Germany

Bavarian Alps

Along Germany's southern rim, the Bavarian Alps stack fairy-tale castles, onion-domed churches and painted villages beneath the country's highest peaks. It is a landscape of lakes and beer gardens as much as summits, with grand spa resorts and lakeside hotels an easy hour or so from Munich.

Best areas to stay

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Germany's alpine capital sits below the Zugspitze, with the Partnach Gorge, Olympic heritage and year-round mountain access.

Berchtesgaden & Königssee

The southeastern corner delivers the region's most dramatic scenery, from the fjord-like Königssee to the Eagle's Nest high above.

Tegernsee

Munich's favourite lake pairs elegant shoreline hotels and spas with rowing boats, brewery halls and gentle mountain walks.

Füssen & the Allgäu

Castle country in the west, where Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau rise above the Forggensee and the Romantic Road ends.

Dining & nightlife

Expect hearty Bavarian cooking — pork knuckle, pretzels, lake fish — alongside refined hotel dining rooms and centuries-old breweries. Evenings mean beer gardens under chestnut trees in summer and firelit hotel bars in winter.

Travelling as a family

Neuschwanstein, summer toboggan runs, gorge walks and boat trips on the Königssee make the region effortlessly family-friendly. Cable cars put big-mountain scenery within reach of any age.

Travelling as a couple

Couples come for lakeside spa suites on the Tegernsee, the electric boat across the Königssee to St Bartholomä and the Zugspitze summit on a clear day. Winter adds sleigh rides and mulled wine in the snow.

Cultural highlights

Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, King Ludwig II's fantasy castles
The pilgrimage church of St Bartholomä on the Königssee
The painted facades (Lüftlmalerei) of Oberammergau and Mittenwald
The Zugspitze, Germany's highest summit, by cogwheel train and cable car

When to visit

June to September is prime for lakes, hiking and beer gardens, while December to March brings skiing, snowshoeing and Christmas-market atmosphere. Late spring and autumn are quiet and good value, though some mountain lifts pause between seasons.

Alpine-influenced climate with warm summers and reliably snowy winters at altitude; the föhn wind can bring sudden warm, clear spells.

Practical notes

Fly into Munich (MUC); direct regional trains reach Garmisch-Partenkirchen in about ninety minutes
A car makes linking lakes and castles easiest; carry winter tyres or chains in season
Book timed Neuschwanstein tickets in advance, especially in summer
Many businesses close on quieter days in shoulder season; Sundays are quiet everywhere

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