I first watched the film musical, The Sound of Music, as a little girl. The visual introduction hit me square in the face – proud mountains, endless skies, I could imagine the crisp air, air so fresh that I imagined my little heart would grow wings and flutter excitedly round my little tummy if I ever smelt it.

In the film, when Captain Von Trapp was making a quick getaway with his family and the camera zoomed further and further away from them, all I could do was marvel once more at the last shots of the mountainous landscape – tall, quietly-powerful – its snow-capped peaks beckoning. And so much green.

All that is what the German town of Allgau reminds me very much of. And more.

Allgau is located on the south-western part of Bavaria - standing on its tiptoes and stretching up towards the magnificent Alps. Part of the region also spreads its arms across part of Baden-Württemberg.

There is so much to do and see that it’s more than likely one will need more than just a visit or two to get to know the region. There’s Lake Constance (or Bodensee), for instance, that sits snugly between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Its surface reflects the light beautifully, heart-achingly so, almost as if someone is constantly sprinkling millions of glitter over its surface.

Then there’s the Tannheimer Valley with its great sprawling mountains, awe-inspiring valleys and sparkling lakes – making you feel you’ve made it to heaven without having to experience the pain of death.

There’s the equally mesmerising Kleinwalsertal Valley, flanked by mountains on its southern, western and eastern side. What’s interesting is that although the valley is based in Austria, because of the nature of its terrain, it can only be entered through Allgau (Oberstdorf). It’s therefore definitely something to explore while in Allgau, especially for those who are into hiking and skiing.

It would be a sin and a waste to overlook the town that leads into Kleinwalsertal Valley, for it too is just as captivating. Oberstdorf is a picturesque and stylish hiking and skiing town with approximately 11,000 inhabitants. It’s regarded as one of the top ski resorts in Germany and has been home to well-known international ski-jumping and figure-skating competitions including the world renowned Four Hills Tournament. Apart from skiing and hiking activities, the town also offers a variety of other activities such as golfing, horse riding, hang gliding, canoeing, spa treatments and museum exploration.

The largest city in Allgau is the historic Kempten, a former Roman town and over 2000 years old. There you will find preserved Roman ruins, several museums, sporting activities and quite a few festivals (their Spring Jazz Festival and Allgau Festival Week, for instance).

Amongst many other towns, there’s Oberstaufen with its sheer variety of sporting events to rival that of Oberstdorf (winter triathlons, mountain biking, mountaineering, Tour de Suisse) - and the town of Bad Hindelang with its sprawl of old monasteries, churches and museums.

Where to stay in Allgau shouldn’t really be a question – rather it should be which hotel to choose from the sheer amount of hotels available. There is a Hotel Allgäu to suit most wallets – from the grand to the more budget-conscious, from families to couples to solo travellers.

There’s the Du-Familotel Krone, in Bad Hindelang, for instance. Out of 35 rooms, it has 24 family apartments. Amongst other things, it offers a large outdoor play area, a sports ground, sauna, gym, massage therapy, a warm mountain bathing section, pony riding and a ski kindergarten.

Or there’s the four-star Hotel Oberstdorf with its lavish and spaced-out bedrooms that offer great views from its balconies. It also has an in-house gym, health spa and swimming pool.

To describe Allgau is to instantly fail at any attempt at doing so. But one can try. Nothing – words or pictures - can ever truly describe the beauty of the region in its entirety. You need to be there and shake hands with it personally, establish your own unique relationship with the region. It will make a storyteller of you when you get back.

That such a combination of panoramic views can exist in one region alone seems quite unbelievable. But it does exist. And it exists in Allgau.