Sunlit huts and Geroldsee, Bavarian Alps, Germany

Bavarian bliss

Beneath the Wetterstein—a clustered mountain range that includes Germany's highest peak, Zugspitze—thick forests and verdant plains spread through peaceful Bavarian villages. The serene lake seen in this scene goes by two different names: Geroldsee, after a nearby hamlet called Gerold, and Wagenbrüchsee, meaning roughly 'wagon swamp'—perhaps a nod to bygone transit difficulties in the marshy lowland. Today, a well-trod hiking trail encircles the small lake, and in summer months, its dark, clear waters are a popular place to take a cool dip.