Crossing the Alps on Foot - Munich to Venice

The starting city. Arrival day in Munich. Check in to your hotel and take the afternoon at your own pace - a walk along the Isar, a visit to the English Garden or simply time to rest before the days ahead. The Alps are already visible on the horizon to the south on a clear day.

Under the fairy-tale castle. A short train to Füssen opens the walking. The first stage follows wooded paths to Hohenschwangau with Neuschwanstein Castle looming above - the most visited castle in Germany, built on a forested bluff above two lakes. An easy afternoon leaves time to visit the castle before settling in for the first night.

Into the Ammergau Alps. The route leaves the tourist crowds behind and pushes south into the Ammergau Alps. A long climbing day through forest and open ridge terrain leads to the Kenzenhütte - a classic Bavarian mountain hut with a working farm, enormous portions and a terrace overlooking the first proper mountain panorama of the trip.

Down to the Benedictine abbey. A descent through the Ammer valley brings you to Ettal, home to a vast Baroque monastery where Benedictine monks have brewed beer and distilled liqueur since the 14th century. A gentler day after the long effort of Day 3 - arrive early and visit the abbey before dinner.

Through Garmisch and into the gorge. The route passes through Garmisch-Partenkirchen and detours through the Partnach Gorge - a narrow limestone canyon where the trail is carved into the cliff face above the river. After the gorge, the path continues to Mittenwald, a town famous for its painted facades and violin-making tradition.

First Austrian ridge. A steep climb from Mittenwald gains the Karwendel ridge above the Inntal valley, crossing from Germany into Austria. The Solsteinhaus sits on a high shelf with a direct view down into the Inn valley and across to Innsbruck's urban sprawl far below - a striking contrast between the wild ridge and the city.

Down to the Tyrolean capital. A short descent from the Solsteinhaus drops sharply into Innsbruck along a steep ridge trail. The rest of the day is free in the city - the old town, the Golden Roof, the Hofburg and the famous view of the city backed by the Nordkette mountains are all within easy walking distance of the hotels.

The highest waterfall in the Alps. A train across the Ötztal to Krimml, then the classic walk alongside the three-stage Krimml Waterfalls as they drop 400 m1,312 ft through forest and open valley. The Krimmler Tauernhaus at the head of the valley is the last stop before crossing into Italy the following day.

Crossing into Italy. The longest hiking day of the trip climbs over the Krimmler Tauern pass and crosses into South Tyrol - the Italian Alps. The descent passes through the Prettau valley, once a copper-mining region, before reaching Bruneck (Brunico), a handsome medieval town in the Puster valley where German and Italian cultures overlap.

The emerald lake. The route climbs from Bruneck through the Pederu valley and across the high Sennes plateau before dropping to Lago di Braies - one of the most striking lakes in the Dolomites. The vivid green water and the sheer cliff of Croda del Becco rising from its shore make this one of the visual highlights of the entire traverse.

Up over the ridge. Climbing away from Lago di Braies, the trail ascends to the Croda del Becco viewpoint before traversing the high ground to Prato Piazza - a wide natural shelf above the Landro valley that serves as an open-air viewpoint for the first silhouette of the Tre Cime. The day ends with the three towers visible on the horizon for the first time.

The Tre Cime arrival. A long day drops to Landro, follows the Rienza valley east and climbs steadily through wild terrain to reach the Auronzo refuge beneath the Tre Cime south face. After the full Tre Cime loop - past the Lavaredo refuge and along the north face - the route descends to Antorno lake for the night.

Final mountain day. A shorter day loops from Auronzo around the full Tre Cime circuit at a relaxed pace. With the hard mileage behind you, this is the day to stop at the Locatelli refuge with a coffee and simply look at the north face - one of the great mountain walls in Europe. Return to Antorno lake in the afternoon.

The lagoon. A private taxi collects you from Antorno lake and drives through the Dolomites, the Belluno valleys and across the Venetian plain to Venice. The journey itself is a final reminder of the distance covered - watching the mountains shrink behind you as the flatlands of the Veneto open up ahead and the lagoon comes into view.

Farewell from the water city. Departure day. A final morning in Venice before heading to the airport or train station. If time allows, a walk from the hotel to the Piazza San Marco at dawn - before the crowds arrive - is the best possible way to close a journey that began 14 days and three countries ago.