Germany's alpine showpiece is built for a confidence-building first trek: take the electric boat down the fjord-like Königssee to the red-domed chapel of St Bartholomä, then walk in beneath the Watzmann's kilometre-high east face. Huts such as the Kärlingerhaus above the eccentric Funtensee let you string together a superb two-to-three-day loop with escape routes everywhere. Book hut beds from May for the summer season, and pack a swimming costume for the lake — briefly.
Featured in Ten national parks for your first proper trek · Mountain