Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Double the reasons to visit this fine Bavarian town www.allwaystraveller.com Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a mountain resort in the Bavarian Alps region of southern Germany. It is located close to the Austrian border and has views of Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain. This area of Germany is still relatively unknown as a visitor destination, which is surprising because Garmisch- Partenkirchen has a great deal to offer. It is the premier German winter sports resort, with the shaded slopes here making for particularly good snow and fine skiing for those of all abilities. And in spring and summer the area is, if anything, even more alluring for those wanting to walk, hike or cycle through fir lined hillsides and along spectacular mountain paths. For the visitor there are two town centres to explore, with Garmisch a more modern environment and Partenkirchen having retained its historic ambiance. The town also stages two bier festivals with either of these making for an added incentive to visit Ashley Gibbins Managing editor AllWays traveller www.gapa.de Touring this part of Bavaria Garmisch-Partenkirchen also provides an excellent base for touring the many attractions to be founding the area including the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle.
An independent view of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Be grateful for those quirks of fate While in the area Make sure you get the Garmisch- Partenkirchen visitor s card The Garmisch-Partenkirchen visitor s card, which is issued by the hotels, is available to all guests for the duration of their stay. It provides free use of the public 'green' bus service and the Schneeexpress or 'snow express' during the winter sports season. You will enjoy free entrance to all concerts in Musik im Park, to the Alpspitz-Wellenbad (wave pool) and the Casino Garmisch-Partenkirchen. by Ashley Gibbins I have just spent a truly memorable short break in Garmisch- Partenkirchen and it came about more or less by chance. I was due to visit an area of Austrian Alps when this trip fell through. With flights to Innsbruck to use or lose I looked around for somewhere easy to get to from the capital of the Tirol region, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen presented itself. Thank goodness it did for, without this quirk of fate, I may not have discovered the charm of the place, the friendliness of its people and the spectacular Alpine region that surrounds the town. Two towns in one With a name like Garmisch-Partenkirchen, it may not surprise you to learn that, there were the two neighbouring towns of, you've guessed it, Garmisch and Partenkirchen. In addition the card gives a discount on the entrance fees to many of the area attractions including : the Partnach Gorge guided tours the Rope Mountaineering Park the summer toboggan run near Kainzenbad the Olympic Ice Stadium the Alpspitzbahn Cable Car, and many town museums. www.gapa.de/visitors_card Get up, up and away The two had co-existed separately for centuries until Hitler combined them to impose the status needed to secure the 1936 Winter Olympics. Residents of Garmisch speak a different dialect to those in Partenkirchen, and the two adopt a slightly different Bavarian national dress. There also remains two distinct town centres, obviously one in Garmisch and one in Partenkirchen. And while there has been no reason to split the town, there remains a defined difference between the two. Moreover residents of Partenkirchen do not take kindly to the town name being abbreviated, for convenience, to Garmisch. Despite a certain difficult in pronouncing the name in full I made sure not to make this mistake. The areas four cable cars and lifts are the way to get you up into the mountains, and what a spectacular way to go. In the winter these will take you to the ski slopes or to the start of the winter trekking routes. In spring, summer and early autumn, its two feet or two wheels for some exhilarating mountain walking or biking. 2
The Riessersee Resort and Spa The castles of King Ludwig II Ludwig II was King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death in June 1886. An eccentric, Ludwig built two extravagant palaces and a castle which are now fine tourist attractions. Neuschwanstein Castle As for the place to stay, the four-star superior Riessersee Resort Hotel came to prominence as the flagship resort for the 1936 Winter Olympics. During these Games, the hotel s lake hosted the ice hockey and the bobsleigh run was on its doorstep. The route of this run has now been restored, by a band of committed volunteers, to provide a 45 minute woodland walk bottom to top. There is also a small museum with fascinating artefacts from those hair raising, earlier days of bob sleighing. Today, the Riessersee offers guests a true Bavarian welcome in a location that would be difficult to better. Fine Bavarian food is served in the Alter Bob restaurant with gourmet dining available in the Restaurant Galerie. The double rooms and suites are decorated in a comfortable country house style and include granite and marble bathrooms Neuschwanstein Castle is a Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig, as a retreat and homage to Richard Wagner, and was the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella Castles. www.neuschwanstein.de Linderhof Palace The Riessersee Spa has an indoor pool, a Roman steam room, a beauty salon and an outdoor area with saunas and a waterfall. To wake with a view of the lake shimmering in front of a towering, snowcapped mountain backdrop sets the scene and the tempo for a day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. And with a cable car station starting a short walk from the hotel, this is the ideal base from which to get up into the mountains in summer or winter. www.riessersee.com Linderhof Palace is the smallest of the three Ludwig palaces and the only one he lived to see completed. www.linderhof.de 3
