At the invitation of Zoover, Melissa (from AllinMam.com and Reislegende.nl) travels for MamsatWork to the ski area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in southern Germany. What is there to do in this place that seems to be best known for its ski jump?
Winter sports, I love it! But as much as I love being on the long run, I also enjoy doing other things when I'm in a white world. Last year I went to Central Finland for winter activities (other than skiing), this year I'm in the south of Germany. Germany is nice and close and easy to reach. Ideal for a trip of a few days (a break with a friend or with your partner), but the Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski area is certainly also very suitable for a winter sports holiday with your family.
Table of contents
Everyone knows that Germany is close by. But the fact that even the south of Germany is close by is new to many people. Flying to Munich is easy and airline tickets are in many cases very affordable. Rent a car at the airport or hop on the Flixbus, which will take you to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in two hours. Because that ski area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the place to be when it comes to winter sports in Germany. You are literally in the heart of the German Alps here. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is surrounded on no less than 3 sides by high mountains:the Wetterstein Mountains in the south, the Ester Mountains in the east and the Ammer Mountains in the northwest. The Zugspitze towers here at 2962 meters above all other peaks, which is why this mountain is known as the roof of Germany.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a very popular destination for the Germans themselves as a ski area for a winter sports holiday and is not yet well known among residents of neighboring countries. People are familiar with Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but mainly from the annual ski jumping on January 1st.
And that's a shame because the Garmisch-Classic ski area is beautiful. It may not be too big with 40 kilometers of slopes, but there is something for everyone. Booking a ski holiday is therefore a good idea. Families can therefore perfectly visit the Hausberg. There is a very friendly and family atmosphere here. Children race past in classes on fine, fairly wide blue slopes. You can relax, have lunch and enjoy the sun on the terrace of Drehmöser 9 or at Garmischer Haus.
The skiers who want a little more can go up to the Kreuzjoch and the Osterfelderkopf where the more challenging runs await. Don't forget to enjoy the stunningly beautiful views here!
You will find beautiful vantage points in this area. For example, after taking the Alpspitzbahn you arrive at the AlpSpiX, on a viewing platform with 2 steel “arms” of 13 meters long. Through the holes under your feet you look 1000 meters deep into the valley. A depth that gives me quite buckling knees.
I enjoy other breathtaking views on top of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany. You can reach the top of the Zugspitze in 2 ways, with the cogwheel railway (train) or with the Seilbahn Zugspitze (cable car). Tip:go up with one and go down with the other. From the Seilbahn Zugspitze you have a beautiful view of the Eibsee and the peaks that surround the Zugspitze. It is nice if you can withstand heights. The cable car rises almost 2000 meters during the ride, making it the world record holder when it comes to cable car with the largest difference in height. Once at the top, you have a view of more than 400 mountain peaks in 4 different countries from the platform. You'll have fun looking around here!
I go down again with the rack railway, but for that I first have to take the Gletscherbahn to the Zugspitzplatt. From here the cogwheel train leaves from the ski area back to the valley, where you can stay until the center of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Of course you can also get out earlier. For example, at the Eibsee there is a large parking lot where you can park your car. For the first 20 minutes, the rack railway descends sharply through a tunnel and it is dark. Once outside again, the rails meanders through the trees, a great experience for both children and adults.
I recover from the cold in the new Restaurant Panorama 2962. The restaurant has both a self-service area and a service area. The menu is not too extensive but the dishes are tasty and not expensive. Chances are your food will get cold here because you're too busy enjoying the view. Tip:don't forget to order 1 of the delicious desserts!
Besides skiing in the ski area, there are a lot of things to do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The place is known for its beautiful center with painted buildings. Both during the day and in the evening, Ludwigstrae is a real treat to stroll through.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen also has a lot to offer in terms of restaurants. I eat at restaurant Mukkefuck , a bistro located in one of the oldest buildings in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Mukkefuck is famous for its salads, but from my own experience I can also recommend the fish dishes.
Do you prefer schnitzels? Then Gasthof Fraundorfer the place to be. Here you can simply sit down at long tables and enjoy large glasses of drinks, enormous schnitzels and live music. Zum Wildschutz is a restaurant known as one of the best restaurants in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but must be booked days in advance. Unfortunately we were unable to get a table here.
An absolute must-see in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski area is the Partnachklamm. You will find this 700-meter-long gorge wedged between 80-meter-high rock walls through which the meltwater from the glaciers flows. In winter, the canyon is covered with huge masses of ice and icicles. One big winter wonderland!
The path is good and safe, also for children. Bringing a buggy or pram will not work here and using a back carrier is not convenient due to the overhanging rock walls. Really an activity to do with children who can walk well on their own. Don't forget to stop regularly and take it all in. You would quickly forget this because it is already fun to walk the path, which now and then goes through narrow tunnels.
Don't feel like skiing during the day but don't want to go down the mountain yet? Then tobogganing is a fun activity to do. On the Zugspitzplatt 3 toboggan routes can be found. Not only fun for (the older) children, adults also seem to enjoy themselves with this activity! But be aware, it is going fast and the routes are steep. The recommended age of 6 years old should be adjusted for a few years. Sledges for tobogganing can be rented at the ski rental on the Zugspitzplatt. Since there are two glaciers on the Zugspitzplatt, you can also toboggan in the summer.
As I mentioned above, many people know the ski area of Garmisch-Partenkirchen mainly from the ski jumping on January 1. The 1936 Winter Games took place in the Olympia Ski Stadium and when you are in Garmisch-Partenkirchen it is of course a must to visit the stadium. A visit to the Olympia Ski Stadium is free, as is taking a look at the Olympia Eissport Zentrum. In addition to 3 covered halls, there is also an open-air skating rink here, where you can skate for a few hours with rented skates.
You can also spend an afternoon in the pool if you are staying with the family in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Alpspitz-Wellenbad features a wave pool, slides and a fun paddling pool. There are also different types of saunas, salt baths and whirlpools.
You probably already expect it; in Garmisch-Partenkirchen you can find a lot of accommodations. I am staying at the Riessersee hotel , a slightly elevated family hotel. It is located on a beautiful lake, surrounded by mountains. Riessersee has nice, spacious hotel rooms and a super extensive breakfast buffet. From the hotel it is necessary to take the car to the slopes, but the car journey will not take more than 10 minutes.
If you go with small children, then Familiehotel Leiners recommended. Everything, absolutely everything in this all-inclusive hotel is geared towards families with small children. There is care for the children, there are play areas and the buffet even contains different types of milk food and baby food jars. If you want to isolate yourself as a parent, you can do so in the area next to the swimming pool, for example, where relaxation areas and saunas can be found. Super family and kid friendly!
As you can see, there is plenty to do in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski area. Is your holiday over? Then you take the car, train or Flixbus back to Munich, from where you fly back to Amsterdam. Tip:plan another day in Munich. Munich is a super nice city and there is a lot to see. There are beautiful city parks where you will find cozy biergartens (very nice in the summer!) and you can also visit many places in the cultural field. Think Marienplatz, Maximilianstraße, the famous Frauenkirche and for football fans the Olympia stadium.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen will catch me during my stay. Secretly I am already planning a return visit in the summer, on my way to our holiday destination in Austria. I think it is also a beautiful destination in summer! Would you like more information about this fun destination? Check out the Garmisch-Partenkirchen website. Hotels, restaurants and information about fun activities in the region (including in visitor reviews) can be found on Zoover.
