Bavarian Castles Stays Self-Drive Tour. Travel along the Romantic Road and stay two nights each in three different Bavarian Castles along this beautifully designed Self-drive tour from Frankfurt Int. Airport to Munich Int. Airport!
Rose Garden New Residence Bamberg ©BAMBERG Tourismus & Kongress Service
The tour includes a comprehensive admission package as well as an executive (1 or 2 travelers) or luxury size car (3 or 4 travelers) with GPS, extensive insurance coverage and automatic transmission. Your Bavarian Castle stays along this tour are certainly a highlight but the rental car tour includes much more, please take a look what already is included in the price of this vacation package (see the tableau this is already included in the price of your tour). you find everything that is included in the price of your tour package: the names of your Bavarian Castle Hotels, rental car, tours and admissions. Here you find everything that is included in the price of your tour package: the names of your Castle Hotels, rental car, tours, and admissions.
Please note that the accommodation along your tour is going to be in historic Castles. The accommodations in those Castles cannot be rated as “luxury”, the Castle Hotels are no boutique hotels. However, they are well rated bed and breakfast hotels (in the category or 3 and 4 stars) and they are very authentic – in some cases the aristocratic owner will be your host.
Price per Person
| two sharing a double room | one in a single room | three sharing a triple room |
| US $ 1,459 | US $ 2,499 | US $ 1,199* |
*includes an upgrade from an executive to a luxury size car.
Would you like to submit your personal information so we can check availability for your specific travel dates for this beautiful tour? On our BOOKING INQUIRY page you find a form which you may use to forward your personal information:
View 7 Day Bavarian Castles Stays Self-Drive Tour (7S01) in a larger map
DAY 1 Wurzburg
Frankfurt International Airport is your gateway to Central Europe and a great place to start your Bavarian Castles Stays Self-drive tour. After you picked up your rental car (GPS included) you will be traveling on the Autobahn to nearby Aschaffenburg for a visit of Johannisburg Palace and Gardens (30 minutes, 47 kilometers – 30 miles – admission included).The important Renaissance Palace was built 1605-1614.
Wurzburg Residence ©Romantische Straße Touristik Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR and Bamberg Cathedral©BAMBERG Tourismus & Kongress Service
From Aschaffenburg follow the Autobahn right into Wurzburg, hometown of the German basketball player Dirk Nowitzki, your first stop at the Romantic Road (55 minutes, 80 kilometers – 50 miles). Your hotel is located in the Old Town. The city is idyllically located in the midst of vineyards, with the medieval Fortress Marienberg towering above. Wurzburg is an old bishop’s seat and a lively town, proudly presenting monuments of different eras. Culture, art, history, and hospitality are ever-present in this remarkable city! Fortress Marienberg (admission included),Wurzburg´s landmark, has of course changed its appearance a great deal since it was first mentioned, today the oldest part of the fortress is the “Rundkirche” (round church) which was built in the year one thousand. The Cathedral, the Marienkapelle, the “Alte Mainbrucke” (old bridge across the river Main ), the Juliusspital and the “Kappele” are musts, but make sure that you do not miss out on the “Furstbischofliche Residenz“, Prince Bishops Residence (admission included). This “Palace above all Palaces” is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy this beautiful town which offers not only cultural but also culinary highlights such as the hearty cuisine and, of course, the world famous Frankenwein (Franconia wine!). After your visit of Wurzburg continue on to your Castle Hotel (travel time from Wurzburg about 30 minutes).
DAY 2 Day trip to Bamberg
Today you will make a day trip to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Bamberg. Travel time from your Castle Hotel is about 45 minutes. Bamberg is a rarity even by German standards, as the basic fabric of the Old Town is largely obtained, over one thousand (!) buildings are landmarked. A highlight in Bamberg is the New Residence and Rose Garden (admission included). Construction of the New Residence began in 1613 and the palace has over 40 staterooms featuring stucco-work ceilings, furniture, and tapestries from the 17th and 18th centuries. Another main attraction in Bamberg is the Imperial Cathedral which was built in the 13th century. Take a look at the magnificent marble tomb of the founder and his wife, a masterpiece of the German sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider. And do not miss to take a look at the Bamberg Horseman. This statue most likely dates to the period from 1225 to 1237. At your convenience drive back for a second night stay at your Castle Hotel.
