Follow the Footsteps of the Brothers Grimm on the German Fairy Tale Road

As its name implies, this 370-mile route - popularly dubbed the German Fairy Tale Road - follows in the footsteps of the Brothers Grimm to old-world villages like Trendelburg and Hamelin where Gerhard Marcks' bronze sculpture of the Goose Girl continues to be kissed by university graduates. Eight nature parks provide scenic landscapes.

Hanau

Germany's Fairy Tale Road offers towns that look straight out of a storybook: cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered houses, romantic castles with romantic ivy covers, dense woods bursting with princes, princesses, witches, and dwarfs... and much more await discovery along its path!

Although often disregarded as the hub of Teutonic kitsch, the German countryside boasts undeniable charm worth discovering. You might come across subtle reminders of Brothers Grimm stories or full-on fairy tale-themed festivals to enchant and amaze.

Steinau is one of the most captivating villages along this tour route, where two of the three brothers Grimm were born and resided for their formative years. From their childhood homes to the Brothers Grimm Haus museum, it serves as a living testament to stories past.

From there, the road stretches north through Hessian cities and towns that were essential in the lives of the Grimm brothers. Their impact can still be felt everywhere in Kassel where they worked as librarians for over 30 years; visit the Grimmwelt Museum to gain more insight into their lives and work.

Springtime is an ideal time to visit, with milder temperatures and less congested roads. Summer is marked by balmy days with fantastic markets; autumn brings harvest-scented air as many restaurants serve seasonal dishes from nearby farms and fields.

Steinau

The German Fairy Tale Road (Deutscher Freien Rutte) is one of the country's oldest scenic roads and is often overlooked as an underrated scenic route. Though often written off as an emblematic hub of Teutonic kitsch, its scenic 370-mile stretch north from Frankfurt winds through towns and regions associated with Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's fairy tales and legends.

It's simple to navigate by car on this route compared to Europe's other big autobahns; simply rent one at Frankfurt Airport and follow signs to Hanau - the starting point on German Fairy Tale Road. Or visit some of its towns using day tickets - many offer family-friendly activities along the route!

Once you've explored Hanau, move on to Steinau an der Strasse for a glimpse at the childhood home of the Brothers Grimm and onto Marburg for its romantic interpretation of Sleeping Beauty or Gelnhausen where an abandoned Imperial Palace recalls witches from stories past. Finally, follow the German Fairy Tale Road until Alsfeld, home of Frau Holle.

The Brothers Grimm were responsible for collecting numerous folktales from Germany and around the world, compiling them into "Grimm's Fairy Tales" in 1812 as an official UNESCO World Heritage Document. Their compilation inspired classic tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White Rapunzel as well as The Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Marburg

Marburg, the Hessian city on the German Fairy Tale Road, offers visitors an ideal setting to immerse themselves in fairy tales. Its cobbled lanes and steep steps ooze fairy-tale charm, and Philipps-Universitat was studied by both brothers Grimm themselves! Start your exploration by visiting Marketplatz Town Square (adorned by a bronze statue of the Brothers Grimm built in 1896) which also hosts local markets on Wednesday or Saturday; people watching is just as rewarding!

Explore both the castle-topped hill of a city as well as its historic center for an immersive experience. There you will discover alleyways of steps as well as a storied fountain used by witches to conjure spells. Plus don't forget the large tower on top of the hill that looks just like Rapunzel threw her hair over or visit the fairy-tale museum which houses original illustrations and manuscripts by the Brothers Grimm!

This route runs from Hanau near Frankfurt to Bremen and it is well worth taking it. Immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired the Brothers Grimm stories while discovering enchantment and adventure away from overt touristy routes.

Kassel

Generation after generation, the Brothers Grimm's tales have brought children and adults alike together over themes of good versus evil and the importance of friendship. Today they remain part of world literature with translations available in 160 different languages and dialects.

Kassel is the capital of Germany's Fairy Tale Road and an official Documenta UNESCO World Heritage City, serving as its gateway. Here you can gain more knowledge about the Grimm Brothers through their works at the Grimmwelt Museum as well as viewing their handwritten collection of children's and household tales that also have World Heritage status.

From here you can travel northward through Alsfeld where Little Red Riding Hood once lived; Bad Wildungen serves as Snow White's dwarf home; Hamelin celebrates the legend of the Pied Piper; finally ending in Bremen where you'll witness how clever Town Musicians outwitted rats!

The Deutsche Marchenstrasse (Fairy Tale Trail) is a national tourist route connecting towns, villages, and regions associated with the Brothers Grimm's collection of fairy tales published in 1812. Stretching 600km across Germany from Hanau in Hesse to Bremen in northern Germany it passes two national parks as well as 11 nature parks including Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park, Hoher Vogelsberg Nature Park, and Meissner Kaufungen Forest Nature Park among many more quaint old towns and villages, legends and myths along the way.

Hamelin

Once upon a time, two brothers traveled far and wide in search of fairy tales to record for posterity's enjoyment, becoming popular folktales known and loved worldwide. Today you can visit some of their settings by traveling on Germany's Fairy Tale Road (Deutsche Marchenstrasse).

This scenic route connects Hanau to Bremen and includes visits to the Brothers Grimm Museum in Steinau for an interactive history lesson, their childhood homes, and where they resided as young men in towns surrounding Hanau and Bremen. Along the way you'll encounter medieval villages with cobblestone streets and Fachwerk (half-timbered) houses; romantic castles covered in ivy; dense forests that still conjure up images of princes, princesses, and dwarfs!

Gotingen, known as the City of Fairy Tales, features the Goose Girl fountain. Climb up its tower and kiss her like locals used to do! Additionally, visit Wiechert'sche Erdbebenwarte Science Museum with a fully functional seismological measuring station or dine at Zum Szultenburger or Timberjacks Gottingen for great meals and dining options.

Fritzlar is another great stop along the German Fairy Tale Road, best known as Mother Hulda's home from Sleeping Beauty. A UNESCO World Heritage Site with a medieval center surrounded by walls topped off by Grey Tower; nearby Kellerwald Edersee Nature Park provides hikers with scenic beech forests for exploring.

Bremen

The German Fairy Tale Road (Deutsche Marchenstrasse) offers more than just charming medieval towns and scenic forests; it also allows visitors to step into the world of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and their tale of Sleeping Beauty based upon Sababurg Castle 650 years old!

Established in 1975 to promote tourism, this route includes all locations associated with Brothers Grimm's Children and Household Tales - added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2005 - that have been included along its course. The Verein Deutsche Marchenstrasse Societythe  of Kassel oversees and manages this route and its attractions.

Starting out in Hanau, birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, your journey continues through Marburg - a charming student town where cobblestone-paved alleyways wind around to Landgrave Castle dating back to 10th century; then on to Kassel (UNESCO Heritage Site); before finally heading up north Germany port city Bremen where four domestic animals escape their domestic lives to become musicians - where you'll witness bronze sculpture of "Town Musicians of Bremen".