Discover Ostallgäu
Accommodation in Ostallgäu
In Ostallgäu, alpine scenery, a large lake and cultural attractions come together with a range of ways to spend your holiday. In the southwest, the district’s mountains belong to the Vilser Gebirge; in the southeast, to the Ammergebirge. At 2,082 metres, Hochplatte is the highest mountain in Ostallgäu. When choosing where to stay, you can start by considering whether mountains, water, culture or outdoor activities should shape your stay.
Alpine Berge, Seen und Voralpenlandschaft im Ostallgäu, gesehen vom Tegelberg.
Photo: Llez via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mountains and Forggensee
Forggensee also gives the destination a distinctive character: at more than 15 km², it is Bavaria’s fifth-largest lake and Germany’s largest reservoir. During the summer season, Forggensee boat trips run regularly. If you prefer cycling, the Forggensee cycle route takes you around the lake. This gives you a choice of different ways to enjoy the water: a boat trip or a cycle loop. When planning, consider which activity better suits your preferred day’s itinerary.
The mountains offer a different focus. In Nesselwang, the Alpspitzbahn provides access to the ski run around the 1,575-metre-high Alpspitz. The ski area offers family-friendly pistes and a children’s ski land. For families considering these kinds of activities as part of their trip, this is a specific winter outing to keep in mind. The landscape of the Vilser Gebirge and Ammergebirge, along with the ski area, represents different sides of Ostallgäu; which one matters when choosing where to stay depends on the experiences you want to prioritise.
Exploring by bike or on foot
The Ostallgäu Cycling Travel Region includes regional routes that extend across the entire area. Each route is between 25 and 76 kilometres long, consistently signposted and has its own theme. The distances can help you choose a route not only by its theme but also by the distance you plan to cover. Families may want to consider in advance how far they can fit into their day; the distance alone, however, does not indicate how long the journey will take on foot or by bike.
For hiking, Ostallgäu has 32 local routes. They showcase special natural treasures and places of interest in the towns and villages. This gives you another way to explore the area, alongside the regional cycling routes. If you are weighing up cycling days and hiking days, you will find a range of options without having to settle on just one kind of holiday. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can use your preferred activities as a guide to finding a suitable place in the region.
Castles and a museum
Since 12 July 2025, Neuschwanstein Castle, together with Linderhof Palace, the King’s House on Schachen and Herrenchiemsee Palace, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Please note that visits to the two royal castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, are possible only as part of a guided tour. Bear this in mind when planning if the castles are among the experiences you want to include in your trip.
Another cultural stop is the South Sea Collection, next to the Obergünzburg Local History Museum. It now displays more than 1,500 everyday and cultural objects. For families, this offers a different kind of experience from a day in the mountains or on a bike: the focus is on objects from a collection. When choosing where to stay, you can consider whether cultural visits are as important to your trip as nature and outdoor activities.
Places in Ostallgäu
For further inspiration on where to stay, explore these places: Mauerstetten, Nesselwang, Pfronten, Roßhaupten, Schwangau, Seeg, Stötten Am Auerberg, Unterthingau, Waal, Pforzen, Westendorf, Ronsberg, Obergünzburg, Oberostendorf, Rieden am Forggensee, Lamerdingen, Germaringen, Biessenhofen, Kaufbeuren, Marktoberdorf, Eggenthal, Füssen, Lechbruck Am See, Eisenberg, Halblech and Buchloe. You can then decide which holiday apartment in Ostallgäu suits your plans based on your priorities, whether nature, outdoor activities, water or culture.
For the broader travel overview: Bavaria.
