Couple's roadtrip Tirol and Bavaria

I liked Hall in Tyrol for about a half day of walking around. They have a few smaller sights that may be interesting to you. It's just down the road from Innsbruck.

Salzburg is beautiful. You can go by train after you get to Munich, but I think you should plan a full day there and at least one night.

I suggest you read Rick's book for ideas. He likes Zugspitze (full day trip) and Königssee (half day trip). These are very scenic places. As far as swimming is concerned, it may be a tough call, because many Alpine lakes are very cold.

Four days is not too much time, but enough to see the region. Budget extra time for traveling between places because mountain driving is not as smooth as urban highway driving. Many a time, even main roads are single-laned. Also, the greater Munich area is very busy, with lots of slow moving board-crossing trucks. I was stuck in traffic jams there several times.

When you return the car, do NOT be late. Car rental companies can come up with tons of excuses to charge you more.

A four hour plus drive, but Innsbruck to Lienz, AT via the Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße. You would pass by the Zellersee too. Lots of opportunities. Maybe an overnight in Lienz or along your return route. See the Lienzer Dolomiten. Cable car up to Zettersfeld. Four days is short, but you could loop back to Innsbruck driving thru the Pustertal in South Tirol (Italy) past Bruneck (Kronplatz lift?) and Sterzing back to Innsbruck. @3 hours drive and be prepared for Stau along the Brenner Pass. Beautiful area and nice towns to visit. Less visited by US tourists and a little off the beaten path. Toll for the Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße and you would need a vignette for the Austrian Autobahns. Aggressive and would take two of your four days. Probably not the best with bad weather and you would need a plan B.
https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/zellamsee/
https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/lienz/
https://www.foto-webcam.eu/webcam/kronplatz/

Thank you very much for your excellent advices!

I really fear that four days is too little time to do a small part of everything there is.

I watched the Rick Steves show about the Alps, it was very helpful

I'm not sure if it will be worth climbing the Zugspitze, I guess I'll have enough mountains in Austria

But anyway, I'd like to stop by somewhere in Germany before I return the car in Munich.

Zugspitze is right on the border between Germany and Austria. You can ascend in one country and descend from the other!

I advice you to not drive too much, however. Have more time enjoying rather than driving.

Spitzingsee or Schliersee (lakes) on the way to München? Spitzingsee is a mountain lake jem not too oft visited by tourists. Probably a little too cold for swimming. Sometimes it's clear there when it is foggy on the Schliersee (higher elevation). Not sure if the lifts will be running when you might visit.

Have stayed in Oberaudorf several times too. Could be something to consider?

Hi,

I’d base in nearby Hall in Tirol. We stayed five times at the Gasthof Badl. A RS recommendation. Good central location.

www.Badl.at

Instead of the Zugspitze, a terrific mountain trip is right in Innsbruck.

https://nordkette.com/en/home.html

I know the Grossglockner Road was mentioned, but for a closer and even more dramatic and spectacular Alpine Pass drive, head into Italy and the Val Gardena. Less than a 2 hour drive and then drive the Gardena Pass.

If you’d like to stay on the “go”, I’d suggest a loop drive. We’ve done this in reverse.

Pick up car in Innsbruck. Head into the Dolomites to Val Gardena, over the Gardena Pass. Stay in La Villa, Alta Badia.

www.Montanara.it

Then head to and stay in Heiligenblut, Austria (at the southern start of the Grossglockner Road). Along the way take the Lagazuoi cable car trip (Dolomites).

https://lagazuoi.it/index_en.php

https://www.ederhof-heiligenblut.at/de/

Drive the Grossglockner Road, stop at Zell am See (very pretty alpine lake and old town) and wind up either in Salzburg or nearby in the Berchtesgaden area. Salzburg and Berchtesgaden are about 30 minutes drive apart). We’ve stayed five times in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden.

www.Mayringerlehen.de

We also loved staying in Zell am See. We stayed at Pension Alpenrose. Parked the car and could walk to the lakeside promenade and old town in a few minutes. We rented a small electric motorboat for an hour on the lake. It was outstanding.

https://www.pension-alpenrose.at/

http://www.scheicher-boote.at/preise.html

Drive to Munich. Stop and tour Herrenchiemsee Palace along the way.

https://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/tourist/index.htm