One of the nicest places to be in south-west Germany during summer is out on the river. There are plenty of rivers to choose from but my favourite is to mingle with the local German tourists on a ferry cruising up and down the Neckar River, south of Heidelberg and north of Stuttgart. The Stumpf family operates two boats that cruise to different schedules throughout the summer and on into autumn.

There are lots of boarding points between Heilbronn and Gundelsheim but my recommendation is that you must make your stopover at Bad Wimpfen. It’s by far the most scenic village in this region and approaching it by boat gives you an unrivalled view of the Blue Tower and the churches from below. You can have lunch in Bad Wimpfen, look around the old buildings, even have a good beer, then stumble back down the hill to catch the boat back in the afternoon. It’s a relaxed day trip to see parts of Germany that usually only Germans see.

Written by Amanda Kendle