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From Castles to Coast:
Germany has many highlights, ranging from culturally rich cities and world-renowned landmarks to fairy-tale castles nestled in the mountains. Then there's environment: the lesser-known Baltic shoreline, waterfalls hidden deep in the Black Forest, lakes dotted with islets, and large nature reserves. A road trip is the best way to soak in all of this beauty. Here are some of the best picturesque road excursions in Germany, from a journey inspired by the Brothers Grimm to highways that follow the salt-sprayed "German Riviera".
Berlin to Hainich National Park:
This route is like a collection of images of Germany's best features. Starting in Berlin and spanning approximately 350 miles (563 kilometers), the journey first dips south to Potsdam, with rich palaces such as the 18th-century Sanssouci Palace, dubbed the "Prussian Versailles". Then there's Brandenburg, a historic town known for its Gothic architecture. Among the more fascinating sites along the road is Spreewald, or Spree Forest, a forest and biosphere reserve linked with wetlands and canals and populated with "floating" cottages.
Berlin to Hainich National Park:
Drivers can travel via magnificent roads that pass-through nature reserves and the conservation area of Nature Park Thüringer Schieferge bridge, thus the journey should be taken slowly over a few days. The destination is also worth a slow exploration. Hainich National Park (pictured) is one of Central Europe's last remaining primeval beech forests, including a canopy walk that leads visitors into the treetops as lynx and wolves roam the forest below.
Stuttgart to Weil am Rhein:
This pleasant journey takes you through parts of the famed Baden Wine journey as well as the Black Forest. The drive from Stuttgart is approximately 175 miles (282 kilometers) long and passes through wine-growing villages on the edge of the Black Forest, as well as vineyards in the Upper Rhine Valley's foothills. The exquisite spa resort of Baden and the Kaiser Stuhl wine region (pictured) are among the many scenic delights.
Mannheim to Bayreuth:
The Castle Road spans 746 miles (1,200 kilometers) and connects Prague in the Czech Republic. This 373-mile (600-kilometer) segment winds through southern Germany, via some of the country's most intriguing fortifications. The line-up of intriguing castles and royal homes is dizzying, beginning with the Baroque 18th-century Mannheim Palace and continuing with jaw-dropping stops at Nuremberg and Heidelberg Castles. The picturesque towns along the journey include the very lovely Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Bonn to Trier:
The Volcanoes Route reveals a side of Germany that goes beyond its iconic castles and vibrant, culturally diverse towns. This 174-mile (280-kilometer) journey takes you through the hilly Eifel region, the country's most geologically active area, and, as the beautiful route's name implies, connects multiple volcanoes. It's a stunningly gorgeous landscape created by lava flow, but happily the volcanoes have been dormant for about 10,000 years. Signs along the trail weave together accounts of eruptions, and highlights include the crater lake Laacher See and the neighbouring Andernach Geyser.
Bonn to Trier:
The journey, which may be completed at a leisurely pace in a day, travels through cinder cones, quarries, and spurting geysers. It comes to a conclusion in Trier (pictured), a former Roman colony and commerce hub regarded as the "second Rome" in the southwestern region. Unsurprisingly, it has a rich architectural heritage, including Germany's oldest bishop's church, the High Cathedral of St. Peter, dating from the fourth century. It towers over a previous emperor's residence, with the old Roman walls still visible within. The environment is especially picturesque, with the city located along the Moselle River and surrounded by vineyards.
Frankfurt to Schweigen-Rechtenbach:
Incorporating the country's oldest beautiful route, the German Wine Route, which was authorized in 1935, these approximately 115 miles (185 kilometers) are best driven gently, especially if you wish to sample any of the famous Riesling wines along the way. From Frankfurt, the road drops south to Bockenheim, the route's official beginning point, and plunges directly into the heart of the Palatinate or Pfalz wine region.
Papen burg to Papen burg:
This magnificent 106-mile (170km) loop, which is also a popular bicycle route, begins and ends in Papenburg, a city in Lower Saxony's northern Emsland region. It then travels north to Aurich before returning. It passes through a variety of scenery, including a mix of greenery and farmland in the Amerland region and lovely canal-side villages. The Fen Route, which skirts the border with the Netherlands, is named after the Dutch word "fehn", which refers to the methods employed in the 16th and 17th centuries to dig canals for wetland drainage.
Weimar to Dessau:
Other destinations include Chemnitz, known as the City of Modernity because of structures like Villa Esche, and Leipzig's Grassi Museum, which features remarkable stained-glass windows built by Josef Albers, a Bauhaus teacher. The final stop — Dessau – was home to the school from 1925 until it was pushed out of the country. The Bauhaus Building, conceived by movement founder Walter Gropius as a new school and workshop, is now UNESCO-protected.