Exhilarating alpine scenery, vast forests, fairy tale castles, miraculously preserved mediaeval cities and international centres of culture like Munich are all to be found in Germany’s largest and most distinctive state. In the German Alps to the south are famous resorts like Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden, lovely lakes like the Chiemsee and Starnberger See, and Oberammergau, site of the renowned Passion Play. On the Austrian border the town of Füssen guards the approach to the Royal Castles built by King Ludwig, and to the east, in the Bavarian Forest, is the old imperial city of Regensburg on the Danube, and the beautifully sited ancient cathedral city of Passau. Augsburg and Ulm are two of Bavaria’s other historic cities.

Franconia has been a part of Bavaria for nearly 200 years, but still retains a character all of its own, even to the point of bottling its superb white wine in the distinctive “Bocksbeutel” flagon. Franconia is also renowned for beer, boasting 379 brewers.

Franconia’s chief cities are Würzburg, Nuremberg and Bamberg, each a major centre of fine art and beautiful architecture, while Bayreuth, with its famous Wagner Festival, draws music-lovers from all over the world and Coburg is ideally situated for excursions to Thuringia. The discerning visitor will be no less tempted by smaller unspoilt gems like mediaeval Rothenburg on the “Romantic Road” – one of Germany’s principal tourist routes, which runs from north to south right through Bavaria, from Würzburg in Franconia to Füssen.