7 Days in the Bavarian Alps: Castles, Mountains & Lakes

Ease into the Bavarian capital and let the gateway city absorb the jet lag before the mountains begin. Make for Marienplatz to catch the Glockenspiel chime in the New Town Hall tower, then wander the Viktualienmarkt food stalls and settle in for an evening in a classic beer hall like the Hofbräuhaus or a leafy garden under the chestnuts. If you land early, the English Garden is the loveliest place to walk off the flight. Keep tonight low-key: the real start is tomorrow.

Head south out of Munich and break the drive at Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, Ludwig II's pair of fairytale castles above Füssen. Neuschwanstein is the storybook one that inspired Disney, and the walk up the hill plus the famous Marienbrücke view of it is the highlight. Buy timed castle tickets ahead, slots sell out and they are strictly enforced, then continue to Garmisch to arrive by evening. Settle into your mountain base with the Wetterstein peaks already filling the windows.

Save this for the first clear, stable morning: the Zugspitze, Germany's highest summit at just under 3,000m, with a panorama that reaches across four countries when the air is sharp. You can ride the cogwheel railway up through the Zugspitzplatt and ride the cable car down, or the reverse, which makes a satisfying loop. Go up early before cloud builds over the ridge, and pack a warm layer, it can be near freezing at the top even in midsummer. On the way back, stop at the turquoise Eibsee at the foot of the mountain for a lakeside walk or a swim.

Start with the roaring Partnach Gorge, a narrow limestone cleft where the river thunders past you on a walkway carved into the rock, easily reached from the Olympic ski stadium just outside town. Wear shoes with grip and expect to get misted, the spray is part of the fun. In the afternoon, drive over to Oberammergau for its Lüftlmalerei painted houses and woodcarvers, then on to Ludwig II's intimate Linderhof, the only palace he lived to see finished, with its gilded rooms and fountain gardens. It is an easy, scenic loop that pairs raw nature in the morning with royal whimsy after lunch.

Transfer east to Berchtesgaden, Bavaria's most dramatic corner, tucked into a pocket of Germany almost surrounded by Austrian peaks. In the afternoon, board one of the silent electric boats that have plied the Königssee for over a century and glide down the fjord-like lake, where the captain pauses to play a trumpet against the cliffs for the echo. Disembark at the onion-domed chapel of St. Bartholomä, set on a meadow beneath the sheer east face of the Watzmann. Aim for a later boat so the light softens on the water, and check the last return time before you go.

Give the day to Berchtesgaden's big three. Ride the special bus up the mountain road to the Eagle's Nest, the stone lodge perched on its ridge, now a sobering historical site with a knockout panorama over the valley and into Austria. Pair it with the working salt mine, where you slide down wooden chutes and ride a boat across an underground brine lake, a good rainy-day backup, or with the quiet trails of Berchtesgaden National Park. The Eagle's Nest road is seasonal and weather-dependent, so confirm it is open and consider booking the bus ahead in peak summer.

Take a final slow mountain morning, a lakeside coffee or one last short walk in the national park, before you point the car home. From here you have a choice of gateways: Munich is the familiar one, while Salzburg sits just over the Austrian border and is barely half an hour away, often the easier flight. If your departure is late, the baroque streets of Salzburg make a perfect last stop on the way out.