The Fairy Tale Road is located away from ultra touristy routes: between Bremen, in the north-east of Germany, and Hanau, near Frankfurt am Main. It is a preserved region where the Grimm brothers lived. Of course, to whom we owe the popularization of the tales made famous, later, notably by Disney.
This route allows you to follow the outstanding places that inspired the Grimm brothers. That’s why The Fairy Tale Road winds through the towns where the oldest fairy tales were born, from Sleeping Beauty to Cinderella.
Where is the Fairy Tale Road located?
The route starts in Hanau in Germany near Frankfurt am Main and goes to the city of Bremen in the northeast of the country. It is 600 kilometers long (372 miles).
The itinerary passes through the cities of Hanau, Kassel, Hofgeismar, Trendelburg, Hamelin, and finally Bremen.
You can trace the itinerary of the road on the map just below:
Stops on the route:
Between art and history, the route takes you to pretty towns filled with half-timbered houses, splendid castles, fortresses, caves, and museums.
You can also drive the Black Forest Road (Road B500) in Germany.
Hanau:
Your stopover in Hanau will introduce you to this town in the Land of Hesse, famous by the Grimm brothers who were born there. The main attractions are the Nationaldenkmal Brüder Grimm, a bronze statue of the Brothers Grimm in front of the Rathaus originally erected in 1898, the old walled town, and Philippsruhe Castle. The latter hosts its own museum with various exhibitions.
Kassel:
This city is where the Brothers Grimm studied. They lived there for almost 30 years. Kassel is a city of art and culture: scholars of painting should not miss the Gallery of Masters in Wilhelmshöhe Castle, which houses many of Rembrandt’s works. Also, the magnificent castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
During their stay in Kassel, the Brothers Grimm wrote in particular Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Hänsel and Gretel
Hofgeismar:
The forest of Reinhardswald is where many legends which originate the tales of the Brothers Grimm find their roots. We are here in deep Germany. In the midst of this tranquil landscape is Sababurg Castle. It is said to have housed Sleeping Beauty during her long sleep. This medieval castle is open to visitors from April to October. A hotel, as well as a café and a restaurant, will extend your stopover in this haven of nature.
Trendelburg:
This small town is indeed home to the castle where Rapunzel was locked up, a young girl kidnapped by a witch and who could only get out of her tower thanks to her long hair, according to the eponymous tale. Today the castle has been turned into a hotel, but you can still visit the famous tower that inspired the Grimm brothers. Note that you can also sleep in one of the rooms in the castle.
Hamelin:
You can visit the Hamelin museum, go to the House of the rat charmer whose Renaissance architecture is just superb. Finally, admire the magnificent half-timbered houses in the city center.
Bremen:
1200 years old, Bremen, known for its famous musicians around the world. Admire its Town Hall, one of the most important examples of brick Gothic in Europe. Visit its Roselius Museum and St Petri Dom, an 11th-century Gothic cathedral. In the town’s central square, don’t miss the statue of the Bremen Musicians. In fact, that’s animal heroes from one of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales The Musicians of Bremen.
A preview of the itinerary:
If you are planning your road trip to the Fairy Tale road, you should obviously watch this YouTube video to have an idea of stages on the road:
The German Fairy Tale Route offers you a good dose of enchantment, natural parks, and fascinating landscapes of medium mountains and rivers. Immerse yourself in flowery meadows, explore deep forests, live to the rhythm of interesting cities, or simply savor truly magical hospitality.
Pictures credits: By Bytfisch – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43195842 / By Presse03 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2111553 / Par Ticketautomat — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6628257
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