Day 1 of 3Day 1109:00 – 10:45·1h 45mWürzburg ResidenceStart under Tiepolo's ceiling — the largest fresco ever painted — in the prince-bishops' UNESCO palace. The Hofgarten behind is free and full of espaliered secrets.Würzburger ResidenzWalking·15m211:00 – 12:00·1hAlte Mainbrücke wine ritualJoin the locals with a Brückenschoppen — a glass of Silvaner drunk standing on the old Main bridge, saints overhead, Marienberg fortress across the water. Yes, at eleven.Alte MainbrückeWalking·10m312:15 – 13:30·1h 15mFranconian lunch in WürzburgBratwurst in a hard roll or the full Schäufele shoulder at the Bürgerspital — a working wine estate funding a hospice since 1316. Order the estate's own Silvaner again.Bürgerspital WeinstubenDriving·50m414:30 – 16:00·1h 30mWeikersheim Palace gardensThe road's first countryside jewel: a Renaissance palace whose garden gnomes — the original Zwergengalerie — predate the lawn ornament by centuries. The Hall of Knights' ceiling hunts are glorious.Schloss WeikersheimDriving·45m516:45 – 18:15·1h 30mArrive Rothenburg: first wall walkCheck in inside the walls and beat the day-trip exodus: climb the covered rampart walk at Röderturm and circle above the rooftops as the lanes empty out below.RöderturmWalking·10m619:00 – 20:30·1h 30mSchneeballen and the Night WatchmanDinner of Maultaschen, then the 8 p.m. English Night Watchman tour — history-stand-up with a halberd, and the single best thing on the whole road. Buy the snowball pastry; share it.Rothenburg MarktplatzPlan your own trip on Trippad
109:00 – 10:45·1h 45mWürzburg ResidenceStart under Tiepolo's ceiling — the largest fresco ever painted — in the prince-bishops' UNESCO palace. The Hofgarten behind is free and full of espaliered secrets.Würzburger Residenz
211:00 – 12:00·1hAlte Mainbrücke wine ritualJoin the locals with a Brückenschoppen — a glass of Silvaner drunk standing on the old Main bridge, saints overhead, Marienberg fortress across the water. Yes, at eleven.Alte Mainbrücke
312:15 – 13:30·1h 15mFranconian lunch in WürzburgBratwurst in a hard roll or the full Schäufele shoulder at the Bürgerspital — a working wine estate funding a hospice since 1316. Order the estate's own Silvaner again.Bürgerspital Weinstuben
414:30 – 16:00·1h 30mWeikersheim Palace gardensThe road's first countryside jewel: a Renaissance palace whose garden gnomes — the original Zwergengalerie — predate the lawn ornament by centuries. The Hall of Knights' ceiling hunts are glorious.Schloss Weikersheim
516:45 – 18:15·1h 30mArrive Rothenburg: first wall walkCheck in inside the walls and beat the day-trip exodus: climb the covered rampart walk at Röderturm and circle above the rooftops as the lanes empty out below.Röderturm
619:00 – 20:30·1h 30mSchneeballen and the Night WatchmanDinner of Maultaschen, then the 8 p.m. English Night Watchman tour — history-stand-up with a halberd, and the single best thing on the whole road. Buy the snowball pastry; share it.Rothenburg Marktplatz