When it comes to itineraries linked to fairy tales, Germany is a true paradise. Its Fairy Tale Road connects Bremen to Hanau and offers a total of 664 km of stories and daydreams, thanks to the unmatched genius of the Brothers Grimm, who were born in Hanau and set their beautiful tales in many wonderful towns scattered across northern and central Germany.
1 The Bremen Town Musicians
In Bremen, for example, the heart of northwest Germany, every year from May to September, open-air performances of The Bremen Town Musicians, the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, take place. This tale features a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster who run away from home to join the city’s musical band and, along the journey, manage to defeat a gang of dangerous robbers.
Bremen has dedicated a bronze statue to them in the Town Hall Square, which leads to a visit of the splendid historic center. Vestiges of its past as a Hanseatic city include the Town Hall and the Roland statue on the ancient Market Square, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Schnoor is the archaic medieval quarter, alive with intriguing alleyways and unmistakable half-timbered houses. Also not to be missed is the Christmas Market, in the romantically illuminated Market Square, accompanied by organ concerts, nativity scenes, and much more.
2 The Pied Piper of Hameln
Southeast of Bremen, in the mountainous Weser region, lies Hameln, the setting of The Pied Piper, a fairy tale set among its splendid Renaissance architecture, a result of the profits from a lively and historic river trade. The city is welcoming and charming, and it honors the Pied Piper, who freed it from a terrible rat invasion, with a 17th-century house marked with an honorary plaque, dedicated spaces within the Civic Museum, an entire season (from May to September) of outdoor performances, and even a musical titled Rats.
3 Cinderella in Polle
To meet Cinderella, one must travel a bit further south to Polle, where the imposing and evocative ruins of the Renaissance Castle rise, from whose viewpoint you can capture a breathtaking panorama of the Weser Valley. Even a brief visit reveals traces of the beautiful Cinderella, and the many performances during the pleasant season bring the fairy tale to life with all its expressive power. Also worth exploring is a tour of the town center, lively with beautiful Renaissance houses (the oldest dating back to 1575), and a boat trip on the Weser River.
