Green expanses, blooming gardens and howling wolves – medieval picture-book towns, churches and royal castles, lovely river valleys and majestic mountain landscapes – this is what the Romantic Road is known for. Not everyone thinks of the parks to the left and right of the route, which are dedicated to a wide variety of themes, from garden parks and wildlife parks to nature parks. Join us on our journey from north to south: Würzburg, the northern start and end point of Germany’s most popular vacation route, has two “green” attractions to offer: the University of Würzburg’s Botanical Gardens, located on a shell slope, are home to around 10,000 plant species, several plant collections from regions around the world and a tropical show house. Interested visitors can find out more about various botanical topics on guided tours. The courtyard garden of the residence is a real gem. Prince-Bishop Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim (1755-1779) shaped the current character of the garden. The courtyard garden is laid out in typical rococo style, incorporating the baroque bastions with numerous statues and wrought-iron gates. A must-see when visiting the Würzburg Residence, which can be mentioned in the same breath as Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and Versailles in Paris.
Quality before quantity is the guiding principle on the educational wine trail at the ‚Edelberg‘ municipal vineyard. No fewer than ten grape varieties are grown on 8.2 hectares within the eleven-hectare site. During the walk along the 1.5 kilometer long educational wine trail, visitors learn all kinds of interesting facts about viticulture throughout the year and about the flora and fauna of the vineyard. www.weinlandtaubertal.de
Covering more than 170000 square meters, the Bad Mergentheim spa park with its bright flowers, mighty trees and well-tended green spaces is an oasis of relaxation: attractions include the Japanese garden, the water features, the graduation pavilion and much more. visit.bad-mergentheim.de The Bad Mergentheim Wildlife Park is not only home to foxes and hares: wolves and lynxes, raccoons, ice foxes and wildcats, stone martens and otters, fallow deer and red deer, bison and wild boar as well as mouflons and ibexes are all part of the population. There are also owls, birds of prey and storks. In the new beaver enclosure, visitors can enter a beaver lodge, a flying fox grotto and a bald ibis aviary.
Schloss Weikersheim gilt als das schönste der hohenlohischen Schlösser. Eindrucksvoll ist die perfekte Erhaltung, nicht nur des Schlosses, sondern auch der Umgebung der gräflichen Residenz. Ein Glanzpunkt ist der barocke Schlosspark Weikersheim mit seinem einzigartigen Reichtum an Figuren u.a. der einzigartigen Zwergengalerie aus Stein) und den Orangerien. Der Vergleich mit dem Garten von Schloss Versailles ist keineswegs weit hergeholt. Der Schlosspark bildet den noblen Rahmen für Konzerte und Kulturveranstaltungen aller Art. www.schloss-weikersheim.de
Asien, wie es grünt und blüht, so präsentiert sich der Leyks Lotos Garten in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Auf einem 5000 Quadratmeter großen, sanft hügeligen Gelände entstand ein nach asiatischem Vorbild gestalteter Landschaftsgarten. Kleine Bachläufe, Teiche und Wasserfälle begleiten die Besucher auf ihrem Rundgang. Zwischen wunderschön geformten Findlingen und schlängeln sich schmale Wege zu idyllische gelegenen Rastplätzen. Von zwei Terrassen aus bietet sich ein herrlicher Ausblick auf blühende Rhododendronbüsche, Zierkirschen, Iris und viele andere asiatischen Pflanzen. Blickfang ist das fast authentische japanische Teehaus mit dem unverwechselbaren Pagodendach. www.lotos-garten.de
Medicinal herbs have played a major role since ancient times. However, their effects are still highly valued in the age of modern medicine. The apothecary herb garden at the Brunnenhaus in Schillingsfürst was designed based on the famous monastic model from St. Gallen. Up to 60 types of medicinal herbs thrive in the beds, which are bordered by logs. All the plants are labeled and, for the most part, sorted by disease. The herb garden is sponsored by pharmacies in the area, among others. www.schillingsfuerst.de A huge meteorite impact 14.5 million years ago created the Ries Geopark in the region around Nördlingen and Harburg. The Nördlinger Ries impact crater is the best-preserved crater in Europe. The flat, largely unwooded crater basin with its 25 km diameter and the up to 150 m high crater rim are extremely visible in the landscape. The Ries crater is densely populated, which also makes it particularly special. The dry grassland and juniper heath areas are traditionally grazed by sheep. Numerous endangered animal and plant species have their home here. Extensive floodplains and wetlands provide feeding grounds for lapwings, curlews, snipes and white storks.
At the Dehner Flower Park in Rain, visitors can embark on a botanical journey around the world. Gardens from Asia, Central Europe and England are united on the 30,000 square meter site. The main attractions include the Japanese landscape garden with large bonsais, ponds, water steps and boulders, as well as the baroque-style rose courtyard and rhododendron grove. Since 2009, there has been a large nature education garden where visitors of all ages can learn about the beauty of the local flora and fauna. www.dehner.de/blumenpark/
The Augsburg Botanical Garden is both a natural idyll and an oasis of peace. Over 3000 plant species bloom and green here – spread over various themed gardens. Whether in the Roman garden, the farmer’s garden, the apothecary garden, the water garden or the Japanese garden – everyone will find their personal favorite spot. Things are livelier in the plant world under glass: the flora from the steppe, savannah and tropics is brought to life – tropical butterflies fly from February to March. www.botanischer-garten-augsburg.de
After so much flora, it’s now back to the fauna: with more than 500,000 visitors a year, Augsburg Zoo is one of the most visited attractions in Bavarian Swabia. It is home to over 1500 animals of more than 300 species. The zoo is involved in a large conservation breeding program for around 20 species, including sumatran tigers and Amur leopards. The deer meadow, which exudes an authentic African flair, is also worth mentioning. The rare Rothschild’s and Baring’s giraffes, Watussi cattle and Grevy’s zebras, among others, feel at home here. Reptiles and amphibians are represented by over 110 individuals of 30 species, including monitor lizards, alligators and iguanas. www.zoo-augsburg.de
The Augsburg Western Forests Nature Park is a true hiking paradise. The 1200 square kilometer area between Mindel, Wertach and the Danube boasts extensive forests, idyllic stream valleys and authentic villages. The south of the nature park, part of which lies in the district of Unterallgäu, is known as the “Stauden” or “Mozartländle” because this is where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ancestors lived. www.naturpark-augsburg.de
The Ammergebirge nature reserve is the largest protected area in southern Germany and encompasses one of the most beautiful and pristine parts of the Bavarian Alps. Since 1961, every effort has been made to ensure that this unique mountain landscape of the northern limestone Alps with its unmistakable flora and fauna remains intact. A particularly popular tour leads to the Schleier Falls. The wild and dramatic Ammer Gorge shows hikers its most beautiful side here. The moss-covered rocks of the Schleier Falls exert a fairytale, almost magical spell.
