I'll be frank with you - a train turning up almost 13 minutes late almost ended my relationship with Germany.

But in truth, anything arriving late in this country, even by a few seconds, is so rare you can usually put it down to an Act of God and get on instead with focusing on the positive aspects of your visit - in this case, my brief 48-hour sojourn to Baden-Wurttemberg, the castles-and-palaces capital of Deutschland.

For people with a romantic streak (as well as a sense of wonder), this region in the south of the country, bordering both France and Switzerland, is chock-a-block with Disneyesque castles - the only difference being, of course, these fairytale chateaux aren t made of fibreglass.

My base for this two-day, toe-dipping visit was the picturesque city of Schwabisch Hall, about an hour and 20 minutes by train out of Stuttgart (itself only a 60-minute flight from Heathrow).

'Nature cradled the city and art fashioned it is how poet Ricarda Hutt chose to describe this centuries-old town, built on the wealth of the 'white gold of its medieval salt mines.

Which is pretty accurate.

Wincingly chocolate boxish, like a set from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it fulfils every preconception of just what a ye olde German market town should look like - stuffed full of majestic Renaissance residences, Baroque mansions, winding alleyways, charming half-timbered houses and a Romanesque-Gothic church.

And whilst never particularly interested in either history or architecture, even I found myself intrigued by the church of St Michael, more so, I m sure, because I actually encountered an 'interesting guide.

These are so rare I wanted to display this one in London s Natural History Museum (but she was moving to Munich so it rather interfered with her plans).

However, what s most fascinating about this church are its steps, as whatever guidebook you flick through always states the following: "There have been open-air performances on the 54 steps of St Michael s since 1925".

And that is an extraordinary feat, once you realise just how steep these said steps are (unbelievably, musicals have been staged on them as well, presumably all choreographed by climber Chris Bonnington).

Of course, during the summer, visitors from across Europe flock here for the arts festivals, which are impressive and many, whilst in the winter, it s the town s Christmassy architecture that never fails to delight.

But regardless of the season, any visit to Schwabisch Hall has got to include a tour of the Wurth art gallery, opened officially in 2001 by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (no less). Highlights of the collection include works by Picasso, Christo, Nolde, Kirchner and Max Ernst. And trust me, it s fabulous.

Close by, if you fancy lunch or dinner, take a break at the Sudhaus (brewhouse), which includes an on-site brewery with roof terrace.

Away from the town, there s a myriad of castles and palaces to explore (approximately 100, in fact).

I started with a visit to Langenburg Castle in the district of Hohenlohe, about a 45-minute drive out of Schwabisch Hall, where I was lucky enough to actually meet the 'squire of this fine 12th-century chateau, Prince Philipp Hohenlohe-Langenburg (his grandmother is our very own Prince Philip s sister, no less).

And a nicer, more down-to-earth 'royal you couldn t wish for.

Happy to pose next to a stuffed bear (see pic), he proudly showed me around both the castle and his automobile museum, which boasts approximately 70 sports and racing cars, whilst bemoaning one of the great differences between German and English tourists.

"English tourists, " he said, "don t mind paying, say, £10 to visit a National Trust property, but over here in Germany, people baulk at having to pay three Euros to visit a stately home." The castle, incidentally, is stunning, and its very reasonably-priced restaurant affords spectacular views over the forests below.

Next stop was Weikersheim Palace and Gardens in the picturesque Tauber valley.

The former residence of the Counts of Hohenlohe, it is one of the most important baroque palaces in the federal country of Baden-Wurttemberg.

The jewel of this jaw-dropping beautiful palace, however, is its 'pleasure garden, modelled, not surprisingly, after the French gardens of the period, elegantly coiffed with fountains, sculptures and an orangery.

And that was about it as regards my whistle-stop tour.

I could have cheerfully stayed another five days, as each road you take seems to throw up yet another chateau, mansion, or palace, and this being Germany, everyone, everywhere, was beautifully polite.

Nevertheless, I saw enough to convince me that if towering spires and banqueting halls are your 'thing , Baden-Wurttemberg is Castle-Central.

How I got there:

Lufthansa from Heathrow to Stuttgart in the smallest commercial plane I've ever flown in - a CRJ700 Canadair Regional Jet to be precise. Genuinely swish.

Basic return fares start at £73.00. For further details contact www.lufthansa.co.uk or call (24 hours) 0870 8377 747.

Where I stayed:

Der Adelshof Hotel und Restaurant Am Markt 12-13 74523 Schwbisch Hall Tel: 0791 - 7 58 90 (Germany code: 0049) Email: hotel.adelshof@t-online.de Swanky as hell with, if you request them, fabulous rooms boasting stunning views over the market place and steps of St Michael's church. And do try the restaurant - the food is superb.