Kochelsee and Heimgarten Mountain in Bavaria, Germany

© Reinhard Schmid/eStock Phot

Cold winter days on Kochelsee. Kochelsee in Bavaria

To English speakers, this is Lake Kochel. To German speakers, it's Kochelsee. Whatever you call it, this popular recreation spot in Bavaria looks great all decked out in winter white. Imagine how quiet it must be when the lake is blanketed by snow. Now stretch your imagination further to the warm summer months when the shores of Kochelsee are busy with tourists out to get a dose of nature. The lake is just an hour's journey by car or train, south from Munich. Visit during summer and you're likely to see windsurfers gliding across the surface of the lake.