The Bavarian Alps and the Alpine foothills — from Neuschwanstein to the Königssee

The whole day belongs to the drive via Rozvadov, Regensburg and Munich. Beyond Landsberg am Lech the countryside starts to roll and just before Füssen the wall of the Ammergau Alps opens up. Make your base around Schwangau or by Hopfen am See and walk down to the water in the evening — from the shore of the Forggensee you can see the whole of Neuschwanstein on its rocky spur, which never works directly below the castle.

Book your Neuschwanstein ticket online for a specific tour time; in high season it sells out days in advance. The castle can only be seen on a guided tour or with an audio guide at a fixed admission time — there is no walking through on your own. You can walk up the hill on foot, but a shuttle bus and a horse-drawn carriage run there as well. In the afternoon add the yellow Hohenschwangau, where Ludwig II grew up, and a walk around the Alpsee; whether the Marienbrücke viewing bridge is open is best checked on the spot, as its accessibility keeps changing.

The Wieskirche pilgrimage church near Steingaden is on the UNESCO list and admission is free; from April to October it usually opens from eight in the morning until seven in the evening, in the winter months until five, though it cannot be viewed during services. The rococo decoration inside is the exact opposite of the sober exterior, and that contrast is the whole magic of the place. In the afternoon carry on to Oberammergau for painted facades, woodcarving workshops and the Passion Play theatre. If you still have the energy, add the baroque Ettal monastery just outside the village.

From Oberammergau it is only a hop to Garmisch-Partenkirchen via Ettal and Oberau, so the morning leaves room for an unhurried breakfast. The Partnachklamm gorge is open from June to September from eight in the morning until eight in the evening, and the last visitors are let in half an hour before closing time. The gorge is carved into the rock and the water races a few metres below your feet — a waterproof jacket makes sense even on a sunny day. You can stretch the way back into a loop via Graseck and come down to the Olympic stadium from above.

The cog railway sets off straight from Garmisch, stops at the Eibsee on the way and from there a cable car continues to the summit. At the top you stand on the highest point in Germany and in clear weather you can see into Austria, Switzerland and Italy, so it pays to watch the forecast and go on a day with good visibility. On the way back take the cable car down to the Eibsee and walk the loop around the lake — the colour of the water and the reflection of the Wetterstein massif are why people come here even without going up. Allow around two hours for the loop and wear proper shoes, as the path runs over roots and stones in places.

Set off east in the morning. The shortest way stays entirely on German soil via Bad Tölz, Rosenheim and Bad Reichenhall; navigation will sometimes offer a detour through Tyrol and the Salzburg region, which is longer and calls for an Austrian motorway charge on top. You cannot drive up the Kehlstein in your own vehicle — the road is closed to public traffic and the ascent is by compulsory shuttle bus from the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre. As you board you are given a fixed time for the return trip, so keep an eye on the clock up there. The last stretch to the Kehlsteinhaus runs through a tunnel in the rock and a historic brass lift, and the view from the top reaches over the Königssee and out towards Salzburg.

You cannot reach the lake by car; the last stretch is on foot from Schönau am Königssee. Boat trips run exclusively on electric boats: the shorter run ends at the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä, the longer one carries on to Salet at the southern end of the lake and includes the St. Bartholomä stop as well. From Salet it takes less than half an hour to walk to the Obersee, the quietest part of the whole lake. In season there are queues at the landing stage, so take one of the first boats and count on the lake swallowing your entire day.

The last day belongs to the journey home and there are two options. Either via Salzburg and Linz to the Dolní Dvořiště border crossing, or the more northerly run via Bad Reichenhall, Passau and Strážný. Whichever you choose, there is still time in the morning for one final stop — the salt mine in Berchtesgaden, for instance, if you did not get to it during your stay.