Bayerische Alpen

The Bavarian Alps form the northern fringe of the Eastern Alps, stretching from the Allgäu in the west to the Berchtesgaden region in the east, and include Germany's highest peak, the Zugspitze at 2,962 metres. The region played a foundational role in organised alpinism — the German Alpine Club (Deutscher Alpenverein) was established in Munich in 1869 specifically to open up and protect these mountains. The landscape shifts from rolling pre-alpine meadows through high summer pastures to jagged limestone ridges, with glaciers still clinging to the highest massifs. In summer, an extensive network of marked trails and via ferratas draws hikers and climbers; in winter, the area transforms into one of Central Europe's most accessible ski regions. Scattered mountain chapels and pilgrimage sites, including the monastery at Ettal, reflect a centuries-old tradition of alpine spirituality woven into everyday Bavarian life.