Camping Schwabenmühle

It’s not just the rural surrounds that are pretty; several of the towns are rather handsome too. Weikersheim, five minutes away by car, is certainly worth a wander – a highlight is the Renaissance castle, an opulent affair where the nippers can join spooky tours, be a prince/princess for the day and giggle at the gnome garden. The spa town of Bad Mergentheim (20 minutes) is another fab place to put on the list, or you can follow the Romantic Road to the walled medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (25 minutes). There’s another gorgeous castle garden here, but much of the fun is in wandering through the cobbled streets and taking in the turrets and half-timbered houses that look like something straight out of a fairytale. Take a break from town visits at Bad Mergentheim Wild Park (15 minutes), home to 80 species of beasties, or by stopping for a swim at the lake in Rinderfeld (10 minutes). And of course one mustn’t forget the wine, yours for the sipping at several vineyards within a 10-minute drive or 40-minute bike ride.