The Grimm Brothers Fairytale Route in Germany

The Sunday Show

Sunday, 18 May 2025 - 43 minutes

Grimm Brothers Fairytale Route 50th Anniversary

The Sunday Show this week whisks you away to the magical world of the Grimm Brothers Fairytale Route, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! We’re travelling through some of Germany’s prettiest storybook towns – Hanau, Marburg and Kassel – with special guests Jessica Kliner, Karen Pfunder and Berndt Hartmann, who share their love of this enchanting trail.

"Ever wanted to step into a storybook? This year, Germany’s magical Fairytale Route turns 50 – and it's the ultimate road trip for dreamers and day-trippers. Ed headed off to Frankfurt recently and followed in the footsteps of the Grimm Brothers from Hanau to Marburg, Kassel, and Steinau – through castles, forests, and towns that inspired Snow White, Rapunzel, and Hansel & Gretel.

Fairytales, folklore, and a little bit of magic – all waiting just beyond the autobahn. Let’s hit the road with Ed!"

Today on Travel Talk, we journey beyond the guidebooks and into the heart of extraordinary destinations and stepping into a storybook – quite literally – as we follow the spellbinding trail of the Grimm Brothers' Fairytale Route in Germany, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

From the charming town of Hanau, the birthplace of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, to the medieval streets of Marburg, where they studied, through the enchanting forests of Kassel, and onto Steinau, the place they called home – this magical route winds through real-life settings that inspired beloved tales like Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, and Snow White.

Whether you're a fan of folklore, fairy dust, or just beautifully preserved German heritage, this journey offers a captivating blend of myth, magic, and history. So dust off your storybook dreams – we're off to explore a land where fairytales were born, and happily ever after feels entirely possible..."

For lots of information check out - www.germany.travel and https://www.deutsche-maerchenstrasse.com/en/route/our-route

Ed flew from Dublin to Frankfurt and booked a car with Hertz for 4 magical days.

From Cinderella to Snow White, Rapunzel to Hansel and Gretel – the Grimm Brothers collected over 210 timeless tales right here, and walking this route is like stepping into the pages of your childhood. It’s a fairytale escape where everyone really does live happily ever after...