Mountain ranges, like other geographic features, do not recognize political boundaries. Therefore, the term "Bavarian Alps" is not strictly scientific. After all, the ridge itself stretches not only along the German federal state of the same name, but also captures part of Austria, as well as a piece of another administrative unit of Germany - Baden-Württemberg. Of course, these mountains are not the highest in the Alps. The highest point in Bavaria (and at the same time in all of Germany) is the peak of the Zugspitze. It reaches a height of less than three thousand meters, to be precise, 2962 m above sea level. However, the Alps within Upper Bavaria are very picturesque and are an object of tourism almost all year round. In winter, ski resorts function here, and in summer lovers of trekking, mountaineering and hiking come here. And swimming in thermal mineral springs and excursions to ancient towns and castles is a pleasure for every season. Let's take a virtual tour of the Bavarian Alps. It promises to be very interesting.
A bit of geography
Let's first understand what the Bavarian Alps are and what part of the mountain system they occupy. Bayerische Alpen lie in the southeast of Germany. And if we consider the Alps as a mountainous country, then the Bavarian part occupies the extreme northeast. This territory lies between the valleys of the Zalakh and Leh rivers. And in scientific terms, it is called the Northern Limestone Alps. This part of the mountainous country is relatively low, but very rocky. The boundaries of the Bavarian ridges are the Western Rhaet, North Tyrolean limestone and Salzburg Alps. But even within the boundaries of the federal state, the mountain system has its own division. It consists of the ridges: the Allgäu Alps with the peak of the Hochfrottspitze (2649 m), the Ammergauer (Kreuzspitze, 2340 m), the Chimgauer (Sonntagshorn, 1961 m), the Berchtesgaden (Watsmann, 2713 m), the Karwendel (Ostlisch-Karwendelspitze, 2537 m). The highest is the Wetterstein with the Zugspitze.
Winter holidays in the Bavarian Alps
This mountain system is the northern slopes of the main ranges. And therefore, no matter how warm the winter is, you are guaranteed snow cover. It is accompanied by a developed entertainment infrastructure, tracks of various difficulty levels, high-class European service that you can test on yourself at an altitude of more than thirty ski resorts. And they ride directly from the slopes of the Zugspitze. This mountain is famous for the fact that skiing and snowboarding trails operate here all year round. But this is not all the advantages of the Zugspitze. Climbing this mountain will not be difficult, because a mountain train (it leaves the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen) and a cable car will take you to the top. The Zugspitze is a rather long mountain. It consists of several individual peaks. Lifts also lead to them. The ski resorts have every conceivable recreation infrastructure. The trails are well equipped, many are illuminated in the evening. You can dine in numerous restaurants with panoramic views of the Bavarian Alps. The resorts have carefully thought out après-ski. So skiers will definitely not get bored.
Summer tourists: what's in store for them?
But not only trails and winter fun seduces this fabulous land. The Bavarian Alps were mastered by travelers a long time ago. The first tourist marked roads were laid in the 1850s by the king of an independent principality, Maximilian II. These trails were adapted in every possible way for ladies who, despite the uncomfortable women's outfits of that time, wanted to enjoy a delightful view. Therefore, the journey through the "Maximilianweg" will not be too tiring. You can take the mountain train to the beautiful Eibsee lake from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and follow the circular trail through the nature reserve. From the old town of Grainau, the Alpspitzbahn lift leads to the top of the Osterfelderkopf (2050 meters above sea level). The upper station also serves as a restaurant. At the table with a glass of beerit’s good to admire the view, but on the observation deck hanging over the abyss, it’s even better. The Kreuzek lift will take you to the second peak of the same name (1652 m). Both upper stations are connected by a marked footpath.
Bavarian Alps: sights of history and architecture
There are so many castles and ancient places in this mountainous region that there is only enough space in this article to simply list them. Photos of Neuschwanstein Castle ("New Swan Rock") near the town of Füssen adorn every guide to Germany. This, of course, is a remake, stylized as the Middle Ages, but it is very beautiful surrounded by mountains. Another must-see castle is Linderhof, near the village of Oberammergau. Each settlement in the Bavarian Alps surprises with its unusual architecture. Particularly interesting is the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In its vicinity there is a castle of the 1st century and a magnificent church with a dome decorated with frescoes. It is worth stopping by in Tegernsee. Not far from this town, in the commune of Rottach-Egern, is the well-known villa of Gorbachev in the Bavarian Alps. True, the last leader of the USSR this year announced the sale of his possessions.
Land of the Lakes
During the last ice age, masses of snow forced depressions, which then filled with water. In terms of the number of lakes, Upper Bavaria is almost as good as Karelia. But swimming in these mountain reservoirs is not recommended, because the lakes are very cold. And the edges are reserved. The only mountain body of water that is completely open to the public is Lake Tegernsee in the Bavarian Alps. It is located just 50 kilometers from Munich, and residents of the capital of the federal state love to come here for the weekend. Here you can go yachting, surfing, water skiing, and in winter - ice skating. Chiemsee and Königssee are also interesting.
Bavarian Alps Tours
This land doesn't know what "off-season" is. As soon as the snow melts from the ski slopes, lovers of trekking, mountaineering and just hiking rush along the paths to conquer the peaks. Tours depart from Moscow to the Bavarian Alps all year round. Accommodation is expected in Munich and resort mountain towns, such as Ettal, Berchtesgaden, with trips to local castles and other attractions. There are also he alth tours. A visit to the therapeutic baths on Lake Tegernsee (where Gorbachev's villa is located in the Bavarian Alps) is envisaged. As we already wrote, this year this manor with the romantic name "Castle Ubert" was put up for sale. And if you have seven million euros, you can become the proud owner of an Alpine chalet with a turret built in 1908.