The Zugspitze Experience The King's House A trip to the top of Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze is one of the genuine Alpine experiences. The trip takes in a train and cable-car rides to the summit and is rewarded by spectacular views of the German, Austrian and Italian Alps. The train part of the journey takes travellers through the lush green valley's to the picturesque village of Grainau, at at the foot of the Zugspitze. The King's House on Schachen is a small mountain castle about 10 km south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It can only be reached by a three to four hour hike. The Strauss Festival Then it's the cog-wheel train that winds up the mountain through pine forests and a 4.8 km tunnel, to the glacier area of the Zugspitze, the socalled Zugspitzplatt. In late spring, summer and early autumn it is the suburb mountain walking and hiking that brings the visitors. From November to mid-may, the area is a magnet for skiing and snowboarding. Either way, traditional Bavarian restaurants provide sumptuous stops along the way. The weather is, inevitably, a key consideration when planning a trip up and the tourist office back in town receives detailed forecasts every morning. Round-trip tickets should be bought on the day as they are not refundable. The Partnach Gorge The Partnach Gorge, which has been welcoming tourists year-round for 70 years, winds besides a gushing torrent of water for 2,305 ft through sheer rock face that rises up 263 ft. In previous times the waters of the gorge were used to get logs, cut into four feet lengths, down the valley. When logs became jammed, as often they did, the wood cutters had to be lowered down on ropes to free them. A very dangerous exercise. Although the composer Richard was born in Munich, he had his Garmisch "country house" for more than 40 years. The town celebrates its link with the composer through the annual Richard- Strauss-Festival and a week of concerts and performances. In 2013 it will be held 8 to 14 June. www.richard-strauss-festival.de New Year`s Ski Jump 31 December and 1 January The New Year's Ski Jump in Garmisch- Partenkirchen attracts 30,000 visitors. It is the second jump competition of the Four Hills Tournament. This historic tour is one of the highlights of the ski jumping season and began 60 years ago in Partenkirchen. Today, the Partnach Gorge provides a dramatic starting point for a number walking trails in the hills and valleys beyond. 4
AllWays more Garmisch-Partenkirchen Where to stay By taxi When to go The best time to visit Garmisch- Partenkirchen will depend on your Alpine preferences. Late spring, summer and early autumn it's hiking and biking, the winter months all manner of snow bound sports and activities. How to get there By air Innsbruck Airport, at 50km from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is the nearest airport and, being smaller, offers a speedier getaway. The larger Munich Airport is 100km from the town. By train Innsbruck to Garmisch-Partenkirchen Hauptbahnhof is 90 minutes. Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one and a half hours. Both journeys are hugely scenic. By car From Munich take the motorway 95 towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen. From Innsbruck take the Inntalmotorway A12/E60. The area offers a range of typical Bavarian accommodation from boarding houses and inns to holiday apartments or hotels. www.gapa.de/garmisch- Partenkirchen_Find- Book_Accomodation-List How to get around On foot The best way to explore Garmisch and/or Partenkirchen is on foot but take the green bus to get from one to the other. The tour guides of Garmisch- Partenkirchen The Tour Guides' Association of Garmisch-Partenkirchen provide guided tours of the town and surrounding area in all major languages. Getting a guided tour is a great way to start a break in Garmisch- Partenkirchen. More information from the Tourist Information Office or contact Sibylle Pander at billy.pander@gmx.de. By bus The town's green bus service is regular and efficient. Hotel guests receive a free bus pass for the duration of their stay, which also includes discounts on entry to a range of museums and attractions. The blue line (Eibseebus) connects Garmisch every hour with Grainau and the Eibsee. This is the bus to take for the mountain lifts or to get to the start of the valley tails. Taxis are also readily available although they tend to be on the expensive side. What to eat and drink Schweinshaxe, which is roast pork hock and Warmer Bierlikör mit Sahnehaube, which is warm beer liqueur topped with cream. For restaurants in the area : www.gapa.de/eat+drink What to speak German, although most people will understand English. What to spend Germany is a Euro-zone country. More information The Tourist Information Centre Richard-Strauss-Platz 2 +49 8821 180 700 Tourist-info@gapa.de www.gapa.de 5
A snapshot of Garmisch-Partenkirchen The International Travel Writers Alliance Ashley Gibbins AllWays www.allwaystraveller.com AllWays traveller provides independent travellers with an equally independent view of the world from the travel journalists in the International Travel Writers Alliance. The International Travel Writers Alliance www.itwalliance.com The International Travel Writers Alliance is the worlds largest association of professional travel writers, editors, broadcasters and photographers. Ashley is Chief Executive of the International Travel Writers Alliance. 6