A stop at Lake Eibsee and Neuschwanstein Castle

The road from the Czech Republic to Switzerland runs through Bavaria, and it would be a shame just to drive through. A short way off the motorway lie two places that are among the most beautiful in the Alps: Lake Eibsee below Germany's highest mountain, and the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle. I stopped here on my way to Switzerland and didn't regret it.

Lake Eibsee

Eibsee lies at about 1,000 metres, right below the Zugspitze (2,962 m), Germany's highest mountain. The water is crystal clear and turquoise, and the lake has several small islands covered in pines. A loop of about 7.5 km runs around it, which you can do in two hours. The best views are from the north and west shores.

The Zugspitze

From Eibsee a cable car (Seilbahn Zugspitze) runs to the Zugspitze, with one of the tallest steel pylons in the world. At the top there's a view into four countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. The other option is the cog railway from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Neuschwanstein Castle

The castle that inspired Walt Disney. King Ludwig II of Bavaria began building it in 1869 as a romantic retreat in the style of medieval castles and Richard Wagner's operas. It was never finished: the king died in 1886 in mysterious circumstances. Today more than a million people visit it every year.

Tickets

You can only go inside on a tour at a set time, and in season the tickets sell out. Buy them online in advance. If you don't want to go in, admire the castle from outside: it's most beautiful from a distance anyway.

The Marienbrücke bridge

The most famous view of Neuschwanstein is from the Marienbrücke bridge over the Pöllat gorge. The bridge is just above the castle, and in season it's packed. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon. In winter the bridge is often closed because of snow.

Photography tips

• Eibsee: a wide-angle lens, the islands in the foreground and the Zugspitze behind them. A polarising filter brings out the colour of the water; more in my article on filters.
• Neuschwanstein: from the Marienbrücke you'll want a fairly wide lens (24–35 mm). In autumn colourful forests surround it.
• Drone: restrictions apply around the castle and the lake; check the rules.

Where next

From Füssen it's not far to Switzerland. I carried on to the Matterhorn and the Lauterbrunnen valley. I describe the whole trip in a solo road trip and hiking in Switzerland.

Faq