The Allgäu Alps are famous for their impossibly steep grass mountains, some slopes reaching 70 degrees, wrapped around a landscape that feels wilder than its gentle foothills suggest. Straddling the border of Germany and Austria, this range delivers a rare mix of lush meadows and dramatic limestone peaks.

Expect rolling green ridgelines that suddenly turn into rocky, jagged summits, wildflower-covered slopes, and cow pastures with the distant clang of cowbells. The flora here is among the richest in the entire Alps. In winter, the higher elevations get serious snow, and a small glacier still clings on in the shadier corners. The region is best known for its multi-day hut-to-hut trekking routes, where hikers can spend up to ten days moving between mountain huts without ever descending to a village.

Highlights:

• Großer Krottenkopf (2,657 m) — the highest peak of the range, just across the Austrian border
• Nebelhorn (2,224 m) — a popular hiking and cable car destination above Oberstdorf
• Hochvogel (2,592 m) — a striking pyramid-shaped peak visible for miles
• Haldenwanger Eck — the tripoint where Bavaria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg meet

Practical info:

• Best time: June to September — full summer keeps high-altitude trails snow-free
• Base towns: Oberstdorf, Sonthofen, Bad Hindelang
• Trail difficulty: ranges from easy valley walks to demanding routes on steep grass slopes
• Getting there: by car via the A7 motorway to Oberstdorf, or by train from Munich via Kempten

This is officially the rainiest region in Germany — which explains why everything here is so intensely, almost impossibly green.