There are many stunning and interesting attractions in Germany, but few as interesting as The King’s House at Schachen, located 5,900 feet above sea level in the Bavarian Alps’ Wetterstein mountain range.

© Courtesy of Schloss Elmau

The property was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with three of King Ludwig II’s other 19th-century Bavarian castles. The Kings House at Schachen, open June to October, is accessible only from the 300-acre nature reserve. The reserve itself is home to 5-star Schloss Elmau, a spa retreat, hotel and hideaway that twice hosted world leaders at meetings of the G7. Visitor cost to visit King’s House is €5 (cash only).

“The ‘Schachenhaus’ and its garden exceed the bounds of imagination,” said Schloss Elmau’s owner Dietmar Müller-Elmau, a grandson of its founder, “and is reached in just 60 minutes by our e-mountain bikes, or after a 3.5-hour hike.”

© Courtesy of Schloss Elmau

King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who also created fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle, had Schachen built in 1872 to celebrate his 26th birthday. “His dream,” said Müller-Elmau, “was to create a realm of contradiction and freedom, juxtaposing the worlds of Bavaria, the Orient and India within a single structure, surrounded by pristine nature.” Ludwig also designed a cosmopolitan garden featuring rare mountain flowers from around the world.

© Courtesy of Schloss Elmau

Schloss Elmau is nestled in a vast, pristine high valley between the Zugspitze and Karwendel mountains. Built in 1916, the refuge, a Leading Hotel of the World property, reopened in 2007 with Japanese influences. With 115 rooms, five restaurants, a kids’ club and an impressive bookshop, it offers a wide range of amenities. The Spa Retreat, opened in 2015, comprises 47 suites, three restaurants, spas, a gym and a yoga pavilion. The Retreat offers six large spas and pools for both families and exclusively for adults, as well as summer and winter sports activities. The hotel is also famous for its high-end cultural and music programs.