Excursion tips for Garmisch-Partenkirchen: From the Schneeferner to the spa

Garmisch-Partenkirchen stands in the shadow of its local mountain, where the main focus in winter is skiing. But not only, thanks to spas and cozy restaurants.

Sometimes it’s a majestic mountain that grabs all the attention of an alpine destination and quickly overshadows it a little. The Zugspitze is located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. At 2,962 meters, Germany’s highest peak is a striking solitaire. The town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen crouches at its foot.

From the flatland, a unique cable car with just one supporting mast takes us to dizzying heights. In 2017 it was lifted by the Oltner CWA-Werke to much applause. A brave undertaking in a world where winds and storms are blowing ever more violently. Supporting cables with a diameter of 7.2 centimeters can withstand speeds of up to 100 km/h – and: They enable the gondola to overcome the 1,945 meters in altitude to the summit in just 9 minutes.

From the Schneeferner to the spa

Then you suddenly find yourself unprotected at a windy height in the bitter cold. Even experienced mountaineers hold on to the railing of the summit station. Some couloirs are reminiscent of Chamonix in France. The lovely meadows of Bavaria and the nearby Seefeld region of Austria, which the man sees from here, seem cutely small. When the weather is ideal, the sublime panoramic view extends as far as Switzerland, which you can also enjoy with a fondue in the panoramic summit restaurant.

Pushed into the corner at the summit is a pretty little house that serves as a selfie spot. The glacier is called Schneeferner and it shines temptingly; you can even go skiing on it in May. There are 40 lifts operating all around, which means that several thousand snow sports enthusiasts share the slopes here. The skiing is high alpine and demanding, the breakneck Kandahar World Cup descent is only for the brave.

And in bad weather? Yes, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is also impressive. There are strolling boulevards like Ludwigstrasse, shops like the Sternchen boutique, the quirky Froschkönig souvenir shop, cozy restaurants like the “4 Eck” with regional cuisine – and the “4 Ever Bar” invites you to have a nightcap. But hey, anyone who swings in the powder “at the top of Germany” or throws themselves down steep World Cup slopes will be quite happy to relax their tired limbs in the spa in the evening.