On the road between Mannheim and Heilbronn

The baroque castle in Mannheim is not only the impressive prelude to the journey on the Castle Road, but also the starting point for the first tour along the well-known vacation route. With its display facade of over 400 meters in length, the complex is one of the largest castles in Europe. A few kilometers away, the palace gardens and Schwetzingen Palace welcome visitors with a triad of beauty, harmony and lightness. The next stop is Heidelberg with its world-famous castle, which for generations has been the romantic reason for guests from all over the world to visit the city on the Neckar River.

The Burgenstraße turns here into the Neckar Valley and now largely follows the meanders of the river. The scenery changes and defiant knight's castles high above the valley dominate the picture. They lie close together on the way to the imperial palace in Bad Wimpfen and do justice to the name "Castle Road". Prime examples are Hornberg Castle, for 45 years the residence of the "knight with the iron hand" Goetz von Berlichingen, and Guttenberg Castle with its castle museum and German Griffin Watch. Both have been owned by the Barons of Gemmingen for centuries and offer an ideal combination of castle romance, fantastic views and warm hospitality.

At Neckarelz the route briefly leaves the Neckar valley and after a few kilometers reaches Mosbach. There, in the medieval streets of the old town, guests can expect to see the town hall with its imposing tower and a veritable parade of half-timbered houses.

Back in the Neckar Valley, more and more vineyards line the Burgenstrasse. Gundelsheim, which is overlooked by the imposing Deutschordensschloss Horneck, is also known as a wine village with the promising "Himmelreich" site. At the height of the town, the route crosses the Neckar River and describes a loop over Sinsheim, where Steinsberg Castle delights with its all-round distant view. In addition, the city scores with attractions such as the Technik Museum, the Badewelt and the Klima Arena adventure center.

From Sinsheim it is not far to Bad Wimpfen. In the Staufer city, known for the unique silhouette of its imperial palace high above the river, the Castle Road reaches the Neckar valley again. Along the river it goes to Heilbronn and thus to the destination of this tour.