Germany's oldest holiday road, the Deutsche Alpenstrasse, runs along the Bavarian Alps from Lake Constance to Berchtesgaden, past fairytale castles, alpine lakes, and mountain passes.
280 mi / 450 km
4 days
June to September
Moderate
Right
Toll-free
Iconic stops
Lindau
An island town on Lake Constance, the western start of the road.
Neuschwanstein Castle
The fairytale hilltop castle that inspired Disney, near Fussen.
Wieskirche
A UNESCO-listed rococo pilgrimage church set in alpine meadows.
Lake Tegernsee
A classic Bavarian lake ringed by spa towns and breweries.
Berchtesgaden & Lake Konigssee
The dramatic eastern finish beside an emerald fjord-like lake.
Stops on the map
Each numbered marker matches the list above, linked in driving order from 1 to 5. Hover or tap a marker to see the stop name, scroll to zoom, and download the map as an image.
Prefer turn-by-turn navigation? Open the full route in Google Maps with all 5 stops loaded as waypoints in driving order. It opens in a new browser tab.
Tolls & fees
German roads are toll-free for cars. A couple of optional private mountain toll roads (such as the Rossfeld Panorama Road) charge a small fee, and Austrian detours need a vignette.
No tolls to estimate
Enjoy the drive. Budget instead for fuel, ferries, and parking.
Traffic & road alerts
Neuschwanstein is extremely busy; book castle tickets online in advance. Some alpine sections are narrow and close in winter snow.
Best maps & planning
Plan your drive and check the latest conditions with these trusted maps and official resources.
Driving tips
- Book Neuschwanstein tickets online well ahead. Same-day tickets sell out early.
- Check that the higher alpine sections are open if you travel outside high summer.
- Detour to a lake or two. Tegernsee and Konigssee are among the trip's highlights.
Distances, tolls, and seasons are curated planning references and can change. Always confirm current tolls, opening dates, and closures with the official sources linked above before you travel.