Overland

Destination spotlight: Upper Bavaria

From the Alps reaching up to the clouds to the lush Danube basin, the Free State of Bavaria is a place that lives up to all the clichés. Fairytale castles left behind by a Bavarian king, cowbells ringing around the necks of cows grazing on flower-strewn meadows, lederhosen and dirndl dresses worn by people in their medieval fortified towns as they go about their daily work, as if they had travelled back in time.

Upper Bavaria offers unique diversity. From hop-filled cultural landscapes to alpine natural landscapes and urban centres – all of this is naturally part of Upper Bavaria.

The name ‘Upper Bavaria’ has changed several times over the centuries and does not take tribal or linguistic boundaries into account. In particular, there is no specific Upper Bavarian dialect. The term ‘Upper Bavaria’ first appeared in 1255 during the division of Bavaria. However, its original extent was different: the Chiemgau and the Bad Reichenhall area belonged to Lower Bavaria at that time. The name refers to the relative location on the Danube and its tributaries: downstream, Upper Bavaria is followed by Lower Bavaria, Upper Austria and Lower Austria.