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7.24.2014

9 Things To Do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany


For those of you who aren't familiar with this funny-named little place -- it's a mountain resort town located in the Alpine region of Bavaria (southern Germany) and is smack dab on the border of Austria. It boasts having Germany's tallest mountain right in it's backyard and is known for world-class skiing/snowboarding. 

My parents live in Garmisch, so I have the luxury of being able to visit during my summer and winter breaks from college! If you're ever visiting Bavaria, make sure you stop by this amazing little alpine town. I'm obviously super biased on this because it's my European home, but trust me on this -- once you do visit, you'll never want to leave. This place is just incredible; words and pictures will never do it justice. So start booking your European summer vacation now, y'all!

You won't be disappointed, I promise!


Here's my list of things to do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen:

1. Walk Around the City-Center & the Füßgängerzone



What the heck is a Füßgängerzone?! It's the German word for pedestrian zone and it's where most shops, cafés, restaurants, and bars are located. There's also a farmer's market every Friday until 1pm. And I love that there's mountain views in almost any direction you look.


2. Try Local Bavarian Beer & Eat a Pretzel at Garmischer Festwoche



Throughout the summer months there's always some kind of festival taking place, celebrating what else -- beer of course! Oktoberfest is the most famous beer celebration, but summertime in Bavaria can be just as eventful. 

One of the most exciting events in Garmisch every year is the Garmischer Festwoche, which takes place the last week of July. Partenkirchen has their own festival the following week in August. Everyone dresses up in their finest dirndls and lederhosen, there's pretzels as big as your head and as much Bavarian music, food, and beer as your little heart desires! 


I especially love "fest week" in Garmich because they have Schuhplattler "shoe slappers" and Goaßlschnalzer "whip crackers." The festival starts this Saturday so I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and hopefully get some good video to share with you guys. :)


3. Trek to the Top of the Zugspitze



The Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak, offers spectacularly breathtaking views and on good days you can see four countries -- Germany, Austria, Italy & Switzerland! It's part of the Wetterstein Mountain Range in the northern limestone Alps and is flanked by three glaciers, two of which are Germany's largest. 

You can take a cable car or a train all the way to the top, or if you're the adventurous type like me, you can spend the day hiking to the summit!


4. Go For a Walk or Bike Ride Around Eibsee


Ahhhh, I LOVE this lake!!! I just can't get enough of it. You can read about it and see more pictures here.


5. Hike Through the Partnachklamm & the Höllentalklamm




The Partnachklamm and the Höllentalklamm are two gorges that feature narrow rock walls, rapids, waterfalls, and tranquil water basins. The Partnach Gorge is fed by the Schneeferner glacier on the Zugspitzplatt plateau. 

I had an amazing time walking through these gorges and will do a recap post soon, but camera lovers beware! I went snap crazy taking pictures of the waterfalls and I'm not sure exactly what happened, but after this little excursion, the zoom function quit working and I ended up having to get a new camera. Which kind of worked out anyway because I got a better one. But if you don't want to have to replace yours, be careful when snapping pics here!

You can even visit the gorges during the winter months when the waterfalls have frozen over and turned into gigantic icicles! It gets dark here at like 4:30 in the afternoon, so they do guided tours by torchlight! It's on my winter bucket list. :)


6. Eat a Jägerschnitzel


Mmmm, my mouth is watering just looking at this picture! You HAVE to try a Jägerschintzel mit Pommes (oder Bratkartoffeln) at one of my favorite restaurants, Glashaus. I had fries, but Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) are the way to go. 


7. Listen to Live Bavarian Music


Gasthof Fraundorfer is a really cool little restaurant in Partenkirchen. They always have live music and there's even pint-sized Schuhplattler that perform while you eat. And check out the size of that beer! It's as long as the top half of my body! The atmosphere in this place just can't be replicated -- it's decorated with all kinds of weird, eclectic items. I see something new every time I go there.


8. Shop for Cuckoo Clocks and Biersteins



The Biersteins are pretty affordable, but cuckoo clocks are a whole different story! Be prepared to drop a fat stack on even the tiniest of clocks. 

They don't come cheap, but man are they intricate and beautiful. Hand-crafted too.


9. Bike Ride Through the Mountain Valley


This is one of my absolute favorite things to do -- ride through the valley on my bike. It's so peaceful and quiet. There's fields after fields of grass and daises and little bridges over bubbling streams. The best times to go are early in the morning or right at sunset when the mountains are lit up by the sunlight. I always feel amazing after riding through here, especially after a long day.

Have you ever been to Bavaria or any part of Germany before? What did you like best about it?

Linked up on #TreatYoSelfThursday

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55 comments :

  1. Beautiful photos! Makes me want to add it to my bucket list! Cheers!!!

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  2. Absolutely gorgeous! If only I could fly away to germany right now...

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  3. Those photos are stunning!!! There are some amazing places around the world.

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  4. I am dying over your photos. Sooooooo gorgeous!!!

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  5. that looks like SOOO much fun!!!!!

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  6. Your pictures are gorgeous! Looks like an amazing place!

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  7. Holy cow! This looks amazing! I will pin tomorrow when I'm on my computer! It looks so beautiful.

    xoxo

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  8. I would love to visit the German Alps. I've been at the Polish part but I would love to see all the quaint villages of Bavaria!

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  9. Oh my goodness how beautiful!! I've been to Germany before but never experienced anything close to those photos above.