Town Hall of Rothenburg ob der Tauber ©Romantische Straße Touristik Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR, Sebaldus Church and Imperial Castle in Nuremberg ©Thomas H. Giesick
Day 3 Romantic Road to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
In the morning follow the Romantic Road via Bad Mergentheim (you may want to visit the market place), Weikersheim (you may want to visit the Renaissance Palace and Garden) and Creglingen (Riemenschneider Altar in the Church of the Lord) to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany’s most beautiful medieval cities. Pure driving time from your Castle Hotel along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg ob der Tauber is about two hours.
Taking a walk through this charming little town is truly a journey back in time. Rothenburg ob der Tauber was once a powerful free imperial town and its monuments, landmarks and buildings still bear witness to these days. Marvel at the half-timbered buildings and at town walls which are withstanding time since hundreds of years, protecting the city since the Middle Ages. The price of your tour includes an English-speaking escorted walking tour which will take place at 2 pm. Visit the town’s most famous spot, the Ploenlein square, probably the most photographed place in Rothenburg. The Gothic St.James Church is the town’s most prominent church, here you can take a minute and relax in quietness while you enjoy the beauty of the famous Altar of the Holy Blood and the Twelve Apostles Altar. Rothenburg also offers museums which are cultural highlights, such as the Christmas Museum with an exhibition showing Christmas tradition in Germany, the Doll and Toy Museum where the history of playthings is shown, as well as the Crime Museum, where the visitor gets an insight into the law and especially its execution during the last 700 years. If you still have time you may want to visit the baroque Castle of Schillingsfurst which is located along your way to your next Castle Hotel (located about an hour away from Rothenburg ob der Tauber).
DAY 4 Day trip to Nuremberg
Today you will make a day trip to Nuremberg. Nuremberg is located just about 30 minutes from your Castle Hotel. The city’s history reaches back to the year 1050, its name “nourenberc” translating into “rocky hill”. Nuremberg has Nuremberg’s famous landmark, the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle, admission included), towers above the Old town, which is protected by the 5 kilometers long city wall with its many towers. The historic flair of Nuremberg with the Old Town surrounded by historic City Walls and the impressive Imperial Castle (which has never been conquered) let Adolf Hitler during the Third Reich choose Nuremberg as the location for their Nazi Party Rally Grounds. Within the monumental Congress Hall, a museum and documentation center opened in 2001. Its permanent exhibition “Faszination und Gewalt” (Fascination and Terror) is concerned with the causes, connections, and consequences of the Nazi movement in Germany. If you are interested in visiting the Rally Grounds, you may also take a look at our blog “Documentation Center Nazi Rally Grounds”.
When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg’s medieval Old Town one can start at the Koenigstor (“Kingsgate”), from where the timber-framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St.Lawrence and the Church of St.Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot. Right next to the Koenigstor there is the Handwerkerhof (craft center), here you will feel like you are back in the medieval times, there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of Frankenwein. In the evening drive back to your Castle Hotel.
Dinkelsbuhl, Nordlingen, Augsburg along the Romantic Road © Romantische Straße Touristik Arbeitsgemeinschaft GbR
DAY 5 Romantic Road to Augsburg
Continue your Self-drive tour through Bavaria and follow the Romantic Road towards Augsburg. You will have plenty of time to visit some of the small towns along your way. Feuchtwangen as well as the former Free Imperial Town of Dinkelsbuhl with its charming Old Town. The historical old town with 16 towers, fortifications and magnificent patrician buildings is under a preservation order. The most important sights include the Minster of St. Georg, one of Germany´s most beautiful late Gothic hall churches, the ‘Weinmarkt‘ (wine market), the ‘Deutsches Haus’, the old hospital, the town mill and the picturesque ‘Rothenburger’ pond alongside the town wall. From Dinkelsbuhl follow the Romantic Road via Wallerstein to Nordlingen. Your hotel is located in the Old Town. The former Free Imperial Town of Nordlingen still has an almost complete medieval townscape. It is the only town in Germany with walls and battlements that can be walked all the way around. The historical old town is dominated by its landmark, the late Gothic hall Church of St. George, with its 90 m high bell tower ‘Daniel‘, which can be climbed 365 days a year. Heading south towards the charming city of Augsburg and visit Donauworth along the way.
