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A few days ago I saw a show on DW TV about a couple that was paragliding through the Alps. Paragliding looks like an intense and crazy sport, but I was even more impressed with the destinations the couple visited. The pair began their journey flying off the Zugspitze. They continued all the way to the Achensee, after stopping at the Königsee. The Alps are probably more known for their winter activities, but this journey took place in the summer, and it looked amazing. The Alps are a must visit destination, even without the snow.

Zugspitze
The Zugspitze is the tallest peak in Germany. It is located near the border of Austria and stands over 2900 meters tall. The reason it is such a cool place is the fact that you can take a cable car up close to the top of the mountain. Several restaurants sit on the mountain, and there is a great viewing platform. From the platform you can look south towards the Alps and Austria, or north towards Bavaria.

source: Wikipedia

There are a few different cable car lines that lead to several points on the mountain. One line leads from the top of the mountain below to a lake which sits at the foot of the mountsin. The mountain also has hiking trails for people to explore. One cool thing I noticed on the website is a cross-cross viewing platform on the Alpspitze part of the mountain. The viewing platforms extend 13 meters off the side of the mountain, and visitors can venture out to view the mountains from a “hovering” perspective.

Achensee
Made from a glacier after the ice age, the Achensee has become a popular tourist destination. It is located in Austria, near the border of Germany. This 9 km long and over 1 km wide lake sits at an altitude of over 900 meters. The scenery at the lake really is amazing. Mountains seem to rise right up from the edges of the lake and into the sky.

source: Wikipedia

The Achensee is said to have cold waters because of the mountain streams leading into the lake. Other than swimming, there are a number of other activities available to visitors. Here is a list:

source: Wikipedia


-Biking and Mountain biking
-Hiking
-Walking
-Sailing
-Surfing
-Golf
-Fishing
-Paragliding
-Rock climbing
-Skiing
-Cross country skiing
-Toboggan runs
-Horse-drawn sleighs
-Cable cars up the mountains

For more information about the Achensee, visit the tourist information website.

Königsee

This is another lake that was formed by glaciers. Like the other two destinations it is located near the border of Germany and Austria. The Königsee is over 6 km long and 1 km wide. It is said to be filled with the cleanest lake water in Germany. The nearby mountains climb to over 2700 meters. Another point of interest is the nearby bobsleigh track. It is the first permanent bobsleigh track in the world. Like the Achensee, there are also a lot of outdoor activities to do here.

source: Wikipedia

I hope we did a good job pointing out some places to see in the Alps, even if there is no skiing involved.

Thanks for reading the post, and as always please comment, or let us know if you have some tips, or places to recommend.

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