Districts, Areas and Overview
The Romantic Road works best as a two-base trip: one night somewhere on the southern half (around Nordlingen or Dinkelsbuhl), one or two nights in Rothenburg. Bad Mergentheim and Landsberg am Lech are useful backup options if Rothenburg is booked out. Bigger cities like Nuremberg, Munich and Stuttgart are 60-90 minutes off the road and only worth basing in if you've got a flight attached.
For a first trip on this half of the road, **stay one night in Rothenburg** (book early, the Altstadt hotels go fast around Pfingsten and weekends) and **one night in Dinkelsbuhl or Nordlingen** for the slower-paced evening. Avoid Donauwoerth and Schongau as bases unless price is your only criteria.
Published June 2026.
