Garmisch panorama
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany
Garmisch Partenkirchen - Germany
You will never want to leave
Stroll along the streets and alleyways, across little bridges and past beautifully painted houses, their balconies adorned with masses of flowers, and you will understand that the people that live in this charmed corner of the world are envied.
The historic sites, breathtaking panorama of the Bavarian Alps, dramatic gorges, flowering alpine meadows and a country town steeped in tradition will make you feel that Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany is a little paradise on earth.
The locals take pride in their cultural heritage and the richly decorated Bavarian costumes are not just worn on special events. Visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the summer months and watch, or participate, in the folk dancing and whip cracking demonstrations.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen and surrounds has one of the most charming landscapes in the Bavarian Alps. Enjoy this fantastic Alpine world with a gentle stroll through alpine meadows overlooking deep blue lakes, some more challenging hiking in the mountains and along crystal clear streams and waterfalls or more demanding mountaineering in rugged mountain ranges.
Take the funicular to the Zugspitze glacier where you are surrounded by mighty summits. In the midst of summer you can hire toboggans for a once in a lifetime experience: tobogganing on a glacier! (Take good shoe wear.) Or take the cable car to another summit where a steel platform is cantilevered over the abyss. After crossing the footbridge you reach a glass wall from where you can look down 1000m into the valley below. If you are game enough. Click here to experience the view.
Many spectacular sites are in close proximity and waiting to be explored. Foremost among them is the Partnach Gorge, which will cast its spell on you with its wild waterfalls, water rapids and tranquil water basins.
The guided torchlight hikes through the Partnach Gorge are always a great experience, no matter which season. However in particular, in the wintertime when the light of the burning torches is refracted by the ice curtains, the gorge is exceptionally mystical and charming.
Visit the idyllic village of Wamberg - Germany's highest altitude village, nearly 1000 meters above sea level. Population 27. It will seem that time has stopped as you will see nothing but original architecture in this picture postcard pretty village.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the perfect place to choose as your base from where to take excursions further afield. Munich and Innsbruck are not far and so is Oberammergau, famous for its Passion Play and wood carvers.
At Glentleiten you will find Bavaria's largest open air museum, comprising around 60 historic buildings: houses, mills, workshops and Alpine huts. These original buildings have been preserved and restored, including furnishings and interiors, to give visitors an insight into the rural life of Bavaria from centuries gone by.
And foremost of all there is mad King Ludwig's fairy-tale castle in Neuschwanstein to visit which would be one of the highlights of your Germany Tour.
Cultural Immersion - Authentic Experiences - Sustainable Travelling
Getting around
Garmisch-Partenkirchen has excellent train connections from Munich (90 minutes) and Innsbruck (80 minutes) and once you have arrived you can easily make your way around town on foot or bicycle. There are free re-charge stations for e-bikes and e-cars right in the center of town. And you don't even have to pay for parking!
Eat and drink
Sample the rich culinary delights and local Bavarian specialties in local rustic or first class restaurants.
The family Frauendorfer have been welcoming and entertaining their guests at their cosy restaurant since 1857. The Bavarian kitchen specialties and the 'Bavarian Evenings' complete with Alpine dancing and yodeling interludes are well-known and enjoy immense popularity. Kick off your hearty feast with a warm beer liqueur with cream, then sample other regional delicacies like smoked pork with dumplings and sauerkraut, venison roast with Spaetzle and cranberries and finish off with potato pancakes with apple sauce.
The traditional Bräustüberl is a popular hang-out for the locals and 'off the tourist path' travellers. A 10-minute walk from the town center takes you to this eatery housed in a former brewery with a 350-year old tradition. In the summer sit in the shade underneath the old chestnut trees and in the winter enjoy scrumptious meals in cosy rooms featuring 100-year old murals, wood paneling and long timber tables. Work your way through their classic dish: 'Braeustueberlpfannderl' (pork shank, pork roast, ¼ roast duck, dumplings, red cabbage floating in a pint of gravy) and live to tell the tale!
On a lovely summer day there is no better place than the lake-side terrace of the Riessersee restaurant to enjoy a traditional 'Steckerlfisch' (fish on a stick from a wood fired barbeque).
Accommodation
Enjoy the mountain views from the self-contained apartments of the environment-friendly Parahotel, which is located within 5 minutes' walk of the town center. More hotel information and guest reviews.
The Dorint Sporthotel Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the foot of the Zugspitze Mountain is the ideal destination for a vacation at any time of the year. The Alpine chalets of the hotel complex resembles an idyllic little mountain village and is particularly suited for families. More hotel information and guest reviews.
Local events
Local heritage weeks in July and August kick off with the firing of cannons. During these celebrations there are processions with groups in traditional costumes, dancing the ‘Schuhplatter’ (an all-out ‘Lederhosen-thigh-slapping-yodelling-folk-dance’), whip cracking and stone lifting. The beer halls and gardens are beautifully decorated and you can join the locals in celebrating, singing and dancing.
‘Fasching’, as carnival is known in Bavaria, starts on the 6th of January with a lot of noise. The ‘Maschkera’, characters with grotesque hand-carved wooden masks, roam the streets and inns, accompanied by music and mayhem, to drive away evil spirits.
The origins of the custom of the ‘Cooper’s Dance’ dates back to the 16th Century and the time of the plague. The barrel-makers were the first to come out into the streets and dance to restore hope and joy after the plague had passed. This event is re-enacted by 100 men, drummers and standard bearers every 7 years. The next one will be held in 2019.
For more details see our Tour of Germany and 'Best time to visit Germany' pages.