And there's more to do on family holidays in Germany. If variety is the spice of your life, Germany's themed routes fit the bill, with a huge range of attractions along the way. You can explore romantic medieval castles or discover rare fossils... perhaps you'll even come across Hansel and Gretel. Museums are great places to visit, allowing children and their parents to experience an earthquake or to travel back through time to historical Berlin.

There is an abundance of affordable places to stay with lots to offer, from homely holiday apartments and farm accommodation to scenic campsites and youth hostels, plus of course countless hotels that welcome children and babies with open arms. Travelling by train is especially stress-free, your holiday starts as soon as you leave home.

Seaside, riverside and lakeside family holidays in Germany

Germany's North Sea and Baltic beaches and its many lakes offer all kinds of ways to make the most of that wonderful time of year – the holidays. They also offer peace of mind: the water quality at all the resorts listed in this brochure was certified as being either "good" or "very good" by the German consumer association "Stiftung Warentest". You might opt for a family holiday at the seaside – think sandy beach, wicker beach chairs and a sea breeze – or you may prefer to explore one of the many areas of lakes and rivers. Whatever your choice, all of Germany's regions have one thing in common: a big heart for children. With so many exciting excursion destinations and children's activity programmes, you can watch their little eyes light up (not to mention those of the adults).

How about a theme park with rollercoasters, stunning shows and thrilling entertainment? Germany's largest theme park – Europa-Park in the Black Forest – has twelve zones, each with a different country or regional theme.