Innsbruck

The Tyrolean state capital lies in the Inn Valley directly in front of the mountains. In the Old Town stand the Golden Roof with its copper shingles and the Hofburg; mountain railways lead from the city's edge into the high mountains.

The Zugspitze, at 2962 meters on its eastern peak, is Germany's highest mountain; the border with Austria runs over its western peak. A 4.88-meter-high summit cross stands on the peak, and below, on the Zugspitzplatt, lies the Nördliche Schneeferner, Germany's largest glacier.You can reach the top in two ways: The Bayerische Zugspitzbahn starts in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and reaches the glacier station at 2588 meters after approximately 45 minutes; the Seilbahn Zugspitze, opened in 2017, soars from Eibsee at 1000 meters directly to the summit.

Linderhof Palace, located in the Graswangtal valley near Ettal, is the smallest of King Ludwig II's three palaces and the only one completed during his lifetime. The palace, built in the Neo-Rococo style, was constructed from 1870 to 1886, with the park created from 1874 to 1880. Since July 2025, Linderhof has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.Surrounding the palace is a formal garden in the French style, whose fountain rises up to 22 meters high, solely powered by natural gradient. The artificial Venus Grotto, alluding to Wagner's "Tannhäuser," is again accessible since the 2026 season, following extensive restoration.

Here stands Neuschwanstein Castle, which King Ludwig II had built from 1869 onwards above Hohenschwangau. Since July 2025, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage together with Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee, and the Königshaus am Schachen. Opposite lies Hohenschwangau Castle, where Ludwig II spent his childhood.Nearby Füssen on the Lech, at 808 meters, is Bavaria's highest town and the end point of the Romantic Road. From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn ascends to the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain at 2962 meters, and in the Graswangtal near Ettal lies Linderhof Castle, the only castle Ludwig II saw completed during his lifetime.

King Ludwig II had Neuschwanstein Castle built from 1869 in southern Bavaria on a rocky ridge above Hohenschwangau; the Pöllat Gorge lies to its south. Of the more than 200 rooms planned, only about 15 were completed, including the Singers' Hall and the Throne Room. Six weeks after the King's death in 1886, the castle opened to visitors; today, around 1.4 to 1.5 million people come annually. Since July 2025, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.You can only see the interiors during an approximately 30-minute guided tour. Tickets for 2026 are sold online subject to availability; a daily remaining contingent is available at the Ticket Center in Hohenschwangau. The restoration of the magnificent rooms, for which the Free State spent around 40 million Euros, ran parallel to visitor operations and was largely completed by August 2024.