A travel itinerary to Wallerstein can be part of the plan to get to know the entire Romantic Road in Germany, the best known tourist route in the country, or even a weekend or holiday day trip.
In this guide we include tips on what to do, accommodation, tourist attractions, restaurants and other information for your best visit to Wallerstein. Including its two castles, Moritzschlösschen and Schloss Wallerstein.
We write about 8 of the best attractions on the Romantic Road in Germany with up-to-date tips, be sure to check it out.
Where is the city of Wallerstein in Germany
Wallerstein is a municipality in Germany, located in the district of Donau-Ries in the state of Bavaria.
Wallerstein is 256 km from Frankfurt (approx. 2h50min). I haven’t taken the train to the city yet, but you can search for an option on the Deutsch Bahn. Taking the capital of the country as a reference, it is 517 km from Berlin and even though it is far away, it is possible to go by car (approx. 5h30min), in relation to other cities, it is 114 km from Stuttgart and 149 km from Munich.
As you can see, we are getting closer to the city of Munich, which becomes the best option in terms of origin and stay for your visit.
How to go to Wallerstein in Germany
The best way to travel in Germany is very much up to you. We alternated a lot between using the country’s excellent railway network and also taking advantage of the no less excellent German roads and highways (who has never heard of the Autobahns with no speed limit, right?).
If you want to go by train from Munich, the journey takes approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
Read our Best travel tips for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Romantic Road in Germany (Romantische Straße)
The German Romantic Route is the name given to a travel itinerary in southern Germany that crosses the states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. It passes through 460 kilometers and 29 cities, starting in Würzburg to Füssen (where the famous Neuschwanstein Castle) linking various historic attractions and picturesque castles.
Wallerstein is part of the suggested itinerary and we have a complete and well-detailed travel guide with tips on how to get to know Germany’s Romantic Road, be sure to check it out.
Suggestions for activities and tours in the city of Wallerstein and other destinations on the German Romantic Road:
Where to stay in Wallerstein in Germany – Hotel, hostel and Bed & Breakfast
Although it is not very common to choose the city of Wallerstein as a base for staying on the Romantic Road (it is much more common, for example, to stay in Munich and take a trip round-trip), there are some good accommodation options.
There is not even any hotel option on Booking.com in the city of Wallerstein, the best closest options are in cities like Nördlingen or Kirchheim am Ries.
We have listed the best rated hotels that you can review to choose where to stay:
- NH Klösterle Nördlingen
- Beim Klösterle 1, 86720 Nördlingen
- 8.1 – Very good out of 1.545 ratings
- Guest comments: The facilities are beautiful, the room is a good size, comfortable bed, location is very good, attentive staff, impeccable cleanliness.
- Cafe-Hotel Altreuter
- 11 Marktplatz, 86720 Nördlingen
- 8.0 – Very good out of 619 ratings
- Guest comments: Location in the historic center, next to the church. The hotel also has a delicious pastry shop, where breakfast is served.
- JUFA Hotel Nördlingen
- Bleichgraben 3a, 86720 Nördlingen
- 8.3 – Very good out of 786 ratings
- Guest comments: The location of the hotel is excellent, close to one of the entrances to the historic city. It has ample parking, a large breakfast room, a bar and an internal garden.
- Im Feldle
- Im kleinen Feldle 7, 73467 Kirchheim am Ries
- 9.6 – Exceptional out of 48 ratings
- Guest comments: This was the perfect place to relax, go cycling and a good starting point to visit some of the towns on the Romantic Road.
An alternative is to see nearby accommodation options, be sure to check the Booking.com page for other options.
Things to do in Wallerstein in Germany
What is now the town of Wallerstein was first mentioned in 1238 as Steinheim. It and the nearby Wallerstein Castle were part of the Hohenstaufen family power. Around 1250, ownership of the castle and town passed to the Oettingen family (a noble Franconian-Swabian family). In the 15th century, the noble family expanded the town into their residence and renamed it Wallerstein.
In 1648 the castle was destroyed by the Swedes and the ruling family built a new residence below the residential wing, which received its current neoclassical design in 1804.
For generations ruled by the House of Oettingen-Wallerstein, in 1806 Wallerstein became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria through the process of mediatization. The family still own Wallerstein Castle and its surrounding grounds.
In the course of administrative reforms in Bavaria, today’s municipality emerged with the municipal decree of 1818.
