We love Garmisch-Partenkirchen and have spent many happy days there. We are going again in early February, spending 4 days at the end of a ski trip for our son. We've seen all the "usuals" but intend to return to Seefeld and Mittenwald. We still have one day to fill and I'd like to see someplace we've not been before.

We'll be traveling by train. I'm wondering about Benediktbeuern or Ottobeuren as possibilities. Can't get Bahn.de to show me train connections to the former and the latter is a bit of a distance (almost 2 hours) but through what appears to be beautiful coountryside. Checked Bad Tolz and couldn't even find train connections there. Looked at Gmund on Tegernsee but think 3 hours one way is a bit too much.

Can anyone comment on the places I'm looking at or suggest something else perhaps a bit closer to GAP for us to explore for a day? Thanks.

Hey Julie..gives me a chance to wish you two a very nice holiday. I stayed in GP several years ago at a cozy place called Hotel Garni "Haus Meier", and we enjoyed the cablecar up to Zugspitze. Perhaps you've done it. It was a cold day late March but the summit site was quite beautiful in sunshine and snow. If I recall there was a coffee hut up there..maybe more by now. Keep on travelin'....
stu

Stu thanks for your kind wishes and backatcha. We have gone up the Zugspitze but on a very overcast day, so doing so in nice weather is a definite possibility--provided we get some. Thanks.

Hi JV,

I would suggest maybe a trip to Murnau, which is off the usual tourist track. Murnau is a lovely little town that was a center of the "Blue Rider" period of paining, and there is a nice little museum there. There is a sweet little pedestrian street lined with cafes and shops.

You may want to go up the Alpzpitze to see the special viewing platform:
http://zugspitze.de/en/winter/mounta...lassic/alpspix

Or you may want to just get out and take a walk in the snow and the woods! The Kramerplateauweg follows the outline of the town of Garmisch from the foothills of the Kramer mountain, and it goes up to Grainau. Or you could take the town bus to Farchant and then walk back along the lovely Philosopher path.

One of my favorite walks is from the village of Krün to Mittenwald, about 2h. It's lovely to end it in Mittenwald because then you get to reward yourself with a great meal! There are dozens of trails that link the two towns, so if you want to do this, ask me and I'll give you directions to this special trail (it's wide open with the gorgeous Karwendels on the side and in front of you).

Have fun as you plan!

s

Oh, not sure if you've hiked the Partnachklamm yet. But even if you have, doing it in winter is very special. Take the evening guided torch hike to see the frozen waterfalls at their best.

s

I second the idea of Murnau. Plus, you can easily get from Murnau to Benediktbeuern (bus to Kochel, train from there). I have been to Benediktbeuern and highly recommend a guided tour of the monastery.

Btw, cannot imagine bahn.de didn't come up with travel options to Benediktbeuern for you. I got plenty. Check spelling!

Nurnau has the best little brewery, Griesbrau. They have a buffet that is really good but loved their helles. You can take the train there and go to Oberammergau from there.

Innsbruck

Thanks everyone. I'll mull these over and see what looks like it will work with our schedule. The name Murnau sort of strikes a chord, and with it being enroute to Benedictbeuren it might make for a perfect day. We've done Parnachtklamm but seeing it in ice could be pretty fun--and won't even require a train ride. More research ahead. Thanks all.

swandav, how long would you estimate the evening guided torch tour of Partnachklamm to be? We're no longer great hikers, actually never were, but even less so since knee surgery,etc.

Ingo, sorry for the confusion. Yes, I was able to find connections on bahn.de to Benediktbeuern. It was Ottobuern that I couldn't find anything for.

Oberammergau?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettal_Abbey

I'm sure you've porbably been to Oberammergau and the nearby Ettal Abbey but just in case you have not and for others pondering similar trips.

Yes, we have been to Ettal and love it. Doesn't seem to be possible by train, however. Now also considering Landsberg am Lech, and Hall in Tyrol. Still working on this. The more info the better. Thanks.

Hi again,

Yes, of course you can easily get to Ettal by public transport -- there are busses that take you there from Garmisch.

Just use the DB site and input "From Garmisch-Partenkirchen" "To Klostergasthof, Ettal," and the route will come up. The trip takes about 25 or 28 minutes.

The walk up the Partnachklamm is really just that -- a walk -- not really a hike. It takes about 15 or 20 minutes to get to the start of the hike from the Olympia stadium, and then the walk to the top takes about 20 minutes. It's very easy.

s

Scloss Linderhof, one of Mad Ludwig's less mad projects is also close to Oberammergau - in case you have not been there - I took a bus there from Oberammergau.

From what was discussed last week on another thread:

Bavarian Lander tickets are also valid I understand on trains between Garmisch and Reutte, Austria, from where it is a short bus or taxi ride to Fussen and the castles. This is because those are also German run trains going from Garmisch to Kempten thru Austria - kind of like the Austrian 'corridor zug' trains between Salzburg and Innsbruck that go largely thru Germany but are Austrian trains.

Thank you very much. Somehow I never think of buses, only trains and cars. Must shift my paradigm.