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  10. Beautiful! I was born in Germany (my dad was in the military so we were stationed there twice) and want to go back to visit since. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I'm pinning.

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  11. Oh wow! I never have had the desire to go to Germany but these pictures are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely have to put this on my travel list.

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  12. WOW!! My hubs is dying to go there. Your pics look amazing!

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  13. So picturesque! How lucky that you get to visit there often! <3

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  14. Great photos! This looks like such a fun place!

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  15. Oh my gosh this looks beautiful! I've been to Berlin before, but I'd love to visit southern Germany!

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  16. Beautiful photos! I'd absolutely love to go there one day!!

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  17. Love your photos! looks like so much fun :)

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  18. This place looks gorgeous! I'd actually never heard of it before but I'd love to visit now. I've been to Berlin and Stuttgart, but that's it.

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  19. I've never been to Germany but you are definitely making me want to visit. These pictures are so beautiful, wow! Thanks for sharing all the fun things to do there.

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  20. The photos you took are absolutely gorgeous!! Love the photos of Zugspitze

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  21. Wow everything looks so stunning and amazing it makes me want to take our next family trip there pronto!!!! Just beautiful. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me and sharing all these amazing places. #sharewithme

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  22. That looks like a lot of fun! We have a little Bavarian town in Washington and while it's fun and they have authentic food, nothing beats visiting the real deal.

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  23. I've been to Hoellenbachtalklamm once. It's great. Also familiar with the rest of the activities, even tho I haven't been to Garmisch specifically yet. Listening to Bavarian music isn't a favorite of mine tho :P

    Alex - Funky Jungle - Flamingos, Stripes, Metallics

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  24. Oh my gosh, it is wonderful that you have such a beautiful place to call a sometimes-home! It looks like so much fun!

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  25. looks like such a beautiful place! i wanna go for oktoberfest! it's def on my bucket list. :)

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  26. Wow! I'd love to visit the mountain valley (or live there!); it's beautiful!

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  27. I hope one day I get to go here!

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  28. These are great photos! I love the mountain backdrops and green landscapes in front! Definitely making me have travel fever and to visit Germany. What an awesome place to be able to go and vacation and see family!

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  29. That fountain looks so cool.

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  30. You painted such a stunning story about your parent's town! I spent some time in Germany when I was 13 years old on a class trip. I really enjoyed southern Germany including Munich, since it was so quaint and beautiful.

    Cat
    http://oddlylovely.com

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  31. I would love to visit Germany some day, it looks beautiful.

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  32. Oh, you look like you had a great time! I'd love to go visit Germany!

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  33. What a beautiful place! My dream is traveling the world. I really want to give my husband a trip to Germany. Did you take the pictures? They look awesome! Thanks for sharing.

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  34. Love the photos! Makes me miss Germany so terribly bad. I grew up in Heidelberg and I loved it!!! I hated having to move to the US. I think about Germany everyday. It's such a beautiful country, no matter where you are.

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  35. If I ever make it to Germany, I'm taking this list haha
    Awesome pictures btw :D

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  36. I love Germany and all the time I spend there. Love me some pretzel too

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  37. What a breathtaking place! So many colors in nature...gorgeous.

    -Morgan
    California To Carolina
    The Gym Bunny

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  38. Thanks for the tips. I've never been to Germany, but hope to go someday. That Jagerschnitzel looks delish!

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  39. Beautiful pictures! My husband grew up in France but Germany is one of his favorite places ever. The Eibsee looks so beautiful and the Jagerschnitzel looks so tasty too! Thanks for all the pointers...I can't wait to try them all!

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  40. What an amazing place! The pictures are beautiful! Thanks so much for linking up :-)

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  41. Those pictures are stunning! And that pretzel looks delicious!

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  42. Wow, I've always wanted to go to Germany since I took a few years of German in high school, but I was never sure exactly what to do there or where to go. This is a great idea!

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  43. I need to do all of these things. My goodness, now I want to visit Germany!

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  44. Oh my goodness! Those photos look like a dream, and that pretzel!!! I must have one of those pretzels! :0)

    http://polkadottedbluejay.blogspot.com/

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  45. What great pictures, that is a big pretzel.

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  46. Also thanks for linking up to Local Adventurer! Don't forget to link back so more people can hear about it. :)

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  47. I've been to Bavaria a few times, it such a great place

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  48. My husband has some German blood running thru him! One day we will go! Thanks for the awesome tips!

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  49. Oh my! I'd love to go back to Germany and spend more time there :) Great post!

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  50. Really needs to go visit Germany! So pretty, thanks for the recommendation.

    Mandy
    http://bunnygirlblog.com

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  51. If this is what Germany looks like then I need to plan a trip there!

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  52. What gorgeous photos! So so beautiful! I've been to Germany once before but it was almost 15 years ago so I definitely need to plan another trip!
    P.S. I also nominated you for the Liebster Award! To accept & read more information, please visit: http://muchmostdarling.blogspot.com/2015/01/liebster-award.html :) Congratulations and I hope you play along!

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  53. Hello. Know exactly where you are coming from with your great blog. Recently been there (7-14 may 2015) for my third time. If only I could afford to live there! Also great are my other faves of the Black Forest, (where the Cuckoo clocks are all made) not as grand a landscape but an absolutely lovely place. Been six times and never tire of it! Also Zell am See and the Grossglockner mountain range. Even more spectacular than Garmisch. We drove to the Glockner from Garmisch, takes about three hours but well worth it! Recommend a stop off break at the lovely Inzell.

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