Travel report: Cycling tour along the Romantic Road

Stage 1: Landsberg am Lech - Augsburg
We set off across the beautiful old town of Landsberg to the banks of the Lech River, where we follow the well-signposted bike path. We often cycle along the river bank, sometimes we cycle a little offset to the river through corn fields, meadows and occasionally forest. We don't pass through villages or towns, if we do, we only touch them on the outskirts. Instead, we experience a lot of Bavarian agriculture with cows, chickens, horses and see rabbits and squirrels along the way. It is always uncertain whether the rain will return, but the weather is keeping up until we reach the large Augsburg city forest. Here we leave the banks of the Lech, but it is very pleasant to ride through the city forest into the big city. As soon as we leave the forest, it's only a few more street turns until we're in the middle of Augsburg on the town hall square.
Thanks to good signposting and an additional GPS track, we skillfully navigate our way over the cobblestones to the hotel, which couldn't be more centrally located. Directly behind the Perlachturm in a quiet side alley we move into our quarters for today.
Of course, there is a lot to explore in Augsburg. In addition to a visit to the famous Fuggerei and the old town, we also have to take a coffee break.

Slightly hilly, we continue in the direction of Donauwörth, always keeping an eye on the signs for the Romantic Road.
In Donauwörth we can´t miss our hotel, it is located directly on the bike path at the entrance to the city. Here we explore the little town at the Danube with its small but very fine island in the middle of the river. Here, the Wörnitz and the Danube flow together and already more cyclists can be seen, because the Danube cycle path is also internationally known. Of course, you also have to eat well after a day of cycling, which is not difficult in Donauwörth with its beautiful old town.

Then we soon reach the edge of the asteroid crater, also called Nördlinger Ries, in the middle of which Nördlingen lies. We imagine we can see the rim of the crater, even though we are not geologists. More than 14 million years ago an asteroid hit here and left a crater with a diameter of about 25 km. This is excellent to see especially from the air, with the bicycle it is rather difficult to see.
We are curious about Nördlingen, because we have read that there is still a city wall that can be walked around, which encloses the old core of the city almost in a circle. So we strengthen ourselves in the hotel, situated at the edge of the city wall, quickly with a coffee and off we go on the city wall. We are thrilled by the view of beautiful alleys and houses. Here a small stream, there a beautiful courtyard - the city exudes a wonderful flair from the Middle Ages and is still down-to-earth and not overrun by tourists.

We are very excited about the hotel, we have been working together for a long time and so far only know it from photos. It convinces us in every detail - family-run and with a charm that could not be more fitting for this city and the historic building. All the rooms are individually furnished, and there are flashes of history from the city and the family history everywhere. There are not many houses like this anymore - we take our hats off to the Berger family!
Back to Rothenburg: If our first impression was still, it is bustling and difficult to conquer by bike, we have to realize on a tour on foot that the city is really beautiful. Much more urban and yes, more touristy than our dear Dinkelsbühl. But the location above the Tauber, the view from the castle garden over the valley and on the city and the picturesque houses have earned the city the reputation.