Augsburg, founded in the year 15 B.C. by the Roman Emperor Augustus, became a “medieval metropolis” due to its ideal location at the crossing of the most important continental merchandise routes. The families of the “Fugger” and the “Welser” elevated Augsburg to one of Europe’s most important commercial towns. Augsburg’s Town Hall is the most important Renaissance structure north of the Alps, together with the Perlach Tower it is the town’s landmark. Visit the “Fuggerei“, also known as “The Town within a Town”, founded in 1516 by Jakob Fugger, it was the first settlement for hardworking but impoverished Catholic citizens. Augsburg Cathedral has records reaching back to the year 823 AD, the oldest section probably being the crypt beneath the west choir. Here one can marvel at Romanesque and Gothic frescoes and four-panel paintings by Holbein the Elder. There are only very few German cities which combine bygone prosperity and contemporary life the way Augsburg does. After your visit to Augsburg continue on to your next Palace Hotel (located about 30 minutes from Augsburg).
Neuschwanstein Castle Oberammergau ©Romantische Strasse Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gbr, Linderhof Palace Ettal ©Softeis via Wikimedia Commons; Munich New Town Hall ©Thomas H. Giesick
DAY 6 Romantic Road to Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof Palace
Today you will make a day trip into the Bavarian/Austrian Alps! Follow the Romantic Road via Landsberg am Lech to visit the Market place and on to Steingaden to visit the world famous Pilgrimage Church of ‘Flagellated Saviour in the Meadow’, a late work of the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann. Drive on to Hohenschwangau where Neuschwanstein Castle is located. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind but certainly for those traveling along the Romantic Road. Be prepared that reality will surpass all pictures and imaginations: Neuschwanstein seems to be taken out of a fairytale! Seeing the castle from the outside is unforgettable, a tour of the insight, which was originally built for the one famous inhabitant Ludwig II (admission included), will make the picture perfect! Make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds and the amazing view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge! On your way to Linderhof Palace, you may consider taking a break in Reutte to follow the “footsteps of a Knight” at the Museum located at Ehrenberg Castle. The exhibition at the Castle focuses on the medieval period of history. Drive from Reutte towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen, for a visit of nearby Linderhof Palace and Park (admission included), the “Royal Villa” of Ludwig II, located in Ettal. You may also stop in Oberammergau (site of the famous Passion Plays) before you drive back to your Palace Hotel.
Day 7 Munich/ Munich Int. Airport
Your tour ends on Day 7. Depending on your departure time you may have time to visit Munich along the way from your Castle Hotel to Munich Int. Airport. It is also possible to extend the tour by adding a day or two in Munich (in this case we can also arrange the rental car to be returned at a Munich City Center location – please contact us for options).
The price of your tour already includes admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain) and with your tour package you will also receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel”), the Konigsplatz (King´s Square), cultural center in the 19th century and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany, the English Garden as well as the the State Opera House. You will be able to visit famous churches like Munich Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger street and Neuhauser street) as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you to the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store as well as to the Hofbrauhaus of course, probably the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh Mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)!
Your tour ends in Munich/Munich Int. Airport. Please let us know if you would like to extend your stay in Munich by adding a night or two – we will be happy to arrange this for you. Please also contact us in case you would like to extend your car rental and/or if you would like to return the car to a different location within Germany. Munich is a great city which definitely deserves an extra day’s visit!
Would you like to download an overview of the 7 Day Bavarian Castles Stays Self-Drive Tour (7S01) as a pdf to print it out or to forward it to a friend? Please download it right here:This is already included in the price of your tour
| Day 1 - Frankfurt Int. Airport to Castle Zeilitzheim near Wurzburg/ Castle Zeilitzheim | Castle Zeilitzheim | Executive class Rental car with GPS for the duration of your tour, Admission to Johannisburg Palace & Gardens in Aschaffenburg, Admission to Wurzburg Residence, Marienberg Fortress (open March 16th to October, closed on Mondays) in Wurzburg |
| Day 2 - Day Trip to Bamberg/ Castle Zeilitzheim | Castle Zeilitzheim | Buffet breakfast at Castle Zeilitzheim, admission to the New Residence Bamberg |
| Day 3 - Castle Zeilitzheim to Castle Abenberg near Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nuremberg/ Castle Abenberg | Castle Abenberg | Buffet breakfast at Castle Zeilitzheim, English-speaking walking tour of the historic Old Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber |
| Day 4 - Day Trip to Nuremberg/ Castle Abenberg | Castle Abenberg | Buffet breakfast at Castle Abenberg, Admission to the Imperial Castle, the Deep Well and to the Sinwell Tower in Nuremberg |
| Day 5 - Castle Abenberg to Castle Blumenthal near Augsburg/ Castle Blumenthal | Hotel Blumenthal Palace | Buffet breakfast at Castle Abenberg |
| Day 6 - Day Trip to Hohenschwangau/ Castle Blumenthal | Hotel Blumenthal Palace | Buffet breakfast at Castle Blumenthal, Admission to Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau), Admission to Linderhof Palace & Park (Ettal), |
| Day 7 - Castle Blumenthal to Munich/ Munich/ Munich Int. Airport | Buffet breakfast at Castle Blumenthal, Admission to Residence Museum & Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum and Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain (all Munich) |
Your tour package includes all tickets, vouchers and information necessary to enjoy a great independent tour. The tour package also contains tour information sheets (20-35 pages) with general information about the tour and a day by day itinerary which you can download from our website once your booking is confirmed.
