The Bavarian Alps run along Germany's border with Austria, from the Allgäu in the west to Berchtesgaden in the east. This guide covers the three areas most visitors head for: the King's Corner around Schwangau, with Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles and the Wieskirche in nearby Steingaden; the Werdenfels area with Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Grainau below the Zugspitze and Ettal, home of Linderhof Palace; and Berchtesgaden with Lake Königssee in Schönau am Königssee. Munich and Lake Chiemsee are not included.
A key planning point: Garmisch and Berchtesgaden are about two and a half hours apart by car, so treat them as separate trips. Below are the sights we rate most highly, a castle day trip, a two-day itinerary from Garmisch, how to get here from Munich, Salzburg or Innsbruck airports, and the closures you need to know about in late 2026. Prices and times are as of October 2026.
Our picks for a first visit — each with a short reason why.
Castles
Schwangau
Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Bavaria, is the fairy-tale palace that King Ludwig II built above a gorge at the foot of the Alps, and it is one of the most visited sights in Germany. Begun in 1869 and never finished, it inspired Disne…
1. Ludwig II's fairytale castle, visited only on a timed 30-minute tour. From 16 October open 10 am–4 pm daily; EUR 21, under-18s free. Book online: summer slots often sell out days ahead.
Mountains & peaks
Grainau
The Zugspitze near Grainau is Germany's highest mountain at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) and one of the most rewarding day trips in the Bavarian Alps. The border with Austria runs across its summit, and on clear days you look out over a sea of Alpin…
2. Germany's highest peak at 2,962 m. A return ticket (EUR 78) lets you mix cable car and cog railway. Fully closed 9–13, 16–20 and 23–26 November 2026 for maintenance.
Lakes
Schönau am Königssee
The Königssee in Bavaria's Berchtesgaden region is one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany, a deep, emerald-green, fjord-like lake hemmed in by sheer mountain walls. Gliding across it in a quiet electric boat to the red-domed chapel of…
3. Fjord-like lake in Berchtesgaden National Park. Return boat to St. Bartholomä EUR 23.40; trips on to Salet ended for 2026 on 11 October, so winter boats go to St. Bartholomä only.
Palaces
Ettal
Linderhof Palace near Ettal in the Bavarian Alps is the smallest of King Ludwig II's royal palaces and the only major one he lived to see completed. Since 2025 it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Neuschwanstein.…
4. Ludwig's smallest palace, the only one he saw completed, with a hall of mirrors and a dining table that rose from the kitchen. In winter only the palace is open; the grotto and park buildings close.
Churches & monasteries
Steingaden
The Wieskirche (Pilgrimage Church of Wies) near Steingaden in Upper Bavaria is often called the most perfect Rococo church in the world, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. From the outside it looks like a modest white…
5. Rococo pilgrimage church in a meadow, UNESCO-listed since 1983 and free to enter. Open 8 am–5 pm in winter; no sightseeing during services.
Mountains & peaks
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
The Partnach Gorge (Partnachklamm) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the most dramatic natural sights in the Bavarian Alps. For about 700 meters, the Partnach River squeezes through a limestone chasm up to 80 meters deep, and a walkway c…
6. A gorge up to 80 m deep with a path cut into the rock above the river, open all year (EUR 10). No pushchairs, and no phone signal inside, so save your ticket offline.
Viewpoints
Berchtesgaden
The Kehlsteinhaus, better known as the Eagle's Nest, sits on a rocky ridge high above Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. Built in the late 1930s for the Nazi party, it is now a mountain restaurant with one of the finest views in Germany,…
7. Former Nazi-era building at 1,834 m, known in English as the Eagle's Nest, reached by special bus and a brass-lined lift. Views over Königssee; the 2026 season ends on 8 November.
Book a morning tour online and collect tickets at the Hohenschwangau ticket centre (Alpseestraße 12). The walk up takes 30 to 40 minutes. Hohenschwangau Castle, opposite, needs its own ticket and a gap between tour times. The main road through Schwangau is closed until about mid-December 2026, so allow extra time.
About 30 minutes' drive to Wies near Steingaden. Half an hour to an hour is enough for the church; the car park is 200 m north (EUR 2 for two hours). Public transport there is limited.
Around 45 minutes via Oberammergau. In winter the palace closes at 4:30 pm (ticket office until 4 pm). In summer allow two to three hours for palace, Venus Grotto and gardens.
