Ski the Bavarian Alps

About 120km south of Munich, in the Bavarian Alps, lies a town that is so beautiful that it's sometimes difficult to believe it's real. This is Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

It's situated in one of Germany's most scenic area. The mountain peaks surrounding the town has such an immense beauty that you sometimes have to pinch yourself to make sure this is all real. The Zugspitse, the crown prince of the German Alps, towers over Garmisch like a huge guardian angle of made of rock. Very close to town you will also find another natural wonder, the stunning gorge of Partnachklamm.

If you are here for skiing, you won't be alone. Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the most popular ski resorts in the whole of Germany. There are many skiing opportunities for everyone, from beginners to advanced. You can buy good quality new or used alpine skiing equipment in town.

As befits a town with such a large number of skiing opportunities, there's a huge selection of cable cars and ski lifts in the area. You can even take a train to a location very close to the top of the Zugspitse, form where it's only a 5 minute cable car ride to the top. Here you will not only find stunning views and numerous ski slopes, but also a very cute little coffee shop.

There are an abundance of hotels and guest houses in town to cater for the annual tourist influx. If you prefer a quieter spot, there's also a number of options available in many of the surrounding towns and villages.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, you will no doubt run into the many beautiful Christmas markets you will find all over town. Here you can buy everything from a black sport watch to gluhwein, the delightful spicy wine from the area that is served hot.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen also has more than enough to offer at nighttime. There are numerous little restaurants where you can have a dinner by candlelight, while sipping a glass of gluhwein. If you hear the gentle sounds of an ibanez electric guitar in the background it will only add to the ambiance of the evening...

The rural area around Garmisch-Partenkirchen is well worth a visit. Not only for its natural beauty, but also for the numerous historical towns. One of these is Oberammergau. It's here that the renowned passion play has been staged every ten years ever since 1632. It was during the times of the Black Plague and the locals made a promise to God that they will do so if He delivers them from the Plague. This happened and the town has kept its promise throughout the centuries. All over town you will also see beautiful frescoes showing scenes from the nativity play.