Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a center for winter sports, summer hiking, and mountain climbing. The symbol of the city's growth and modernity is the Olympic Ice Stadium, built for the 1936 Winter Olympics and capable of holding nearly 12,000 people. On the slopes at the edge of town is the Ski Stadium, with two ski jumps and a slalom course. In 1936, more than 100,000 people watched the events in this stadium. Today it's still an integral part of winter life in Garmisch -- the World Cup Ski Jump is held here every New Year's Day.
The town and its environs offer some of the most panoramic views and colorful buildings in Bavaria. The pilgrimage Chapel of St. Anton, on a pinewood path at the edge of Partenkirchen, is all pink and silver, inside and out. Its graceful lines are characteristic of the 18th century, when it was built. In the park surrounding the chapel, the Philosopher's Walk is a delightful spot to wander, just to enjoy the views of the mountains around the low-lying town.
This area has always attracted German romantics, including "Mad" King Ludwig. Perhaps with Wagner's music ringing in his ears, the king ordered the construction of a hunting lodge here in the style of a Swiss chalet but commanded that the interior look like something out of The Arabian Nights. The lodge, Jagdschloss Schachen, is still here. It can only be reached after an arduous climb. The tourist office will supply details. Mid-June to mid-September, tours to the lodge usually leave from the Olympic Ski Stadium at 11am and 2pm, but check before you go.
To the Top of the Zugspitze
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you can see the tallest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze, 2,960m (9,709 ft.) above sea level. Ski slopes begin at a height of 2,650m (8,692 ft.). For a panoramic view of both the Bavarian and the Tyrolean (Austrian) Alps, go all the way to the summit. There are two ways to reach the Zugspitze from the center of Garmisch. The first begins with a trip on the cog railway, the Zugspitzbahn, which departs from the back of Garmisch's main railway station daily every hour from 8:15am to 2:15pm. The train travels uphill, past lichen-covered boulders and coursing streams, to a high-altitude plateau, the Zugspitzplatt, where views sweep out over all Bavaria. At the Zugspitzplatt, you'll transfer onto a cable car, the Gletscher Seilbahn, for a 4-minute ride uphill to the top of the Zugspitze. There, far-reaching panoramas, a cafe and restaurant, a gift shop, and many alpine trails await. Total travel time for this itinerary is about 55 minutes, but you may want to linger at the first stop, the Zugspitzplatt, before continuing up.
The other way to get to the summit is to take the Zugspitzbahn for a briefer trip, disembarking 14km (9 miles) southwest of Garmisch at the lower station of the Eibsee Seilbahn (Eibsee Cable Car), next to a clear alpine lake. The cable car will carry you from there directly to the summit of the Zugspitze, for a total transit time of about 38 minutes. The Eibsee Seilbahn makes its run at least every half-hour 8:30am to 4:30pm (July-Aug to 5:30pm).
Round-trip tickets allow you to ascend one way and descend the other, in order to enjoy the widest range of spectacular views. May to October, round-trip fares are 47€ ($75) for adults, 33€ ($53) for ages 16 to 18, and 28€ ($45) for children 6 to 15. November to April, round-trip fares are reduced to 37€ ($59) for adults, 27€ ($43) for ages 16 to 18, and 23€ ($37) for ages 6 to 15. Year-round, family fare for two adults and a child costs 104€ ($166). For more information, contact the Bayerische Zugspitzbahn, Olympiastrasse 27, Garmisch-Partenkirchen (tel. 08821/7970; www.zugspitze.de).
