Here is a region, set amid lakes and forests, that is rich in legends and fairy tales. Two of its most famous sons were the Brothers Grimm, who as collectors of fairy tales have stimulated the imagination of children the world over.

On the 370 mile Deutsche Märchen Strasse (German Fairy Tale Road) are such charming towns and villages as Schwalmstadt, home of little Red Riding Hood, the castle of Sababurg, which inspired the legend of Sleeping Beauty, and the beautiful city of Kassel, with its Brothers Grimm museum.

Fulda is well worth visiting with its many Baroque splendours and the city of Göttingen as well as the town of Marburg are world-famous for their ancient universities. The modern world is present in the international congress centre of Frankfurt, Germany’s major financial and commercial centre.