Schloss Wallerstein, Wallerstein Castle
Wallerstein Castle is owned by the Oettingen-Wallerstein family. It is a three-wing complex with a clearly structured classic façade.
In the autumn of 1803, Princess Wilhelmine zu Oettingen-Wallerstein appointed Johann Melchior Hochstatter as her building director, who was to combine her residence with her four buildings into one palace:
Part of the palace complex is an English-style courtyard garden, which is no longer open to the public and essentially dates back to a plan by Michael Anton Koch from 1826. In the courtyard garden there is still the riding school built in the model of the Vienna Riding School with a museum for carriage and equestrian sports, the hunting lodge, the teahouse (once a greenhouse) and the Moritzschlösschen built in the early 19th century.
Wallerstein Castle and the originally furnished living rooms (dining room with porcelain collection, salons, bedrooms, uniform room, ballroom, etc.) can be visited upon request and rented for private events.
Top tourist attractions
In addition to Wallerstein Castle, the other sights to visit in Wallerstein and that can be included in your travel itinerary are:
- Moritzschlösschen
- It is a small three-winged castle built in a classical style. It stands on the west edge of Wallerstein Castle’s courtyard garden. Its construction began in 1803 and was owned by Prince Moritz zu Oettingen-Wallerstein, being in the family until today. The castle itself cannot be visited, but it is possible to see its gardens and external courtyard.
- Pestsäule or Dreifaltigkeitssäul
- Wallerstein’s landmark, located right on the city’s main street, this column, known as the Plague Column or Trinity Column, was carved in 1725 by the German from Augsburg, Johann Georg Bschorer. Base on the model of the Bohemian plague columns and the Viennese plague column. The column’s rich figurative decoration shows Mary at the foot of the Trinity, as well as Saints Rochus, Sebastian and Antonius von Padua.
- St. Alban Kirche
- It is a Catholic church built in 1612 dedicated to Saint Alban of Mainz, a missionary and martyr who was beheaded in the early 5th century.
- Wallersteiner Felsen
- Old wallerstein castle rock 65 meters high and publicly accessible viewpoint in the city center.
- Maria-Hilf-Kapelle
- The Maria Hilf Chapel was built in the Baroque style from 1623 to 1626. The rotunda with dome and lantern and the Renaissance portal on the north side are worth seeing.
- Jüdische Friedhof
- It is a reminder of the existence of Jewish life in the city. In the cemetery is the grave of a concentration camp prisoner who was shot, presumably on a death march in the spring of 1945
Wallerstein in Germany 1 day itinerary tip
Our script suggestion in Wallerstein is to divide your script into two parts:
- Walk around the spots scattered around the city center, such as Pestsäule, Wallersteiner Felsen and St. Alban Kirche.
- Take the opportunity to visit the Jüdische Friedhof.
Take a break for lunch
- Go to the Schloss Wallerstein, strolling through the garden, admiring the architecture of the castle and also the Moritzschlösschen .
And after that you continue your journey to the next city on the German Romantic Road.
Where to eat in Wallerstein in Germany – Tips of bars and restaurants
If you’re traveling in Germany, I believe you should look for restaurants specializing in the country’s traditional cuisine or even a Biergarten for a German beer.
In Wallerstein, there are the options:
- Zum Goldenen Lowen
- Obere Bergstr. 1, 86757 Wallerstein
- Reviews: The restaurant is housed in a historic building overlooking Wallerstein Castle. Cuisine is mainly Bavarian, try the house specialty “Loewenpfaennle” when you’re there.
- Furstlicher Keller
- Berg 78, 86757 Wallerstein, Bavaria Germany
- Reviews: The choice of food is of a high standard. The friendly staff is always ready to take care of guests. The beers on offer are tasty and are worth the visit alone.
Are you traveling to Germany?
Specifically about international travel by plane to Frankfurt Airport, we have the best post:
Where to stay near Frankfurt Airport Germany – FRA, Frankfurt/Main
Search for the best place to stay near Frankfurt Airport, including hotel and hostel at different prices.
For planning a trip to Germany, we have some publications that can help a lot:
- Berlin, Germany – Top 20 sights and things to do and visit
- The Best Christmas Markets in Germany
- The best region and the best hotel to stay in Cologne in Germany
- Best travel tips for Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany
*Photos from TripAdvisor, official website of Wallerstein and Wikipedia.