Anniversary celebrations and nostalgic offerings over the Road's 400 km from May to October.

60 years young and loved the world over: the Romantic Road, the oldest holiday route in Germany, will be celebrating its anniversary in 2010. Its precursor, the "German number one travel route" had linked the river Main with the Bavarian Alps as long ago as the beginning of the 19th century. And just five years before the Second World War, that travel route was reborn – before the start of mass tourism – as the "Romantic Road". It should actually have been called the "Romantic Road for Couples in Love", but the founding fathers thought this too long a title. Barely 400 kilometres long, the road between Würzburg in Franconia and Füssen in the Allgäu long since established itself as emblematic of Germany as a holiday destination, and the idea has been taken up all over the world: there has been a Romantic Road in Japan since 1982 and in Brazil since 1998. This year, South Korea has also opened a route with a similar name inspired by the German original. 2010 will now see anniversary celebrations from spring through to autumn, with a whole series of events, nostalgic products and activities, anniversary menus, and souvenir certificates for visitors.

The official launch of the Romantic Road's 60th birthday celebrations will be held in Rothenburg ob der Tauber on 8 May 2010. Friends and partners as well as locals are all invited to this event. They will hopefully come dressed as far as possible in the fashion of the year of its foundation, to remind us at least for one day of the tender beginnings of German tourism in the 1950s. Be it on foot, by bike or in a classic car, visitors who feel themselves associated with this holiday route are expected from all 28 towns on the Romantic Road. Alongside the well-known guests of honour, a bus from the 1960s, built in the Kässbohrer omnibus works in Ulm, will find its way centre stage: the S14 is a classic that was in service along the Romantic Road decades ago. Its re-appearance on this anniversary will be a feast for the eyes and a treat for all the visitors, and will re-invigorate memories of "the good old days" of stress-free travel. Trips along the Romantic Road in this nostalgic bus will be on offer at the beginning of the season in June and again at the end in October. This will give those taking part an exceptional experience of the individual towns and villages along the route.

There will be plenty for lovers of historic trains to enjoy from as early as the end of March: on every 4th Sunday in the month until the end of October, steam locomotives and historic trains will run along the "Romantic Rails" between Nördlingen and Feuchtwangen.

Another atmospheric highlight of the year will be the "Choral Festival of the Romantic Road". On 4 July 2010, choirs from all 28 towns and villages along the route will present choral music in Feuchtwangen, the home of the Singers' Museum curated by the German Singers' Association, and will end the proceedings by singing together on the market place with choral legend Gotthilf Fischer.

A classic event, so far unique of its kind, will take place on 4 July 2010: the first turnout of German and Italian classic vehicles will help the participants appreciate better the southern stretches of the route from Augsburg to Füssen and links the two centres of the 2010 Bavarian State Exhibition with the theme of "Bavaria and Italy" (21 May to 10 October).

The Grand Finale of the anniversary year will be staged on 10 October 2010 in Bad Mergentheim. In the famous spa on Germany's best-known and best-loved themed route, the region's fine wines will be the centre of focus. Visitors will thus be able to wind down the 2010 season as they enjoy regional specialities - the Romantic Road is, after all, Germany's number one gastro-trail leading from the wines of Franconia to the beers of Bavaria.

Germany's best known and most popular tourist route is now available in practical pocket-book format, which enables visitors to explore the 350 kilometres of the Romantic Road as a whole or in stages. All member towns from Würzburg to Füssen are described in detail in word and pictures and mention is also made of numerous places and sights on both sides of the route as potential additions to the obligatory programme. After all, the Romantic Road is an integral part of the tours of Germany or Europe made by numerous international guests. Hence, the handy travel guide is available in eight languages: German, English, Italian, French, Spanish, Japanese, Russian and Chinese. Practical: all events of interest to visitors are described and emphasised so each visitor can put together his or her own individual tour programme. The highlights of the various towns are explicitly marked as tips so that readers in a hurry can also obtain a quick overview of the 28 stages along the Romantic Road even after only a cursory glance through the book. Anyone wanting to plan their trip from the River Main to the Alps in detail can order the Picture Guide to the Romantic Road together with an information package here.

The perfect aid for planning your individual trip along the Romantic Road!

We will be pleased to send you our comprehensive package of information, which includes a cycle-tour guide, an illustrated guide and / or an art and culture guide to the Romantic Road plus topical, as well as useful information and details for putting together your personal visit to the romantic Main-Alps region. Order the information package of your choice from our internet shop. Please have your credit card number ready and note that the package price includes packaging but not postage. We will send the article(s) required by (air) mail immediately on receipt of your order.