This is not included in the price of your tour
- Airfare from your origin to Frankfurt Int. Airport and from Munich Int. Airport to your origin
- all meals other than breakfast (which is included)
- gratuities (tips)
- parking fees
You have booked the tour already and would like to download the to-europe tour information package for this tour now? Please download them right here:
BAVARIA SELF DRIVE TOUR We have now been back in the USA for four days since concluding our two-week vacation in Germany and are finally back into our old routine and time-zone so we thought we wouldsend you a follow-up email. We can’t fully express in words how completely happy and thoroughly impressed we were with the services you and your company provided. Every detail was attended to in a professional manner. Every hotel selected was a dream. Every stop planned was entertaining and educational. We loved our time in Germany and would certainly recommend you and your company to anyone interested in vacationing in Europe. Now, unfortunately, we have to get back to the “real world” of work and other responsibilities (and driving at much lower speeds : – ) but we will always cherish our two weeks in Germany that you helped make possible. – Matt and Denise N., Atlanta, Georgia, USA
We are fortunate to have travelers from all over the world on our pre-packaged tours and we would love to have your feedback! If you have been traveling along this tour with us please leave us a review below – we greatly appreciate your time! (your Email address will not be displayed)
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Thanks so much to Michaela & Thomas for making this an unforgettable experience! Their attention to detail was spot on, they answered every question to our satisfaction and, in the midst of this pandemic, helped us navigate unusual circumstances. We thoroughly enjoyed the castle stays and the flexibility of the self-drive tour fit our travel style perfectly. A couple of unexpected things that could have been negatives were handled much to our delight and we couldn't have been more pleased with everything. Great beer, excellent food, nice people and scenery that was spectacular! We would definitely use To-Europe again and will recommend you to anyone who will listen. Great job to all, and thank you again for a wonderful adventure! - Jim & Susan, North Carolina, USA
The whole team at To-Europe was awesome. They worked with us on every detail and even warned us about some construction that would have been an issue. We had four people traveling from 13 to 73 and everyone saw something they loved.
Every detail was provided, but you do have to pay attention to the fine details for a smooth trip.
The Castles stays were amazing. Never an issue with any of them. We would have stayed all day at any of them just to experience them more. While not located in the main tourist traps they gave an authentic feel for the different Schloss styles in Deutschland.
The days were packed with many options to see. We had to skip a couple places to enjoy the ones we did see.
I can not imagine a better organized trip through the Bavarian Romance region than this trip. We will definitely use To-Europe for any self-driving tour again! - Aaron - Washington State - USA
Wow! You guys are amazing! We found you doing a random search and we're blown away by the level of service and info you guys provided:). Favorite things:
1) Great communication prior to the trip! Easy to understand direction and information on what to expect when we got there. Quick replies to all our questions! No problems paying via PayPal.
2) When arriving to Germany - we had all our confirmations printed out and there wasn't a single vendor ( hotel, car or tour) .that didn't immediately accept our vouchers. We were surprised at how easy it was to check in!!
3) The admission card to all the museums was perfect!!! No questions asked and we got to get in the short line for Nueschweinstein Castle tour line- big bonus!! There was only one walking tour we paid for ourselves and that was because it wasn't on the itinerary.
4). Accommodations were AMAZING!!! Castle Burg Abenburg was our favorite!!! The service at all the hotels was above and beyond what we expected! I always felt safe in the areas we stayed! ( it was just me and my BFF so we appreciated the safety factor
5) Rental car was the best ever!!! We had an Audi A6 because they had run out of E class Mercedes ! Made the Autobahn even more fun!!!
My husbands a pilot for Delta so we do travel a bit and I know I will use to-Europe again! Thank you Micheala and Thomas!!! You guys are the best!!!!!
Thank you so much for the wonderful experience! The trip was set up so well and it allowed us go at our pace and have the full experience of a beautiful country! We only wish we could have stayed and had our families join us for more time in Germany. Thank you for your work on this and for giving us a great memory abroad. We will use your service again!
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