Bavaria

Bavaria is the largest German state by area, a southeastern land of Alpine peaks, beer gardens and fairy-tale castles, with a fiercely proud regional identity. Its capital is Munich. From Oktoberfest to Neuschwanstein Castle and BMW, Bavaria is among the most recognisable and economically powerful regions of Germany.

Bavaria reaches from the Bavarian Alps and Lake Constance in the south, including Germany's highest peak the Zugspitze, across rolling farmland and forests to the Danube valley. The climate is temperate continental, colder in the mountains.

Bavarian culture is famous worldwide for lederhosen and dirndls, beer halls, the Oktoberfest, and Catholic traditions. Munich is a hub of culture, technology and the arts, while the countryside cherishes its distinctive customs and dialect.

One of the oldest states in Europe, Bavaria was a duchy and then a kingdom before joining the German Empire in 1871, retaining strong autonomy. Its King Ludwig II built the romantic castle of Neuschwanstein, an icon recognised around the world.