travelbecky

We are driving from Paris to Romantic Road area on Dec. 28th. We fly out of Frankfurt in the morning of January 2nd. Should we make hotel reservations for the that time, or will be be able to find hotel rooms without a reservation along the Romantic Road. Or should we have a base somewhere in the middle and do halves and then have a reservation for the 1st in Frankfurt Thanks for your help.

bettyk

I am always more comfortable having reservations because I don't want to spend too much of my valuable vacation time hunting for a place to stay.

At that time of year, between Christmas and New Year, some places could be closed. Also, it gets dark very early in Germany during the winter months so you could be driving around in the dark trying to find somewhere to spend the night.

We have stayed in Rothenburg numerous times and have also overnighted in Noerdlingen. Dinkelsbuhl is another lovely town along the Romantic Road. I would pick somewhere as a base and make a reservation before you leave.

november_moon

I too am more comfortable with lodging reservations. We liked Dinklesbuhl and Rothenburg too. Being the middle of winter and not high tourist season, I'd probably pick Rothenburg as one of the stops. It is a neat town, but people's biggest complaint is that it is so heavily visited it can feel overrun, but being there in the winter would mean you'd have it more to yourself. We have not been to Wurzburg, but it is on our list for our trip next summer - I've heard it is really nice.

treplow

The Romantic Road iutself is not a destination. It is an ordinary road, connecting some more or less attractive towns. The best known are Rothenburg ob der Tauber (aka Rothenburg o.T.) and Dinkelsbuehl. I like the latter better than the former.

If you drive the length of the Romatische Strasse, be sure to stop in Creglingen to visit the Herrgottskirche and its famous wood-carved altar by Tilmann Riemenschneider. But don't stay in C. The, unsynchronized , church bells of the various churches will drive you nuts at night.

pja1

Hi,

I just wanted to "second" treplow's suggestion of seeing the Herrgottskirche.

www.herrgottskirche.de

We can recommend the Gasthof zum Rappen between Creglingen and Rothenburg. About 15 min. outside (north) of Rothenberg actually. We also like to reserve rooms ahead of time. We didn't once, and it wasn't worth the trouble in our opinion. At the least have a short list of places you'd like to stay and directions to them.

www.romanticroad.com/zumrappen/

Also be sure to see Riemanschneider's other 500 year old wood carved alter masterpiece in St. Jacobs church in Rothenburg. It's in the back up a few stairs.

Paul

Aramis

Tilmann ROCKS!

The dude knew his way around a stump and he positively abides with a chisel.

He has an altar in the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul in Detwang, just in the valley below R.o.T.

Paul1950

I enjoyed my stay at castle hotel Burg Colmberg very much--a few kms. east of Rothenburg. http://www.burg-colmberg.de/showpage...iteID=1&lang=2

treplow

If you like any of Riemenschneider's carvings, read his sad history. Because he didn't conform to the rules, he had his (carving) hand cut off.

Aramis

I understand that that his hands were "only" broken during his imprisonment (and torture) resulting from his support of the peasant's in their revolt. And that is more legend than fact.

Do you have a reference to a more definitive biography?