Fairy Tale Road
The Fairy Tale Road, Germany
Germany’s Fairy Tale Road was first established in 1975. This 600km long drive takes travellers on a drive from Hanau to Bremen with plenty of stops and fabulous sights along the way. The route focuses mainly on the brothers Grimm, Wilhelm and Jacob including places they lived and locations that inspired their works. Travelling this route can be best enjoyed from the comfort of your own campervan, RV or motorhome rental from Frankfurt or Bremen. Take in the sights with plenty of leg room and carry all of your belongings and supplies within easy reach.
Hanau to Kassel
Hanau is an appropriate starting point since this was the birthplace of the brothers Grimm. Steinau should be your next stop since this is where you will find their childhood home. The brothers studied in Marburg and from Alsfeld to Fritzlar, you will drive through the famous Little Red Riding Hood Land. The Fairy Tale House in Alsfeld is one of its main attractions. There are several more stops along the way but the next main one is in Bad Wildungen which is known for its Snow White village of Bergfreiheit.
The Schauenburger Märchenwache is a museum that is dedicated to local residents Marie Hassenpflug and J.F. Krause who were both contributors to the fairy tales written by the brothers Grimm.
In Baunatal you can visit the birthplace of Dorothea Viehmann who taught the brothers many fairy tales that can be found today in their collection. Kassel is where the brothers attended middle school and lived for 30 years. The Brothers Grimm Museum is another great place to visit.
From Kassel to Furstenberg
You have the option of two different routes, the Mother Hulda Route and the Sleeping Beauty Route. Along the first route you will enjoy stops in places like Ebergötzen which is known for its European Bread Museum and the Wilhelm Busch Museum, who is often referred to as the “Father of the comic strip”.
Along the Sleeping Beauty Route, some popular stops include Hann. Münden, the place of death of the “travelling surgeon” Johann Andreas Eisenbarth and Reinhardswald which is home to the Sababurg Castle (also known as Sleeping Beauty’s Castle).
Both of these routes conclude in Fürstenberg where the local china factory is a popular attraction along with the Weser Renaissance castle.
Furstenberg to Bremen
This final portion of the route will take you through Bodenwerder, the birthplace of Baron Münchhausen as well as Hamelin which was the setting chosen for the story of the Pied Piper. The Legend of Baxmann lives on in Hessisch Oldendorf and Bad Oeynhausen is where you will find a local museum abundant in fairy tales and fascinating local legends. Buxtehude is further along the route and is associated with the story of The Hare and the Hedgehog. This will take you to your final destination in Bremen which is known for its association with The Town of Musicians of Bremen.
Depending on how many of these sites you wish to enjoy and explore, you could complete this drive in a few days or extend your trip over a week or two. If you wish to enjoy a longer holiday without having to book hotels along the way, your motorhome will prove the most affordable and convenient option. If you have extra time, you could even make your way back to Hanau again and explore routes and stops that you did not get to see during your first half of the trip.