Bayerische Alpen

The Bavarian Alps form the northernmost edge of the Eastern Alps, stretching from the Allgäu in the west to the Berchtesgaden region in the east, with the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres marking Germany's highest point. Munich mountaineers founded the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein) here in 1869 to systematically open up these mountains — the resulting network of huts, marked trails, and via ferratas is now among the densest in the Alps. The terrain shifts from rolling pre-alpine meadows through wildflower-covered summer pastures to jagged limestone ridges and the last glaciers clinging to the highest massifs. Scattered mountain chapels and the monastery at Ettal reflect a centuries-old tradition of alpine spirituality embedded in Bavarian daily life. Summer draws hikers and climbers of all levels; winter transforms the region into one of Central Europe's most accessible ski areas, from family-friendly slopes to serious ski-touring terrain.