The Unforgettable Route Of The Fairy Tales In Germany

To say that Germany hides many different pleasures is not to reveal any secret. But one of the most delicious tours, both for children and adults, is the Route of the Fairy Tales. It is a journey into the world of popular fantasy of approximately 600 kilometers through the stories of the Brothers Grimm.

Starting the Route of Fairy Tales

Hanau

The starting point of the Route of the Fairy Tales must always be the city where the authors were born, Hanau, in the Federal State of Hesse. The city pays tribute to its most famous fabulists with a commemorative statue dedicated to them in one of its main squares.

It is not surprising that such a beautiful town gave rise to such an overflowing fantasy, all of it brimming with chimerical spirit. The architecture of its buildings transports us to bygone eras, from the Middle Ages to the purest Romanticism.

Among the most beautiful examples  we find the Schloss Philippsruhe, a baroque complex converted into a museum that houses both ceramics and paintings and other local handicrafts.

The Steinheim castle, from the late Middle Ages, is another of its historical enclaves, inside it you can see objects of art whose origins date back to Prehistory or the Roman Empire. We cannot forget the Goldschmiedehaus, a 16th century building that offers exhibitions of luxury effects and jewelery.

Alsfeld

If we could bind the charm of the German tradition, the cover would be a photograph of this small town. The architecture of many of its buildings, still inhabited today, with half-timbered dark wooden beams on a white background and sometimes accompanied by natural stone, give the town a unique charm.

To the traveler it will seem to be walking through the streets where Princess Aurora’s contemporaries reside. For its part, the cobblestones will be the same on which the pumpkin turned into a carriage circulated on the way to the royal ball.

The site also offers a must-see visit to the Museum of Fairy Tales, which is as fascinating inside as it is outside. In it are representations of the works as well as narrations of the same carried out by professionals. It also has an extensive collection of dollhouses over two centuries old.

Schwalmstadt

Home of the sweet and tender girl dressed in a red hood. The relationship is not so much due to the locality itself but to the regional costume of the place that inspired the Grimms to dress what is possibly the most famous distracted and disobedient little girl in all of literature. A statue of her, followed by a fierce and hungry wolf, decorates the city center.

There is a rivalry between Schwalmstadt and Homberg, both strive to be considered as the authentic and only inspiration for the story. If we have time, we can make a stop along the way for the latter, it will surely not disappoint us.

The surroundings of both villas are the ideal setting to enjoy a picnic in the open air in what is possibly the enclave that saw the young Little Red Riding Hood walking with her basket on the way to her delicate grandmother’s house.

Enjoying the Route of the Fairy Tales

The important thing about the trip is not the destination but the road and on the Route of the Fairy Tales you will find lots of towns and cities with which the most utopian-thirsty palates can delight themselves.

Spaces such as Polle Castle, the place of origin of the legend that tells how a mysterious girl lost a shoe during her flight from the royal dance. We will also find Trendelburg, where a fortress is located whose green tower sheltered the beautiful Rapúnzel.

Our steps will take us to the ruins of the castle of Sababurg, home of the beautiful and haunted Sleeping Beauty, in the heart of the Reinhardswald forest.

Leaving aside the princesses, not the stories, Höxter is a fascinating town worth visiting because its houses provoke the illusion of being made from chocolate.

No matter how delicious they may seem, we must not make the mistake of sinking our teeth into any of their buildings or the evil witch will cook us until we are ready. The same happens with Wolfhagen, where a very fierce wolf wanted to eat seven innocent little goats.

Last stop: Hamelin and Bremen

The icing on this appetizing cake is provided by two stories that are part of the popular imagination, Hamelin and Bremen. Hamelin dresses its streets with the small and detested rodents that have made the city so famous.

There we can see from shop windows full of souvenirs to statues and reliefs related to this fable in any corner. Even periodically there is a parade representing the work, period costumes included. And it is that advertising is very important.

Bremen is not far behind and is covered in details that refer to its particular legend, that of four animals who wanted to fulfill their dream of becoming professional musicians.

And so, red bunting, our journey through the Route of Fairy Tales will be over. A magical, beautiful and unforgettable route.