the Bavarian castles. Located just a few miles from the Austrian border, in the Bavarian Alps, Füssen is a good base for visits to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, two of the most popular castles in Germany, both associated with King Ludwig of Bavaria. Füssen is an ancient town, built on the Via Claudia Augusta, the Roman road built between Augsburg and Italy. The center of the town is a maze of charming medieval lanes, and above it sits the High Castle, summer home to the Archbishops of Augsburg, and a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture.

Day 5 : Fussen, Munich

After breakfast, you will finish your drive along the Romantic Road by heading to Munich, a drive of about 1 hour, 45 minutes. On your way, take a slight detour to see the Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wies Kirche), an oval-shaped Rococo chapel whose over-the-top decorations will leave you amazed. The church was built to hold a statue of Christ that has been associated with miracles. The name, Wies Kirche, means “church in the meadow”, which is an apt description. It is located just outside the town of Steingaden, in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. After visiting the church, continue your drive to Munich, where you will spend your last night of this vacation.

Day 6 : Munich

Your Romantic Road experience comes to an end after breakfast. Return your rental car and continue on to your next Avanti destination!