Napoleon slept in this castle - now you can, too

Simone Grant and Aoife O'Riordain find some perfect ways to enjoy nature and the arts

The area surrounding Lake Constance is one of the most scenic spots in southern Germany. Visitors can spend their days hiking and mountain biking or criss-crossing the lake to neighbouring Switzerland and Austria. Inghams (020-8870 4433; www.inghams.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Steigenberger Inselhotel in the town of Constance from £776 per person, based on two sharing. The price includes return flights from London, Birmingham or Manchester, rail transfers from Zurich, half-board accommodation and a half-price card for use on local boats and trains.

The historic town of Weissenberg is the smallest town in the Bautzen region in southern Germany. It boasts the 17th-century fairytale castle, made famous for being the home of Napoleon Bonaparte, which has recently been converted into luxury apartments available to rent. Interhome (020-8891 1294; www.interhome.co.uk) offers a three-bedroom apartment for £848 per week. Flights cost extra.

Rail enthusiasts will tell you that one of the highlights of rail travel in Germany is the narrow-gauge steam-hauled Harz Mountain Railway in the scenic Harz region. Great Rail Journeys (01904 521 920; www.greatrail.com) offers an 11-day escorted tour of the Harz region and neighbouring Thuringia including a day-long trip on the famous railway. The next scheduled departures are on 27 June and 27 July and the price of the trip is from £1,390 per person, based on two sharing. This includes return first-class rail travel from London, 10 nights' half-board, excursions, transfers and a tour leader.

Home to an impressive neo-classical National Theatre, Munich is one of the major centres for opera in Europe. Martin Randall Travel (020-8742 3355; www.martinrandall.com) offers holidays enabling visitors to see four different performances during the theatre's summer opera festival as well as several guided tours to various museums. The price of the tour, departing on 18 July is £1,890 per person, which includes return flights, five nights' full board, transfers, tickets to five opera performances and entrance fees to museums.

The Black Forest is one of Germany's most stunning natural landscapes of thickly wooded mountains and is ideal for walking. Ramblers Holidays (01707 331 133; www.ramblersholidays.co.uk) offers an eight-day walking itinerary. It begins in the village of Bonnedorf, in the south-west corner of Germany, and for a time follows the path of the nearby Wutach river before ascending to the highlands around the Feldberg area. The price of £476 per person, based on two sharing, includes flights, transfers and seven nights' half-board at the Gasthof Sonne Hotel.

Forests, lakes and pastures make up part of a corner of northeastern Germany, which includes regions such as Mecklenburg and Brandenburg. Spend a week cruising Lake Muritz, the largest lake in Germany with Crown Blue Line (0870 160 5634; www.crownblueline.com). It offers a selection of boats to rent from £660 for seven days. Onshore activities include hiking and cycling on marked trails as well as visits to the capital, Berlin.

Westphalia, close to the border with the Netherlands, boasts some of the best cycling terrain in the country. 2 Wheel Treks (01483 27 1212; www.2wheeltreks.co.uk) offers its Westphalia Discovery tour in the region. The journey starts at Nottuln and follows well-posted cycle tracks for the next five days. The price of £549 per person is based on two people sharing and includes b&b, car and bike hire. Flights cost extra.

Prices correct at time of going to press. Subject to availability