In terms of fairy tale-related routes, Germany is a true paradise. Its Fairy Tale Route connects Bremen to Hanau and offers a full 664 km of stories and daydreams, thanks to the unparalleled genius of the Brothers Grimm, who were born in Hanau and set their wonderful tales in many charming towns scattered between the north and center of Germany.
1 The Town Musicians of Bremen
In Bremen, for example, the heart of northwest Germany, every year from May to September, the open-air performances of The Town Musicians of Bremen, the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, come to life again. It features a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster who run away from home to join the city’s music band and, along the way, 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, in the ancient Market square, both declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Schnoor is instead the archaic medieval district, characterized by intriguing narrow alleys and unmistakable half-timbered houses. Also not to be missed is the Christmas Market, in the romantically illuminated Market square, featuring organ concerts, live nativity scenes, and much more.
2 The Pied Piper of Hameln
Southeast of Bremen, in the Weser mountain region, lies Hameln, the city setting of The Pied Piper, a fairy tale set among its splendid Renaissance architectures, the result of income from intense and historic river trade. The city is welcoming and delightful, and to the Pied Piper, who freed it from the dreadful invasion of rats, it dedicates a seventeenth-century house with an honorary plaque, spaces inside the Civic Museum, an entire season (from May to September) of outdoor performances, and even a musical titled Rats.
3 Cinderella at Polle
To meet Cinderella, you must move a little further south, to Polle, where the powerful and suggestive ruins of the Renaissance Castle emerge, from whose belvedere you can capture a stunning panorama of the Weser valley. Even a quick visit allows you to discover traces of the beautiful Cinderella, and the many performances, which take place during the high season, bring the fairy tale to life in all its expressive power. Also not to be missed is a tour of the town center, moved by beautiful Renaissance houses (the oldest dates back to 1575) and a boat trip on the Weser river.
