Harburg (Schwaben) Guide
A castle town on the Romantic Road
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Harburg (Schwaben) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, lying on the Wörnitz where the river leaves the Ries crater and squeezes into a narrow valley. Above the roofs stands Harburg Castle on a steep spur that falls away on three sides, and that silhouette earned the town its nickname Burgstadt, the castle town. The Romantic Road runs right through, between Nördlingen and Donauwörth.
Begin at the old stone bridge. The Wörnitz splits into two arms here, with several weirs left over from the old mills, and you cross dry-shod into an old town wedged between the river and the castle hill. Everything sits close together, so the place feels like a village with a very large castle attached.
On the market square, the bronze fountain tells the story in figures: a blacksmith, a flaxbreaker, a barrel-binder, fishermen and a shoemaker, with the castle silhouette and a blood bell on top that once announced death sentences. It is a grim detail on a gentle square. Under the chancel of St. Barbara, a pedestrian tunnel leads from the square along the lane called Am Bogen, and the church tower is partly built into the rock.
The crater is the other half of the story. Since 2020 the Geopark Ries information point has explained how the giant Ries crater formed and what that did to the local geology, and it gives a quick overview of the history of Harburg (Schwaben). It is listed as open around the clock, with English information that includes the Geopark's links to ESA and NASA missions.
Families visiting Harburg (Schwaben) should head for the Märchenweg, a fairy-tale trail open from May to October. Since 2021 a circular path has led from the upper castle car park through a fairy-tale forest to the Schöne Aussicht viewpoint. The paths around the castle hill are not suitable for pushchairs, which is worth knowing before you set out. The lime-tree avenue by the upper car park and the whole Burgberg are protected natural monuments.
If you have a car and a free afternoon, the Priel nature reserve near Brünsee lies within the municipal area and holds the largest Jurassic karst spring in Swabia. Otherwise Harburg (Schwaben) works well as a stop on the Romantic Road, and the castle deserves most of your time.
From Staufer stronghold to Oettingen residence in Harburg
The story of Harburg (Schwaben) runs through its castle, a Staufer stronghold first mentioned in 1150 that still stands on its crag with no serious war damage in its past. The name Harburg itself appears in 1093, and market rights followed in 1250. In 1418 town and castle passed to the Counts of Oettingen, who used it as a residence. What you see today is a medieval complex from the 11th and 12th centuries, with its 18th-century condition largely intact. A wall with six towers rings the main castle, and inside are the keeps, the palace, the hall building, the well and the chapel. The Upper Gate still has its portcullis, and a stone bridge has crossed the moat to the Lower Gate since 1807. The former bailiff's residence is now the restaurant and hotel, while the old bakery sells tickets. Down in the town, the old stone bridge over the Wörnitz was built in 1729 after a devastating flood. It has seven bays and covered pillars, and two of its arches were blown up in 1945 and later repaired. On the masonry of the former butcher's stall you can read the flood marks, including the record levels of December 1993 and April 1994. Beside it stands the Bruckmühle, a former grain and sawmill from 1762. Churches fill in the rest. St. Michael inside the castle is the oldest in town, Romanesque in origin and rebuilt in Baroque style in 1720; visit it during the castle's opening hours. St. Barbara went up in 1612 at the foot of the castle hill, and the neo-Gothic Herz Jesu followed between 1901 and 1903. The synagogue of 1754 was wrecked inside in the November pogroms of 1938 and later became a warehouse and then a home.
Where to eat in Harburg: castle beer garden to Swabian inns
Eating in Harburg (Schwaben) is a short, simple list, and the best place to start is at the top of the hill. The Fürstliche Burgschenke at Harburg Castle is a restaurant with a beer garden, listed as open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 and closed on Mondays. It sits in the former bailiff's residence, so a meal there fits neatly after a castle tour. Back in the old town, the market square has two options side by side. Gasthof zum Goldenen Lamm offers a beer garden and a restaurant, and Hotel-Restaurant Straussen is the other table to try. Both double as places to sleep, which helps if you would rather not leave the square after dinner. For something different, Hertle Haus serves Italian cuisine. It is listed as open Friday and Saturday from 11:30 to 14:00 and on Tuesday to Sunday evenings from 17:30 to 22:30, closed on Mondays. Since the Burgschenke is also closed that day, Monday is the one to plan around if you want a sit-down meal in the castle area. Two more places lie beyond the old town. Wirtshaus zum Kratzhof, just outside Harburg, serves Swabian-Bavarian cuisine, and Waldschänke Eisbrunn out in the forest has a beer garden. Pick Kratzhof if you want a proper regional menu, and Eisbrunn when you simply want a drink among the trees.
Getting to Harburg by train, bus or road from Munich
Getting to Harburg (Schwaben) is easiest by regional train, since the town has its own station on the Augsburg-Nördlingen line, served hourly on weekdays. The station lies east of the town, so expect a short walk before you reach the old stone bridge and the old town. The line connects to the main rail hubs through Donauwörth to the south and Nördlingen to the west. Regional trains on the Aalen-Nördlingen-Donauwörth line run at least hourly every day. Every two hours the trains continue beyond Donauwörth to München Hbf, and long-distance connections are available at Aalen and Donauwörth. If you are flying in, the nearest airports with scheduled and charter flights are Nuremberg and Munich. Airport transfers exist as an alternative to the train, which can be easier with luggage. Buses fill the gaps. Regional bus line 700 runs Donauwörth - Harburg - Wemding and stops at Grasstraße in Harburg. The Romantic Road Coach covers the long-distance version, running Frankfurt - Würzburg - Rothenburg - Dinkelsbühl - Nördlingen - Harburg - Donauwörth - München. That makes it a handy choice if you are already travelling the Romantic Road without a car, since Harburg lies right between Nördlingen and Donauwörth. By car, you follow the Romantic Road, which runs from Würzburg to Füssen, and Harburg comes between Nördlingen and Donauwörth. The castle on its spur above the Wörnitz valley is the first thing you see, so there is little chance of missing the turn. Park first, then walk down to the old town rather than driving into it.
