Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located at the foot of the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany (2,962 m/9,724 ft), and is both one of the principal climatic health spas in the Bavarian Alps and Germany’s premier winter sports metropolis. The city hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics and the 1978 World Championship and offers pristine nature, secluded spots, cultural and culinary highlights, new experiences, relaxation, wellness, and upscale shopping. A wide range of sports is available in both summer and winter. You can also pamper yourself with spa treatments such as ayurveda, thalasso, natural hay baths, and numerous health therapies.

Garmisch has some 1,000 establishments, ranging from one to five stars, ready to meet your every need. You have your choice of rustic inns, cozy bread & breakfasts, farms, holiday apartments, or hotels.

A walk through the streets and lanes of Garmisch-Partenkirchen will give you a feel for the town’s very special combination of international flair and Bavarian tradition. Elegant boutiques, art galleries, and antique shops carry both traditional handicrafts and original souvenirs, and are the perfect place for an afternoon’s shopping.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen also has a rich cultural life, in which folk and popular music, concerts, cabaret, musicals and the Bauerntheater, or Farmers’ Theater, are as much a part of the cultural scene as the annual Richard Strauss Festival and Military Music Festival. In July and August, Garmisch and Partenkirchen each celebrate Folklore Weeks (Heimatwochen) with performances by local groups and colorful processions featuring traditional costume. These provide a perfect opportunity to experience Bavarian traditions and zest for life.

Night owls will enjoy the many clubs, bistros, discos, and bars, or can try their luck in the Bavarian Casino.

WINTER SPORTS
From November until late spring, the diversity of Garmisch-Partenkirchen’s ski areas makes this resort town every ski enthusiast’s dream.

Traditionally, the focus has been on alpine and cross-country skiing on the many fabulous slopes and ski-tracks, with difficulty levels ranging from beginner to expert. Our slopes are especially popular with downhill skiers.

Also very popular are freestyle skiing and snowboarding as well as curling or its Bavarian counterpart "Eisstockschießen", sledding, and snowshoeing.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen rings in each year with world-class winter sports events. In January and February, the world’s top athletes flock to Garmisch for first-class competitions such as the "Vierschanzen-Tournee" (Four-Hill Ski Jumping Tournament) on 01 January 2005 and the Men's Alpine Ski World Cup on 19 and 20 February 2005. Each year, there are also enthusiastic crowds cheering for typical Bavarian sports such as "Hornschlittenrennen" (traditional sled racing).