The Best Photo Spots in South Germany
- Last Updated:
- By: Peter Orsel
While countries like Austria and Italy may be more famous for the Alps, Germany shouldn’t be skipped. In this post I’ll share the best photo spots in South Germany. This region, Bavaria, has striking mountain peaks, storybook castles and calm lakes. I hope it inspires your next trip.
In This Post
Eibsee
The first spot I want to highlight is Eibsee, a turquoise lake at the foot of Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain. Go for sunrise if you can, the water is calm and the reflections are at their best early in the day.
A note on drones: some of the photos from this lake were taken by drone, before signage went up banning them at Eibsee. Drones aren’t allowed there anymore.
Entrance to the lake is free, parking isn’t. For the full breakdown of parking prices, hiking the lake trail, where to eat, and more photo spots around the lake, see my complete Eibsee guide.
Looking for a place to stay?
These six spots split into two areas. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the base for Eibsee, Partnachklamm and Geroldsee, all within a short drive. Neuschwanstein and St. Coloman are located near Füssen, about 51 minutes further. Garmisch is a perfect base to discover all these spots. Hotel Zugspitze is your best option here. It’s authentic and renovated, and has an amazing spa under the roof as well. Planning to spend a bit less? Hilleprandt is a top rated option as well.
Partnachklamm
Not far from Eibsee, you’ll find Partnachklamm, a stunning gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. You park at the Olympic ski jumping stadium, and from there it’s an easy hike to the gorge. The rocks rise about 80 meters, with glacier water running through the river below. In spring especially, the current is strong and the splashes against the rocks make the air very humid, bring a jacket or an umbrella so you don’t get soaked, and a cloth to keep your lens clean. Bring a tripod too, it’s fairly dark in the gorge and perfect for long exposures.
If this location isn’t an option, there are other gorges in South Germany, but Partnachklamm has the best reputation of them.
Geroldsee / Wagenbrüchsee
Not far from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, there’s the small town of Gerold with its own lake. For me, this is the best photo spot in South Germany, thanks to the mountain cabins, meadows, the lake, and mountains in the background. The best conditions are at sunrise, and if you’re lucky, you’ll get some fog too. For more on visiting this lake, photo angles and more, see my dedicated post: All you need to know about visiting and photographing Geroldsee.
Walchensee
Walchensee might not be the most popular lake in South Germany, but I loved capturing it. On my way back from an autumn trip to Italy, I spent the night close to this lake to catch it at sunrise. There’s a peaceful atmosphere here, colored trees, a small peninsula with a few houses on it, and a calm lake. Imagine waking up with the sun in your face, this lake in your front yard, and the mountains in the background. Your parking spot doesn’t matter much, just check what you want to capture first. I parked here and flew my drone from there as well.
Neuschwanstein Castle
I’d bet you’ve seen this place before. Neuschwanstein Castle is one of those fairytale castles worth seeing at least once in your life. It’s a bit further from the other spots in this post, but worth the detour. There are multiple castles in the area, and Füssen is a town worth visiting too. Navigate here for parking, and from there it’s a short walk to the castle.
This section is about photographing the castle from the outside, not touring the inside. If you do want to visit, book ahead. Neuschwanstein caps the number of daily visitors, and summer tickets can sell out weeks in advance through the official Ticket Center Hohenschwangau. Want to visit anyway? Book a ticket here.
In the area you’ll also find Hohenschwangau Castle. I haven’t visited or photographed it myself, but it’s supposed to be worth it. You can see it in the background of the photo above, just to the right of Neuschwanstein.
Hike to the best viewpoints
If you want the best view of the castle itself, you have two options.
The easy option is to hike up to the Marienbrücke, a roughly 3.4km loop that takes about an hour and 15 minutes. For an even better view, keep going another 20 minutes uphill to the Aussichtspunkt auf Tal und Schloss. That’s the best view you’ll get of the castle. I haven’t visited myself, but I’ve seen the photos on Google Reviews and it’s totally worth it.
St. Coloman Church
Just a stone’s throw from Neuschwanstein Castle, you’ll find this small church. It’s not somewhere I’d plan a full visit around, it’s become a popular photo stop mostly because of how close it is to the castle. Navigate here for parking. The best light is at sunset or sunrise, when the mountain tops behind it turn orange. Easy to combine with a stop at Neuschwanstein or Hohenschwangau.
That’s it for my favorite photo spots in South Germany. There’s more of this region I haven’t gotten to yet, more lakes, places and sights, I’ll update this post as soon as I visit.
About Me
Peter Orsel is a Dutch travel photographer based in Bali, specialized in drone and landscape photography. He has visited over 40 countries and writes detailed, no-nonsense guides based on firsthand experience.