Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Having visited Garmisch-Partenkirchen some years ago during spring, I've had it on my list to return here in Winter.  Leaving Innsbruck and not having a car we looked into what was the best way to travel to Garmisch, (1hr 45 mins travel distance). Trains were readily available but with all our luggage including ski bags & boot bags we weren't sure on whether it could accommodate our quantity. The train trip was 16 Euro each. Scouring through the internet, we came across Flixbus a bus line that ran between cities at a cost of 6 Euro per person including three items of luggage each. We jumped on the double decker bus, were given internet access onboard and off we went. Must admit the youth of today are savvy as they all knew about these cheap & easy ways to travel.

Arrived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the train station and there was our hotel. Easy access to the ski train. Garmisch has Germanys only Glacier - Zugspitze; An annual ski jump competition and world cup race is held here annually. We found that it was easy to get to the slopes with the ski train, it leaves from the central station and stops at numerous ski areas on the way to Zugspitze. The ski terrain suits all types of skiers as you have many different ski areas to choose for your level of expertise.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen like its name is made up of two distinct areas. Garmisch being the shopping and more modern area of town and Partenkirchen being the historic area with traditional restaurants. They are both worth a visit and are walking distance if you enjoy walking or a quick bus ride. Being tourists we received free public transport for the period we stayed, makes getting around easier on the days it snowed.

                           

We did enjoy the traditional local cuisine of Partenkirchen will watching the youth of the town in their Lederhosen performing traditional dances. I enjoy experiencing the traditions and culture of the cities we traveled through.

A side note, double check all your bookings before departure, our reservation for our large car wasn't on the books in Garmisch, and no large cars were available in any of the car rental places there. So, we got to have an unexpected side trip to Munich, to see if we could find one there.

Munich is the capital of Bavaria, sadly, this time, we only got a quick visit as we looked for a large car to hire, which is not easy last minute! Thanks to Flixbus it was an easy ride to Munich, where we did manage to hire an estate,(station wagon) and luckily we're good at the game Tetras, therefore managing to get all our luggage and ourselves into the car and headed for the next destination. This was a day of adventure, going to an unplanned city, getting caught in a snow storm during the drive, but I'll tell you more about that in my next post.