DE · Bavaria · 47.50°N 11.08°E

garmisch-partenkirchen

Painted Bavarian houses, a narrow river gorge and lifts towards Germany's highest mountain.

Best time
June–September is best for walking. January–March is ski season; high paths can stay snowy well into spring, and November has short days and some lifts shut.
How long
3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Munich, usually via Singapore, Dubai or Istanbul, about 15–17 hours all in. Trains from central Munich take about 1.5 hours. Germany is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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DE · Bavariagarmisch-partenkirchen47.50°N 11.08°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Painted Bavarian houses, a narrow river gorge and lifts towards Germany's highest mountain.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingGarmisch-PartenkirchenDE, Bavaria
KLgarmisch-partenkirchen
≈ 9,796 km from KL, as the crow flies
Garmisch-Partenkirchen with the mountains Alpspitze, Zugspitze and Daniel in the background.

Photo: Octagon · CC BY 3.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is two old villages joined into one mountain town at the foot of the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak. Painted Bavarian houses line the streets, and gorges, lakes and lifts are all close by.

Makan

  1. KäsespätzleCheese-covered egg noodles with fried onions, a filling mountain-day lunch.Map ↗
  2. KaiserschmarrnA shredded pancake with fruit compote, sometimes made with rum-soaked raisins.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. ZugspitzeA cable car from Eibsee, or a rack railway and glacier gondola, up to 2,962 metres, with views into four countries.Map ↗
  2. EibseeA clear green lake at the foot of the Zugspitze, with a path around it that takes about two hours.Map ↗
  3. Partnach GorgeA path cut into the walls of a narrow gorge, with the river roaring below; it's wet even on dry days.Map ↗
  4. LudwigstrasseThe main street of old Partenkirchen, lined with painted house fronts.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Check the Zugspitze webcam and go on the clearest day; when the summit's in cloud, do Eibsee or the gorge.
  • Halal meat is hard to find here, and mountain huts serve mostly pork and meat stock, so pack a picnic from Munich.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.