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One of Germany’s most beautiful half-timbered gems can be found in Churfranken. The little town of Miltenberg lies right on the ‘Mainknie’ (the bend in the Main), sheltered by a huge gatehouse at the Main bridge. Perched on the mountainside is the old castle, which now shines in new splendour and houses a museum. It isn’t the only highlight on the Greinberg, as alongside the sea of red sandstone cliffs, you’ll also find relics from the Celtic era at the summit.

The first stage of the Juniper Trail starts in Schmidtmühlen, an idyllic market town in the Lauterach Valley. In addition to three castles, the market square with its pretty half-timbered houses is particularly worth a visit. From here, the trail climbs up into the forest and finally, halfway up the slope high above the Lauterach Valley, you can hike through the juniper heaths.

The Lauterach Valley, which runs between Schmidmühlen and Kastl through the northern Upper Palatinate, is one of the Jura's most special gems. On the flanks of the hilltops on both sides of the romantic Jurabach stream, bizarre rock formations originating from the sponge reefs of a tropical sea adorn the path. The trail often leads directly through fragrant juniper heaths, which have earned the Lauterach Valley the name Bavarian Tuscany. In between, there are small market towns and villages with beautiful old town halls on historic market squares, castles, ruins and, of course, churches, which are further highlights of the tour. Here in the Lauterach Valley is also the last nursery of the greater horseshoe bat, a species of bat that is found nowhere else in Germany.

The second part of the Juniper Trail also has its own special highlights. From Hohenburg, the trail leads along the slope of the Lauterach Valley through forests and juniper heaths across the sparsely populated landscape. At Ransbach, the idyllic trail switches to the other bank of the Lauterach, then leads over the ridge to Kastl. The area between Hohenburg and Kastl in the Hirschwald Nature Park has a special feature. Directly on the cycle path that flanks the Lauterach lies the Hohenfels military training area, at the top of which the ruins of the former castle complex are visible.

The third stage of the Juniper Trail summarises all the scenic highlights on a short circular route. Magnificent beech forests above Kastl, dry grasslands and, of course, the beautiful juniper heaths. It leads across the historic market square in Kastl with the old town hall, past the monastery church and up into the Hochholz, where the trail follows a forest nature trail for a while.

The Augsburg Forests are certainly one of the lesser-known nature reserves in Germany. The circular walk along the chain of ponds near Burgwalden offers nature-loving walkers a glimpse into one of the many different landscapes the nature reserve has to offer. Here – on a section of the Swabian-Allgäu Long-Distance Walking Trail – countless animals live that are otherwise rarely seen.

The Schmausenbuck, in the east of Nuremberg, is best known for the Nuremberg Tiergarten located there. What not everyone knows, however, is that this wooded hill, around 390 metres high, is also one of the quarries for the so-called ‘Burgsandstein’, which was used in many of the city’s famous buildings. The former quarries there in the Nuremberg Reichswald are now designated as a valuable geotope by the State Office for Environmental Protection.

A real hidden gem for a tour through the lovely Tauber Valley is the town of Bad Mergentheim, with its beautiful old half-timbered houses and the historic Deutschherrenschloss (Castle of the Teutonic Knights) with its adjoining spa gardens. From here, we take a detour along the River Tauber to Igersheim, above whose rooftops, on a hilltop, stand the ruins of Neuhaus Castle. The circular route is very varied and offers an initial glimpse of the magnificent landscape and rich cultural heritage of the Tauber Valley.

The Rednitz-Rezat Trail from Rednitzhembach to Spalt follows the river all the way. It takes you past the varied landscapes of the Franconian Lake District. Sometimes over wooded high banks, sometimes through wide valley meadows into the famous Spalt hills with their countless hop gardens. Cultural highlights along the way range from historic old towns, Ratibor Castle, museums and many beautiful churches and monuments to art trails. Cosy Franconian pubs and beer gardens invite you to stop for a break along the way.

Nestled in the heart of one of Rügen’s ancient beech forests lies a forgotten gem that was once the most precious building on the Baltic island. All that remains of the White Castle today are ruins that are slowly falling into further disrepair. The circular walk takes hikers on an eventful journey through time, from prehistory and the Wilhelminian era, through the Third Reich and into the GDR, right up to reunification. This is evidenced not only by the almost post-apocalyptic-looking military buildings in the forest, but also by the woodland cemetery containing the victims of the British fighter-bomber raid in 1945.

Half-timbered houses, a castle ruin, water in abundance – the charming town of Hilpoltstein in the district of Roth has all this to offer. A beautiful and very varied circular walk takes in the finest sights.

No work of the devil, but a fascinating creation of nature can be found in the Teufelsschlucht in the Südeifel Nature Park, not far from the border with Luxembourg. The steeply rising rock faces are up to 30 metres high, and some of them seem to glow green. The rocky landscape in and around the Teufelsschlucht is certainly mystical, with narrow, stony paths leading to the Irreler suspension bridge and the waterfalls.

Whichever route you choose in the breathtaking Dahner Felsenland, you’ll find stunning sandstone rock formations everywhere. Two of these are the Kahle Felsen and the Backelstein, south of Hauenstein. What hardly anyone knows, however, is that the German Shoe Museum is also located here, where not only the history of the shoe but also many a famous pair of shoes is on display.

Nestled in the heart of the Northern Upper Palatinate Forest Nature Park lies the picturesque market town of Leuchtenberg. Perched high on the hill, the castle ruins – among the largest and best-preserved in the Upper Palatinate – greet visitors. At their feet, the romantic valleys of the Lerau and Luhe rivers wind their way through the forest.

The town of Coburg has a lot to offer in many respects. Firstly, there is the Veste, which towers high above the town and boasts a long history. Between it and the beautiful old town lies a park with magnificent old trees. At the lower end is Ehrenburg Castle, which the noble lords later had built for ceremonial purposes. And finally, the old town itself, which certainly holds its own against these two magnificent sites.

The largest lake in the heart of the Fichtelgebirge is Lake Weißenstadt near Weißenstadt. An asphalted lakeside path runs around the lake, which covers around 50 hectares, and is easy to walk along even with a pram, pushchair or walking frame. No wonder it is one of the most popular day-trip destinations in the wider area.