"Garmisch Partenkirchen " a Garmisch-Partenkirchen Travel Page by PaulKirk

I first visited Garmisch Partenkirchen in 1980 on a day trip from Munich. We headed for the Ski Stadium and found the Eckbauerbahn. What a surprise there's a bar at the top! Quality views. Quality beer. Quality weather. We nearly missed the last cable car down and the last train back to Munich. We saw enough to make us go back and actually stay in Garmisch and I go back there regularly. And Eckbauer is still one of my favourite places and worth the climb after walking through Partnachklamm.

As well as walking and drinking beer I like a friendly place. Garmisch wins on all counts. The people are wonderful and I can't recall a bad experience. On our first visits we would ride a cable car and meander back into town via the mountain huts. Nowadays we are just as happy to walk up the mountains as well. There are loads of paths ranging from easy valley walks to more strenuous mountain trails and they are all well signposted. And with plenty of mountain huts on the way you can't help but have a good time. The mountains are all around so the scenery is beautiful when the sun shines.
The weather can be a bind. When it rains, it rains! And if it sets in it can be like that for ages. But when the sun shines there's no finer place.
The food is basic Bavarian. Pork, spuds and dumplings. I like pork, spuds and dumplings.
The beer is brilliant with lots of choice. It's mainly served in half litres which is better than those silly litre glasses they give the tourists in Munich. Better to have two fresh beers than one that's gone flat. It's even better to have five or six and in Garmisch they like people who like their beer.

It's hard to draw up a list without wanting to change it. Partnachklamm and Hollentallklamm are magnificent gorges to walk through. Six cable cars give access to the higher hills but you don't have to use them if you're energetic enough to walk up them with the exception of the Zugspitz. Take the train or the cable car up ther and have a look. It's expensive but should be done once. There are so many walking trails that never disappoint and still more to do.
The mountain huts and bars are worth the effort to get to. Here are some of the sensible ones.
St Martin is about an hour but has no short cuts. Bayernhaus about 2 hours 30. Elmau Alm about 2 hours. Neuneralm about 2 hours. Eckbauer about 2 hours via Partnachklamm.These can be shortened by using buses, trains or cable cars but that's cheating.
A walk to Mittenwald via Eckbauer, Elmau Ferchensee and Lautersee is about 4 hours.
A cable car up the Alpspiztbahn and a walk back into town via Hochalm, Kreuzeck, Garmischaus, Bayernhaus, Partnachalm and Kochelberg is also about 4 hours. It takes us all day!
When it comes down to it the best days are when you've got up in the hills and are supping a few beers with your friends and letting everything else take care of itself.