Places: Linderhof Palace
Ride the cable car up from Lake Eibsee (arrive before 10 am, parking fills fast) and take the cog railway down to Garmisch, stopping at the Zugspitzplatt glacier plateau. Check the webcams and the November 2026 closure dates first.
Places: Zugspitze
A 25-minute walk from the Olympic ski stadium to the entrance, then about half an hour through the gorge. It is quieter after 3:30 pm; from October to May last entry is 5:30 pm.
Places: Partnach Gorge
From Garmisch via Oberau and Ettal into the Graswang valley. Some tickets are sold online; otherwise arrive early at the ticket office.
Places: Linderhof Palace
Via Oberammergau to the Wies for a short stop in the free-to-enter Rococo church.
On to Hohenschwangau for a pre-booked tour. Pushchairs and backpacks are not allowed inside.
Places: Neuschwanstein Castle
By air. Munich (MUC) is the main gateway. Take the S-Bahn into Munich Hauptbahnhof, then the Werdenfels line to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (about 90 minutes). Innsbruck airport in Austria is the closest to Garmisch. For Berchtesgaden, Salzburg airport is just across the border. Memmingen airport is a smaller option for Füssen and the castles.
By train. The Zugspitze cog railway starts about 200 m from the west exit of Garmisch station and runs via Grainau; a combined rail and Zugspitze ticket is sold from Munich. For Schwangau, take a regional train to Füssen and the RVO bus to Hohenschwangau. For Linderhof in Ettal, take the train to Oberammergau and bus 9622. Berchtesgaden is reached via Freilassing and Bad Reichenhall; buses 840, 841 and 843 go to Königssee in Schönau and bus 838 to Obersalzberg for the Eagle's Nest bus. Germany's Deutschlandticket is valid on regional trains and local buses, but on the cog railway only between Garmisch and Grainau.
By car. A 95 for Garmisch, A 7 to its end at Füssen for the castles, A 8 for Berchtesgaden. The Wieskirche is easiest by car.
Late summer and autumn often bring the clearest views from the Zugspitze and colourful forests around the Alpsee and Königssee. Summer and every sunny weekend are very busy at Neuschwanstein, Eibsee and Königssee; book castle tours online and start early.
Autumn and winter 2026/27. The Zugspitze is fully closed for maintenance on 9–13, 16–20 and 23–26 November 2026; the ski season is due to open on 27 November. The Eagle's Nest closes for winter after 8 November 2026. At Königssee, winter boats only go to St. Bartholomä. At Linderhof the Venus Grotto, park buildings and fountains are out of service in winter, and the Moorish Kiosk is under scaffolding until around 2028. Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau close on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January, and the horse carriage up to Hohenschwangau does not run in winter. The Partnach Gorge stays open all year with icicles in winter, but can close at short notice because of falling ice.
Yes. Take a regional train to Füssen and the bus to Hohenschwangau, or drive via the A 7. Book a timed tour online, allow 30 to 40 minutes for the walk up, and collect tickets at the Hohenschwangau ticket centre. Combining it with the Wieskirche or Linderhof is easier by car.
Two days from Garmisch-Partenkirchen cover the Zugspitze, Partnach Gorge, Linderhof, the Wieskirche and Neuschwanstein. Berchtesgaden, with Königssee and the Eagle's Nest, is about two and a half hours away by car and deserves its own one or two days.
Munich for Garmisch and the royal castles, with direct trains from Munich Hauptbahnhof. Salzburg is closest to Berchtesgaden and Königssee, and Innsbruck is closest to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
On summer prices until 22 November 2026, adults pay EUR 78, ages 16–18 EUR 62.50 and children 6–15 EUR 39; under-6s travel free with an adult. The ticket covers one trip up and one down on any combination of cable car and cog railway. Winter prices apply from 27 November 2026.
The Königssee boat with its trumpet echo, the cog railway up the Zugspitze, the short Linderhof tour with its disappearing dining table, the brass lift at the Eagle's Nest and the Partnach Gorge with a child carrier. Under-18s pay nothing at Neuschwanstein and Linderhof.
The region brings together attractions from these towns. Open a town guide or its list of attractions.
Churches & monasteries
Steingaden
The Wieskirche (Pilgrimage Church of Wies) near Steingaden in Upper Bavaria is often called the most perfect Rococo church in the world, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. From the outside it looks like a modest white…