Shining turquoise lakes, fascinating mountain peaks and photo spots that we have been dreaming of for a long time: Welcome to Bavaria! The famous Eibsee located nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a popular location for photographers, water sports enthusiasts or simply everyone who likes to be in the nature. In June, we explored the region around the Eibsee and brought our best tips for photo spots nearby for you.
Eibsee Germany: A photo spot itself
Before we start with all the great locations near the Eibsee, let us introduce you the famous Eibsee in Germany.
The Eibsee is located near Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the foot of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. To get to the Eibsee you can either go by car or by bus. If you are arriving by car, you have to keep in mind that the parking spaces do not open until 5 am. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to park anywhere else in this area. However, the parking spaces only cost €2 if you leave by 9am.
The Eibsee itself is a popular photo spot and is already quite full at 5 am. That is because many photographers want to capture the unique reflection in the turquoise lake.
For us it has been shown that it is completely sufficient to park the car at 5 am and then go to the desired location, as the light is perfect around 6:30 am in summer and the reflection can still be seen completely.
Eibsee: Photo Spots nearby
1. Plansee in Austria
The Plansee is located in the Reutte nature park region in Tyrol, Austria. It’s only a few kilometres from the German border. Thanks to its brilliant, clear water, the Plansee is one of the cleanest lakes in Tyrol and as well one of the most popular photo spots.
The mood is absolutely magical, especially if you arrive early in the morning when the mist still swirls over the surface of the water and the first rays of sunshine make the mountains glow. By the way, that’s also when you have the best light for photography.
The boathouse, which is the most popular photo spot at the Plansee, is easy to find. If you park you car in one of the many parking spaces near the campsite or simply at the side of the street, you can almost see it.
But the Austrian Plansee is not only attractive as a photo motif. It’s also a popular spot among swimmers, hikers, and cyclists. The water temperature usually reaches refreshing 17 to 21 degrees in summer, making it the perfect cooling-off on hot days.
Alternatively, we recommend the Plansee circular route which is a 13.7 kilometre hike offering picturesque panoramic views of the lake itself. Luckily, the trail is very well signposted, easy to do and takes around three hours.
Besides, the Plansee offers some viewpoints above the lake. The hike to these viewpoints are not that easy anymore and you have to deal with narrow paths leading up the mountain. Also, the past is neither signposted nor easy to find and an outdoor map is recommended. Moreover, the climb is extremely steep for about n hour and you’ll have to fight many slippery roots.
2. Geroldsee
The Geroldsee, also known as Wagenbrüchsee, is located directly on the German Alpine Road between Mittenwald and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Simply search for Geroldsee in your maps app, because you won’t be able to guess this gem from the street. Only when you park your car in Gerold and have reached the wide road will the small spot be transformed to an idyllic reality.
Framed by dark green firs, the Geroldsee lies in the middle of a hilly landscape. Behind the lake, the huge mountain range of the Karwendel rises towards the sky. If you stand on the opposite meadow, you have a wonderful view of the entire scenery. Small wooden huts and flowers offer the perfect photo opportunities.
The photo spot on Geroldsee has long been known among photographers and it gets especially crowded during sunrise and sunset. Normally, a number of photographers gather with their tripods trying to capture the atmosphere in this unique location. But the location is actually on private property! Lately it has become so crowded that it is forbidden to go up there.
Your only chance: kindly ask the owner if you can take a photo of the already flattened piece of land. We were so happy that he allowed us to do it – but visibly annoyed and grumpy. After we talked to him, we naturally understood his displeasure, because one thing should always be clear in the end: Whenever you enter private property to take photos, you should be doubly careful, especially when it comes to destroying other people’s belongings.
3. Schloss Neuschwanstein
Watching the sunset at Neuschwanstein Castle has been on our bucket list for so long! As in a fairytale that has come true, the castle is perched on a rock, surrounded by rolling hills, forests, rugged mountains and the deep blue Alpsee.
You can find a breathtaking view of Neuschwanstein Castle and some beautiful photo spots above the Marienbrücke. We parked our car in one of the parking lots in Schwangau (cost: €6 per day) and took the signposted climb to Marienbrücke. I takes about 30 minuets to walk there.
If you want to take advantage of the best lighting conditions, we’d recommend sunrise or sunset. We wanted to take our photos during sunset as we planned something different for sunrise and got rewarded with a beautiful orange-pink-red sunset. It’s definitely worth it!
Tips for more photo spots in the Eibsee region
The region around the Eibsee is simply beautiful and of course there are numerous other Eibsee photo spots, such as the Zugspitze or the Highline 179. We have not visited both photo spots (yet), but found some nice photos on social media.
Zugspitze
To get to the Zugspitze, you can either hike for several days or take the Zugspitzbahn up. It is one of the few rack railways that are still in operation. Another rack railway that is still used is the one at Schloss Drachenburg.
Once at the top you can take countless photos of the view. There is even a café with a view of the valley.
Highline 179
The Highline 179 is located in Austria and although we drove up to the suspension bridge, we decided against a visit. That was mainly due to the weather being so bad. Good thing we did not go up, because only a few minutes later it started to rain and storm. It is important that you know that you can only enter the bridge in good weather, otherwise the danger is too high.
Partnachklamm
The Partnach Gorge is a gorge that is over 700 meters long and attracts many tourists every year. Entry costs €5. The Partnach Gorge can be a bit annoying at peak times since it can get very crowded.
We hope you liked these Eibsee photo spot tips! Here are some more posts you might enjoy as well:
- Tips for hiking to Lago di Sorapis in the Dolomites
- Lago di Braies complete travel guide with photography tips
- How to take amazing couple pictures on your own
- 14-day road trip itinerary
- Austria’s hidden gem: the most beautiful photo spot in Austria
Thanks for sharing these spots! That was exactly what I was searching for. 🙂
So lucky you found what you were searching for! 🙂