9 Hidden Villages in the Bavarian Alps (& Just Across the Austrian Border) Worth Discovering

Sharing my favorite hidden villages in the Bavarian Alps – a region I love most of all in Germany!

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Bavarian Alps region, visiting my mom who lives here. Every time I stay with her (usually for weeks), I end up traveling around the southern Bavaria and Austrian border area, exploring small alpine places in detail.

My husband and I usually rent a car in Munich or Rosenheim or take local trains and just follow the map. We don’t like to follow the fixed route or go to famous “must-sees”, we prefer to go wherever we feel like.

That’s how I started discovering cute towns, interesting castles, and lesser-known villages in the Bavarian Alps, the kind that rarely appear in travel guides but turn out to be some of the most beautiful spots in this part of Europe.

So this post comes directly from my own trips – a personal collection of secret Bavarian Alps villages and nearby Austrian mountain towns that truly deserve a visit.

🗺️My Ongoing Village List: This isn’t a complete list of all Bavarian villages by the Alps. These are the places I have personally visited and loved in the area not far from the Austrian border. I am continuing to explore the region, and will keep adding more villages that I think are worth going to.

My Favorite Villages in Bavaria (Not Far From Salzburg & Munich)

Aschau im Chiemgau – Magical Castle, Cable Car Rides & Gorgeous Mountain Views on All Sides

I have been to Aschau im Chiemgau many times, and every visit starts the same way — with that view of Hohenaschau Castle rising above the village as you arrive. If you come by car, stop before reaching the centre, the castle appears between the hills like something straight out of a fairytale village in Bavaria.

The area around Aschau is hilly and full of quiet paths, and no matter where you walk, the mountains are always somewhere in sight.

One thing I really love here is walking towards the castle via scenic paths or taking the Kampenwand cable car, which takes you straight from the edge of the village up into the Bavarian Alps (if the weather permits). At the top, there are views over Chiemsee and even Austria, plus a few easy hikes and a small cafe where you can sit outside and watch paragliders take off.

I usually spend time just wandering through the town too — stopping at cafes, looking at old wooden houses (and reading history facts behind them), and noticing the small architectural details. Aschau is one of those hidden gems in the Bavarian Alps close to Salzburg, yet still quiet and authentic.

If you decide to go, here is my Aschau im Chiemgau guide where I share my favourite places, cafe spots, castle viewpoints, and easy walks.

NOTE: This village is hidden from mass tourism which means you won’t find organized tours here. The best way to visit is to come by train (with the transfer in Prien) or by car.

Fraueninsel – monastery bells, flowers & water all around

Fraueninsel is a very unique village in Bavaria built on a small island on Lake Chiemsee, about ten minutes by boat from Prien or Gstadt. It’s known for its Benedictine convent, local artisans, and gardens overflowing with flowers in summer.

There are no cars here, just walking paths that circle the island. It takes around half an hour to walk around, with cafes, small shops, and views of the Bavarian Alps on every side.

It’s so peaceful here that it sometimes feels detached from the world. There are only a couple of guesthouses on the island, perfect if you want to stay overnight and completely unplug. Otherwise, it’s easy to visit on a boat trip around the Chiemsee islands – just buy a ticket in Prien am Chiemsee that includes a stop at Fraueninsel.

Both times I visited here were in the late afternoon, when most visitors were gone and Fraueninsel turned so quiet. That’s the best time to walk by the shore, hear the monastery bells, and take photos without crowds. This village may be small, but it’s one of those hidden gems in Bavaria that feels timeless.

Another option to visit Fraueninsel is on a day trip from Munich to Herrenchiemsee palace where you can see both islands and 19th century replica of Versailles.

Werfen – alpine valley of castles, cliffs, and Sound-of-Music views

I discovered Werfen by accident while searching for a beautiful place to stay with direct castle views. When I found the kind of accommodation I wanted, I booked it without even checking what else the town had to offer, but it turned out to be one of the best surprises of that trip.

Werfen lies just across the Austrian border, in an alpine valley surrounded by cliffs and forests, about 40 minutes south of Salzburg. It’s one of those fairytale towns near the Bavarian Alps that feels cinematic… the Hohenwerfen Castle rises above the valley, and the view looks straight out of The Sound of Music.

You can visit the castle, walk a panoramic trail, or take the cable car to see the falconry shows and sweeping mountain views. My favorite part about this village was staying in this romantic guesthouse that overlooks the castle; it felt like being inside a fairytale!

If you have time, the Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave is right above Werfen. It’s the largest in the world, and tours start from the lower cable car station. You can book a private guided visit from Salzburg here.

If you are curious to see what makes Werfen special, I’ve shared all my favourite places to stay, viewpoints, and walks in my weekend guide to Werfen.

Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden – storybook church and lakes, pure alpine postcard scene

This village in southern Germany is one of those places that looks exactly like the Bavaria you imagine – a small alpine settlement surrounded by mountains, with the river running through and a little church that has appeared in a thousand postcards. I’d seen photos of it so many times before coming, yet seeing it in real life still felt special.

Ramsau itself is tiny, but what makes it worth stopping here are the surroundings. Just outside the centre is the Parish Church of St. Sebastian (which you see in my photo above and below), probably one of the most photographed churches in Germany, especially with the Watzmann peaks in the background.

From there, you can follow the river trail to the bridge and then further into the valley towards Hintersee and the Zauberwald (Magic Forest) – both incredibly peaceful.