Walking Harburg's old town, parking and charging by the castle
Harburg (Schwaben) is very small and easy to cover on foot, and the old town is compact enough that you will not need a bus at all. Several signposted footpaths lead from the old town up and around the castle hill to the castle. The Märchenweg shows the layout well. It starts at the Wörnitzstrand, crosses the old stone bridge to the market square, and from St. Barbara a circular path leads around the castle. Remember that the paths around the castle hill are not suitable for pushchairs. If you would rather skip the climb, the pedestrian tunnel under St. Barbara connects the market square with Donauwörther Straße. Cyclists have two routes crossing here: the Romantic Road cycle route from Würzburg to Füssen and the Wörnitzradweg from Schillingsfürst via Harburg to the confluence in Donauwörth. Walkers can join the Bavarian-Swabian Way of St. James or the Via Romea, and the main hiking trail 1 of the Swabian Alb Association ends near Harburg on the Bockberg. Drivers have a few rules to keep in mind. Old town parking is in the multi-storey car park, at the grass car park by the old stone bridge and on marked spaces; keep a parking disc handy and stay off the motorhome spaces. At the castle the upper car park is paid, the lower one is still free, and the verges towards the Bock are off limits. Electric cars can charge at two points of up to 22 kW in Mühlgässchen next to the Milchhäusle.
Paying and staying connected in Harburg: cash, cards and QR codes
Money in Harburg (Schwaben) is mostly about small entry fees, and most of them are at the castle. A guided tour of Harburg Castle lasts 60 min and costs €4, while castle entrance costs €3. The castle lists cash as its accepted payment, so bring notes and coins before you head up the hill. Parking is the other cost to watch. The upper castle car park is paid, but the lower castle car park is still free, which saves you money if you do not mind a slightly longer walk. Parking elsewhere in the old town is available on marked spaces, and a parking disc may be required. Cards come into play for electric cars. The charging station in Mühlgässchen takes all common charge cards, or you can scan a QR code for direct payment. That is the one place where the facts promise you can leave your cash at home. Mobile data matters more than you might expect. The self-guided audio tour starts near the old stone bridge and has several stations spread through the old town. The whole tour takes about 3 h, each episode lasts about 5 min, and it is also offered in English. Audio is streamed after you scan a QR code, so mobile data must be enabled. The Geopark Ries info point is listed as open 24/7 with information in English, which is a useful stop if your signal is poor.
Practical tips for Harburg: seasons, rain, packing and where to sleep
Harburg (Schwaben) works best when you plan around two things, the castle season and the rain. The climate is temperate continental with an average of 9.7 °C over the year, and a few answers below should settle the usual questions before you pack. When is the best time to visit Harburg? Aim for the castle season, from mid-March to early November, when guided tours run daily from 10:00 to 17:00. July and August bring daily highs of about 24 °C, while January is the coldest month. June is the wettest month with about 98 mm of rain, and April the driest with about 27 mm. Can I see the inside of the castle in winter? The interior is visited on a guided tour from mid-March to early November, and the castle is normally closed from November to March. In winter, plan around the old town, the old stone bridge and the Geopark Ries info point. What should I pack? A rain jacket, since the town gets about 663 mm of rain a year, and shoes with a good grip for the signposted paths up the castle hill. Is Harburg suitable for children? Yes, the Märchenweg is ideal for families and open from May to October. Leave the pushchair behind, because the paths around the castle hill are not suitable for it. Where can I stay in the old town? Pension Moserhaus on the market square, Hotel-Restaurant Straussen and Gasthof zum Goldenen Lamm are among the places to stay. The former bailiff's residence at the castle is also a hotel. Can I visit the churches? St. Michael inside the castle can be visited during the castle's opening hours, and it still serves the Protestant congregation in the summer months.
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Plan a trip to Harburg (Schwaben) and discover a medieval castle, a 1729 stone bridge, a fairy-tale forest trail and easy train links from Donauwörth. It includes 1 recommendations across 1 gallery.
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Next →Where is Harburg (Schwaben)?
Harburg (Schwaben) is in Harburg (Schwaben), Bavaria, Germany (48.7864, 10.6917).
Next →How do you get to Harburg (Schwaben)?
Getting to Harburg (Schwaben) is easiest by regional train, since the town has its own station on the Augsburg-Nördlingen line, served hourly on weekdays. The station lies east of the town, so expect a short walk before you reach the old stone bridge and the old town. The line connects to the main rail hubs through…
Next →What should you eat in Harburg (Schwaben)?
Eating in Harburg (Schwaben) is a short, simple list, and the best place to start is at the top of the hill. The Fürstliche Burgschenke at Harburg Castle is a restaurant with a beer garden, listed as open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 and closed on Mondays. It sits in the former bailiff's residence, so a mea…
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Highlighted gallery in the Harburg (Schwaben) guide: Harburg Castle above the town.
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- Harburg Castle above the town — Harburg Castle rises above the red roofs of Harburg and the Wörnitz river on a sunny day.
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Harburg Castle above the town
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