Fairy Tale Road–Germany

I know what you’re thinking. In your head you’re saying, “Fairy tale road. Right. It’s a theme park or a marketing ploy.” You couldn’t be farther off. I don’t know if the Märchenstrasse is called that because of how its landscape inspired the Brothers Grimm to such stories as The Pied Piper or Rumpelstilstkin but I do know that the stunning beauty of the misty valleys, forgotten villages and proud castles, while dreamy, will not allow you to become a sleeping beauty.

The Fairy Tale Road begins in the town of Hanau and winds north around 300 miles. Guidebooks will tell you that the route is best explored by car. Depending on how much time you have to dedicate to this worthwhile trek, and your energy level, I would say you ought to consider making it a long hike. The Märchenstrasse is a part of German folk consciousness. The rivers and old world settings are, in my opinion, only disturbed by the clamor of an automobile, even the purr of a German engine.

Not to miss along the Fairy Tale Road are the Towns of Marburg and Bremen. Marburg’s challenging hillsides are lined by staircase streets reminiscent of San Francisco if the city by the bay had been hobbled together by wood gnomes and populated by university students. Oh, did I mention Sleeping Beauty? Sababurg castle is the inspiration for that beloved tale, surrounded by thick wood.