Directions & Accommodation

Starting from Munich and heading south towards the mountains. But not directly – there'll be a treat or two along the way, of course. And the first one is Lake Starnberg. It is beautifully situated where, on a clear day, the Alps tower majestically in the background. 

From Starnberg the route continues in the direction of the Andechs Monastery, which is now well known outside of Germany too, not least because of its superb beer. It was built from 1423 to 1427 and still houses Benedictine monks today. Lake Ammersee is situated a few kilometres farther. It is slightly smaller than Lake Starnberg but boasts the same impressive panorama of the Alps. After one last look across the lake we continue to Kochel via Weilheim. Here, in the picturesque surroundings between Lake Kochelsee and Lake Walchensee, is where one of the most famous motorcycle routes in the south of Germany starts: the Kesselberg.

Wide turns alternate with narrow hairpin bends, a climb of 240 m over 9 km – in short: a perfect track. No wonder then, that car and motorcycle races took place here at the beginning of the last century as well as in the 20s and 30s. Today, drivers take the route in a more relaxed way, enjoying the turns and, above all, the view which opens up on the left-hand side to show Lake Walchensee. Definitely worth a picture! Please be aware, however, that the Kesselberg route is closed to motorcycles on weekends and public holidays. A few more kilometres uphill, a right turn towards Garmish-Partenkirchen, the last straight (definitely don't miss the view of the Lake Kochelsee!) and we arrive in Garmish-Partenkirchen.

Even the starting point of this route is marvellous: Salzburg. world heritage site, fortress and classical as well as contemporary architecture. It's a treat for the eyes. And that's just the beginning. Past picturesque Zell am See, we begin our ascent to one of the highest Alpine passes: The Grossglockner High Alpine road. 48 km with 36 turns and a climb to 2,504 metres – an absolute highlight for every motorcyclist. By the way, the pass is only opened and cleared of snow in May! Stop at the Hochtor, the road's highest point, to enjoy the breathtaking view (if the weather cooperates!).

The descent is no less spectacular and, after a short stop in Lienz, your view is drawn to the Dolomites again and then you're back off uphill from there. Through the Felbertauern Pass – with the Grossglockner in view on the right hand side, of course - and over Jochberg, in the direction of the Wilder Kaiser mountain ridge. But before that we'll pass through one of the best-known skiing regions in the world: Kitzbühel. The "Streif", a ski race track on the Hahnenkamm, is one of the most demanding pistes in the world. Then we pass Kufstein, the beautiful Lake Tegernsee, and the foothills of the Alps in the direction of our final destination: Garmisch-Partenkirchen.