Zugspitze

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.

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.

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.

Situated on the Lech at 808 meters, Füssen is Bavaria's highest city. Above the old town, the Hohe Schloss, the late Gothic residence of the Augsburg Prince-Bishops, presides. Below it lies the baroque former Benedictine monastery of St. Mang, home to the city museum. In 1562, Europe's first lute-makers' guild was founded here.Füssen marks the end of the Romantic Road and serves as the gateway to the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. At the Lechfall, the river carves its way through a gorge; northeast of the city, it flows into Lake Forggensee. Regional trains connect Füssen with Munich and Augsburg.

Meran lies in a valley basin in the Etsch Valley, into which the Passeier Valley flows from the north. Its mild climate allows not only wine but also palms, cypresses, holm oaks, and Lebanon cedars to grow.Spa TownMeran has been a spa town since 1855. The Kurhaus on the Passerpromenade consists of a historicist wing (1873/74) and an Art Nouveau wing (1912-1914). The Therme Meran, opened in 2005, continues this tradition.Old Town and SurroundingsThe Laubengasse is the Old Town's main axis; the Parish Church of St. Nicholas stands on Pfarrplatz. The Tappeinerweg runs along the slope of Küchelberg; on the city's eastern edge lie the Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle, and north is Dorf Tirol with its namesake castle.