Germany's Romantic Road: Harburg Castle, Dinkelsbühl, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

You are picked up from your hotel, first, we drive to Harburg Castle looming over the Wörnitz River. The medieval covered parapets, towers, turrets, keep and red-tiled roofs of the 12th-century Schloss Harburg are so perfectly preserved they almost seem like a film set.

Then we continue the Romantic Road to immaculately preserved Dinkelsbühl, which proudly traces its roots to a royal residence founded by Carolingian Kings in the 8th century. Saved from destruction in the Thirty Years War and ignored by WWII bombers, this is arguably the Romantic Road’s quaintest and most authentically medieval destination.

After time for lunch, we head to the jewel of the Romantic Road Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Europe’s best preserved medieval cities. Despite being on the wrong side of the 30 Years War, the city escaped damage but was driven into poverty. And since there was no money for development, the town was preserved.

We cannot miss the St. James Church greatest treasure: the Altar of the Holy Blood was produced in Rothenburg between 1499 and 1505. The Church representation of the Last Supper is regarded as one of the finest examples of the work of famous woodcarver Tilman Riemenschneider. He also created the St. Francis Altar in the north transept of the Church.