Driving the German Alpine Road, the oldest holiday route of the country
The German Alpine Road (Alpenstraße) is a very scenic drive through the Bavarian Alps, in Germany. Travelling the route is a wonderful experience all year round.
When was the German Alpine Road built?
Meandering through a stunning area rich in nature and culture, it’s said to be the oldest German holiday route. The road was built in the 1930s as one of Hitler’s prestige projects. During WWII, the project lost importance and it was only in 1960 that the full road was finally completed.
How long is the German Alpine Road?
The road, known colloquially as the Queralpenstrasse, is totally paved with wide lanes. It’s 450 km (280 miles) long, winding west-east from Lindau on Lake Constance to Schönau on Lake Königssee, along the Austrian border. Occasional hill climbs and a few twists paired with fast sweeping straights make the road a real pleasure to drive.
How long does it take to drive the German Alpine Road?
To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 5 and 6 hours. However, due to its beauty with breathtaking mountain scenery, 25 castles and palaces, 64 health resorts, and 21 mountain lakes, the average driver can do this trip in 3-4 days. It offers a varied and magnificent panorama. The trip is a pleasure for anyone wanting to take their time in Bavaria's mountain countryside. Despite its fame, the road remains pretty unspoiled.
Pic: Bad Hindelang Tourismus/Wolfgang B. Kleiner