I like to drive here from my mom’s place (which is not far), coming here in the early morning or in the afternoon when the day-trippers are gone… that’s when Ramsau is quiet. It’s definitely more known than some of the other Bavarian villages on this list, but it still feels authentic if you time your visit right.

If you are staying in Salzburg, a day trip to Eagle’s Nest & Berchtesgaden also inlcudes a stop by the famous church in Ramsau.

Reit im Winkl – postcard Bavarian charm with wooden chalets & alpine trails

Reit im Winkl feels like the kind of place where everything lives at a slow pace no matter what the season. It’s a mountain village near the Austrian border, surrounded by meadows and wooden chalets with flower-covered balconies.

I ended up here on one of those spontaneous drives to the Kaiser Mountains in Austria (which, by the way, is a fantastic place to explore in summer and visit in October for foliage) and immediately liked how open and sunny it felt compared to other valleys in this area.

It’s a great stop if you want easy and scenic things to do while road tripping around. In summer, there are walking and cycling paths starting right from the village, and in winter it turns into a small ski area with cross-country trails. The centre has a few lovely cafes, bakeries, and local shops – just enough to keep you around for a few hours without feeling touristy.

If you are looking for charming villages in the Bavarian Alps that feel lived-in but not crowded, Reit im Winkl is one of the nicest ones to include on your route – pretty, authentic, and surrounded by incredible mountain scenery.

I wouldn’t be planning a whole trip just here (especially if you don’t have much time in the region), but combining it with a drive through the Bavarian and Austrian Alps will be rewarding.

Bayrischzell – very photogenic mountain village between peaks & pastures

When I mention Bayrischzell as one of the most beautiful villages in Bavaria, I actually mean the whole area around it. It’s the kind of place where you easily end up staying longer than planned – it’s incredibly photogenic and nature here is just so inspiring.

The village itself is small, lying right at the foot of the Wendelstein mountain, which makes it a perfect base for short hikes, cable car rides, or scenic drives through the valley.

There are a few traditional guesthouses, one decent bakery that smells like heaven in the morning, and quiet streets with wooden houses and flower boxes. But the main attraction here is nature… you’ll find a few amazing waterfalls to visit from spring to autumn (the Tatzlwurm Waterfall is impressive and very easy to reach by car), hidden lakes you can hike to, and panoramic viewpoints all around.

Bayrischzell is also a nice place to stay for a couple of nights in any season (in winter too, since it is right next to the Sudelfeld ski area, one of the largest in Bavaria, with around 30 km of slopes for all levels).

Like, for example, Das Bayrischzell family hotel (all-inclusive with mountain views) or Hotel Effland – Sauna & Pool (more budget-friendly, above the village, overlooking the valley). Both are awesome spots to end your day in the Alps, be it summer or winter.

Sachrang – alpine village of wooden houses & quiet valleys

Sachrang is one of the smallest and quietest alpine villages in Bavaria, hidden deep in the Priental valley near the Austrian border. I first came here while exploring around Aschau im Chiemgau and it immediately felt much calmer, older, and like a ghost town, to be honest.

This village has just a few streets lined with wooden chalets, a church, and trails that start right behind the houses.

It doesn’t make much sense to come here just for the village itself (there’s really not much to do), but if you’re driving to or from Kufstein, it’s worth stopping in Sachrang for a walk along the river, one of the hikes, a slice of homemade cake at a mountain cafe, quick visit to its tiny alpine museum, or simply feel how peaceful this valley is.

What I like about Sachrang is that it is very authentic, with postcard views everywhere. The whole area here is protected from overdevelopment and focuses on sustainable, low-impact tourism.

If you like hiking (even easy trails) and very local environments of places you travel to, then stop in this village to follow one of the easy paths leading into the valley or to a small mountain hut where you can stop for homemade cake (huts open only in summer).

Krün – authentic alpine community near Mittenwald, but much calmer with lakes all around

When I mention Krün, I always think of it as the perfect middle point surrounded by lakes und mountains, only a few minutes from Mittenwald or Garmisch. I visited it for the first time when driving from Munich to Mittenwald, but then later returned on a day trip to spend more time exactly here.

I like it for Barmsee, Geroldsee, and Grubsee – three incredibly scenic and easy-to-access lakes with views and light hikes around.

Grubsee is great for a quick swim in summer, while Barmsee and Geroldsee are better for walks and photos. There’s also a short panoramic path along the Isar River that starts right near the centre and gives one of the best open views of the Zugspitze.

Wallgau – little-known gem with Lüftl-painted houses & Gorgeous Isar valley views

Wallgau lies just a few minutes from Krün (if coming from Munich, you’ll be passing through it at first), and together they form one of the most beautiful stretches of the Isar valley.

It’s a small village but surprisingly rich in detail – rows of traditional Bavarian houses with Lüftlmalerei (those pastel wall paintings you see across Upper Bavaria) and flowered balconies that make every street feel so fairytalish.

The main reason to stop here is the view: from the bridge at the edge of the village, you can see the Isar River winding through the valley with mountain peaks behind it – one of the best photo spots in this part of Bavaria. There’s also a short Isar footpath leading down to the riverbank, perfect for a walk or picnic in summer.

If you are already in Krün, it’s worth driving or cycling over as the two villages are less than ten minutes apart, and Wallgau is a hidden gem in Bavaria that offers quiet surroundings that are hard to find in the area there.

More Travel in the Bavarian Alps Region & Nearby

• Munich to Oberammergau Drive – scenic road trip with my favorite stops to make