Castles on crags, beer that's legally a food, and some of the finest walking in the Alps. Bavaria has a lot going for it - and Macs Adventure has been arranging self-guided walking holidays here for over 20 years, so we've picked up a fact or two along the way. 

Before we get to the list, let's answer the two questions we're asked most often. 

What is Bavaria? 

Bavaria (Bayern in German) is the largest of Germany's sixteen federal states, and one of the oldest states in Europe - its roots as a duchy (territory ruled by a duke or duchess) stretch back to the 6th century. Its capital is Munich, but its character is shaped just as much by the Alps, the beer gardens, and the fairytale castles of King Ludwig II. Think of it as Germany's answer to the Highlands - fiercely proud, distinctly itself, and best explored on foot. 

Where is Bavaria? 

Bavaria sits in the southeast corner of Germany, sharing borders with Austria and the Czech Republic. Its southern edge climbs into the Bavarian Alps, home to Germany's highest mountain, and its towns and trails are easy to reach - Munich is around a two-hour flight from the UK, with good rail links on to trailheads like Füssen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. 

Now, on with the list. 

History, Castles and Famous Faces 

1. Bavaria is both the largest state in Germany by area and among the oldest in Europe - it's been a distinct place, with a distinct identity, for well over a thousand years. 

2. The best-known Bavarian is the "Fairytale King", Ludwig II (1845-1886). His most famous creation, Neuschwanstein Castle, inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle. You'll walk right up to it on the final day of The King Ludwig Way. 

3. The King Ludwig Way itself runs for around 120km (75 miles) from Lake Starnberg - where Ludwig died in mysterious circumstances - to Füssen, passing lakes, gorges and the Andechs Monastery along the way. 

4. Germany's highest point is the 2,962m Zugspitze, near Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the Austrian border. Our Walking in the Bavarian Alps trip takes you past the idyllic Eibsee at its foot. 

5. Famous Bavarians include Pope Benedict XVI, composer Richard Strauss, and Levi Strauss - the man behind your jeans. Richard Wagner wasn't born here, but King Ludwig's patronage made Bavaria his adopted home. 

6. Writer and Nobel laureate Thomas Mann also chose to make his home in Munich and wrote about the city with obvious affection. 

7. Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays in Würzburg, Bavaria, in 1895 - and won the first-ever Nobel Prize in Physics for it. 

8. Adidas was founded by the Bavarian Adolf "Adi" Dassler. His brother Rudolf founded Puma. The two companies still sit on opposite sides of the same small town, Herzogenaurach - the feud is part of local legend. 

Beer (this Deserves its Own Section) 

9. Beer is officially classed as a foodstuff in Bavaria. We're not suggesting you treat it as one of your five a day, but it does explain the portion sizes. 

10. There are around 40 styles of beer and over 4,000 brands brewed in Bavaria. 

11. The Reinheitsgebot - the famous beer purity law limiting ingredients to water, barley and hops - was decreed in Bavaria in 1516, and brewers here still take it seriously. 

12. Oktoberfest, the world's most famous beer festival, actually starts in September. 

13. The first Oktoberfest, in 1810, was a wedding celebration for Prince Ludwig of Bavaria. It went well enough that they never stopped. 

14. Bamberg's speciality is Rauchbier - smoke beer - which gets its distinctive flavour from malt kiln-dried over an open flame. 

15. Bavarian wheat beers are known as Weissbier. Cloudy, top-fermented and hugely popular - you'll find one in every mountain hut. 

16. A Radler is half pils, half lemonade - invented by a Munich innkeeper for thirsty cyclists (Radler means "cyclist"). It's also, in our experience, the perfect drink after a long day on the trail. 

17. Prefer wheat beer? Order a Russ - the same idea, made with Weissbier instead of pils. 

Food, Culture and the Great Outdoors 

18. Bavarian food is built for walkers - pretzels the size of your head, apfelstrudel, and hearty mountain-hut cooking. Tradition says Weisswurst, the local white sausage, should only be eaten before noon. 

19. Lederhosen and dirndls aren't just for tourists. At festivals and Sunday gatherings, plenty of Bavarians genuinely wear them - and wear them well. 

20. Salt was once so valuable here it was called "white gold", and the historic trading routes it travelled are now walking trails. Our Bavarian Alps: Hiking the Salt Trail trip follows the Salzalpensteig past the fjord-like Lake Königssee. 

21. Bavaria is also the starting point for one of the most accessible Alpine crossings in Europe. Across the Alps: Bavaria to South Tyrol takes you from Füssen to Meran in eight days - perfect if you've always fancied crossing the Alps on foot but weren't sure where to start. 

Walk Bavaria for Yourself 

The best way to get to know Bavaria isn't from a coach window - it's on the trail, at your own pace, with a Weissbier waiting at the end of the day. That's exactly how our walking holidays work. We arrange your accommodation, luggage transfers and route notes in our app, and you do the walking. No tour groups, no guides, no fixed schedule. 

Our Bavaria trips include: 

• The King Ludwig Way - 8 days through lakes, gorges and meadows to Neuschwanstein Castle.
• Walking in the Bavarian Alps - 8 days from Bavaria to the Austrian town of Ehrwald, taking in the mighty Zugspitze.  
• Bavarian Alps: Hiking the Salt Trail - 8 days on the historic Salzalpensteig. 
• Across the Alps: Bavaria to South Tyrol - 8 days from Füssen to Meran, ideal for first-time Alpine walkers.  

Macs Adventure has been arranging self-guided walking holidays since 2003, with over 24,000 reviews. If you've got questions about walking in Bavaria, give our team a call - several of us have walked these trails ourselves, and we're always happy to talk you through them.