Zur Burgschänke Friedrichsthal

Walkers can set out on the photogenic, long-distance Altmühltal Panorama Trail (20 minutes’s drive) along the Altmühl River through gorgeous countryside scattered with bizarre rock formations. Wait for a clear day to hike up the slopes of Hesselberg (15 minutes); from the top you can sometimes spot the Alps, over 90 miles away. Visit the cute town of Dinkelsbühl (20 minutes) to check out the coloured, gabled houses in its historic centre, or travel back in time to see how ancient Roman soldiers lived at LIMESEUM and Römerpark Ruffenhofen (also 20 minutes), which has a scale model of a wooden fort and artefacts found locally in an interactive museum. Kids with you? Introduce them to the history of Bavaria at Altmühltal Valley Archaeological Park (20 minutes), an open-air museum bringing the region’s history to life using reconstructed Celtic settlements and wooden farmhouses. When they’ve had enough of culture, make for the sandy lakeside beach at Seezentrum Wald Altmühlsee (also 20 minutes), or take them to Wille Kinderzoo (15 minutes) to feed the elephants and cuddle the miniature ponies.