An unforgettable walking experience that captures the full splendour of the Danube region. It's entirely up to you how you walk the trail. You can split the route into the recommended ten sections, but you don't have to. An abundance of accommodation options along the way means you can enjoy an impromptu overnight stay where it's particularly beautiful. In fact, there are countless places along the Danube Panorama Trail that you'll want to stop and explore further, including the Danube Gorge or Weltenburg Abbey and towns such as Regensburg, Straubing and, the crowning glory at the end of the route, Passau. And if stopping a little longer puts you behind schedule, you can always complete a section or two of the trail by riverboat – in total comfort and with a clear conscience because you certainly won't be alone!

The Danube Panorama Trail starts in Neustadt an der Donau, whose Bad Gögging district is one of Bavaria's most popular spa resorts. After Eining comes a landscape of unspoilt riverbank meadows that extends to the Danube Gorge at Weltenburg, where the Benedictine abbey of the same name is well worth visiting as the site of the world's oldest abbey brewery. If a beer or two here leaves you feeling a little tired, you can hop on the boat for the next stretch of the route from Weltenburg to Kelheim. But it's also worthwhile even if you're not tired: travelling through the Danube Gorge by boat is a great way to see this natural wonder. Another unmissable sight is the Hall of Liberation on Michelsberg hill in Kelheim. From here the Danube Panorama Trail continues along the Danube dyke via Grossprüfening, home to a grand residence, and on to the centre of Regensburg. It goes without saying that the city with Germany's highest concentration of bars is worth a stop – not just for the drinking establishments but for the old quarter, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006. Beyond Regensburg the trail reaches Donaustauf, home to one Germany's most important neo-classical buildings, the Walhalla memorial that was built at the behest of King Ludwig I. From here, the trail carries on via Wörth an der Donau and the Gmünder Au conservation area to Kirchroth, where the path offers wonderful views of the Danube and the nearby mountains of the Bavarian Forest. Visible from a distance is the skyline of Straubing, which is renowned for its medieval square, its stately period houses and its many glorious churches. The trail then heads through Bogen towards Deggendorf before continuing through meadows and woodland, offering a succession of panoramic views across the Danube valley and the confluence with the Isar. The bow in the Danube at Mühlham is the defining landmark of the onward route to Winzer, a town that can be seen for miles around thanks to its imposing castle ruins. From here the route passes through Hofkirchen and into the Passauer Land region. Beyond Vilshofen an der Donau and Windorf the trail runs past Germany's longest river islands, where you might just be lucky enough to spot a turtle. In the many beer gardens along the way you can raise a glass to your impending arrival in Passau, a town that makes a fitting 'grand finale' thanks to its baroque architecture reminiscent of Italian cities.