Small Bavarian Town
Jan 5th, 2007, 11:50 AM
#1
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Small Bavarian Town
Hi,
I am traveling to Germany on business at the end of this month. I am bringing my two sons (ages 17 and 11) with me. We will be staying in Munich for a few days and then I would like to travel south and stay in a town in/near the Alps. I would like to avoid renting a car...unless you think there is no getting around it. I am wondering what towns you would suggest visiting.
Something quaint with some shops to browse would be fitting. We are not skiiers and we enjoy exploring anywhere we land.
Please give me your advice on towns and also on car rental (i.e. should I rent one? and if I should, how difficult is it to get from Munich to the Alps?)
As usual, thanks for your help.
hip chic
PS...I have looked in to Garmisch and though the town looked nice, I am having a hard time with accomodations. I am looking for other town suggestions at this point.
I am traveling to Germany on business at the end of this month. I am bringing my two sons (ages 17 and 11) with me. We will be staying in Munich for a few days and then I would like to travel south and stay in a town in/near the Alps. I would like to avoid renting a car...unless you think there is no getting around it. I am wondering what towns you would suggest visiting.
Something quaint with some shops to browse would be fitting. We are not skiiers and we enjoy exploring anywhere we land.
Please give me your advice on towns and also on car rental (i.e. should I rent one? and if I should, how difficult is it to get from Munich to the Alps?)
As usual, thanks for your help.
hip chic
PS...I have looked in to Garmisch and though the town looked nice, I am having a hard time with accomodations. I am looking for other town suggestions at this point.
Jan 5th, 2007, 12:06 PM
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Fussen, more famous for its Mad Ludwig castles a few miles outside it, is also a very very nice town nestled in at the foot of the Bavarian Alps and near a swell lake.
But the town itself is exactly what you're looking for - cute, nice shopping, fairly compact - it also has a nice gorge right in town that makes a nice stroll along the rushing river that goes thru a gap to nearby Austria. Few of the mobs that go thru Fussen to get to the castles ever spend time to explore the town or its very dramatic gorge. There are oodles and oodles of cozy family-run guesthouses. Two hours by frequent trains from Munich. Look into the bargain Bavarian transit pass for the cheapest fares - sold locally. A search on Fodors for LarryinColorado will yield exhaustive explanations of this pass. the Fussen station is right in the heart of town.
But the town itself is exactly what you're looking for - cute, nice shopping, fairly compact - it also has a nice gorge right in town that makes a nice stroll along the rushing river that goes thru a gap to nearby Austria. Few of the mobs that go thru Fussen to get to the castles ever spend time to explore the town or its very dramatic gorge. There are oodles and oodles of cozy family-run guesthouses. Two hours by frequent trains from Munich. Look into the bargain Bavarian transit pass for the cheapest fares - sold locally. A search on Fodors for LarryinColorado will yield exhaustive explanations of this pass. the Fussen station is right in the heart of town.
Jan 5th, 2007, 12:12 PM
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>Something quaint with some shops to browse would be fitting<
Oberammergau.
>Please give me your advice on towns and also on car rental (i.e. should I rent one?<
Yes - you'd want to go on scenic drives up into the mountains and to Mittenwald (which is an alternative to Oberammergau)...
>and if I should, how difficult is it to get from Munich to the Alps?)<
Once outside the city, it's easy and a pleasure...
Oberammergau.
>Please give me your advice on towns and also on car rental (i.e. should I rent one?<
Yes - you'd want to go on scenic drives up into the mountains and to Mittenwald (which is an alternative to Oberammergau)...
>and if I should, how difficult is it to get from Munich to the Alps?)<
Once outside the city, it's easy and a pleasure...
Jan 5th, 2007, 12:32 PM
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Fussen came to mind immediately as well. Seems to have everything hip chic is looking for.
Oberamergau is nice too, but I didn't care for it as much as Fussen. Perhaps it was an expectation thing since I had heard so many people rave about Oberamergau, I expected more. Not sure.
You would need a car for Oberamergau, and if avoiding car rental is a priority, then Oberamergau is out. When we were in the Alps over the summer, we thought having a car was terrific, but in winter, I would not be as comfortable with a car - being that I am from a non-snowy region and my snow driving experience is very slim - LOL.
Fussen is quite doable without a car though.
Oberamergau is nice too, but I didn't care for it as much as Fussen. Perhaps it was an expectation thing since I had heard so many people rave about Oberamergau, I expected more. Not sure.
You would need a car for Oberamergau, and if avoiding car rental is a priority, then Oberamergau is out. When we were in the Alps over the summer, we thought having a car was terrific, but in winter, I would not be as comfortable with a car - being that I am from a non-snowy region and my snow driving experience is very slim - LOL.
Fussen is quite doable without a car though.
Jan 5th, 2007, 12:34 PM
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Füssen is what everybody recommends and so it is overrun with tourists and tour buses, also because of the nearby castle.
Here's a nicer place: Type the name Rottach or Rottach-Egern into any search engine (www.google.com etc.) and see what a nice place this is, just what you described, and on a pretty lake, the Tegernsee not far from Munich.
You can also go to www.tiscover.de, click on English (top right), and search for Rottach (top right also) - lots of good reading pops up.
Here's a nicer place: Type the name Rottach or Rottach-Egern into any search engine (www.google.com etc.) and see what a nice place this is, just what you described, and on a pretty lake, the Tegernsee not far from Munich.
You can also go to www.tiscover.de, click on English (top right), and search for Rottach (top right also) - lots of good reading pops up.
Jan 5th, 2007, 01:35 PM
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Thanks for all your replies. I will get to work immediately exploring the towns you've written about.
Should I plan on renting a car in Munich or taking the train from Munich to one of these small towns and renting a car once I arrive. Ok..I actually feel like an idiot having asked that question...I'm guessing that the later idea is NOT even a choice? Would there really be an Avis in Fussen? Ha.
Thanks again for all of your advice. I am very open to any suggestions you have. I have not been to Germany and yet I am leaving in just a few weeks. It makes me feel pressed for time and not able to do all the research I generally LOVE to do before a trip.
hip chic
Should I plan on renting a car in Munich or taking the train from Munich to one of these small towns and renting a car once I arrive. Ok..I actually feel like an idiot having asked that question...I'm guessing that the later idea is NOT even a choice? Would there really be an Avis in Fussen? Ha.
Thanks again for all of your advice. I am very open to any suggestions you have. I have not been to Germany and yet I am leaving in just a few weeks. It makes me feel pressed for time and not able to do all the research I generally LOVE to do before a trip.
hip chic
Jan 5th, 2007, 01:49 PM
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maybe an Avis or not but no lack of car rental opportunities in Fussen. If renting a car i'd drive it from Munich as you can take some nice routes, such as along the portion of the so-called Romantik Road, stopping by the famous Weisskirche out in the country, etc. Once in Fussen you could drive over to Reutte, Austria thru the gap - a neat old town with castle or along the Alpine Strasse along the foothills of the Bavarian Alps - driving to Munich via Oberammergau, Linderhof Castle, etc or via Garmisch via a piece of Austria and by the Zugspitze. As they say in Germany, have a Gute Fahrt - nice ride!
Jan 5th, 2007, 01:50 PM
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For the car rental, you should make the arrangements before you leave for Europe. For good advice and service (not to mention price), I suggest that you contact Andy Bestor, 800-521-6722 http://www.gemut.com
Jan 5th, 2007, 01:54 PM
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I agree to rent in Munich and take a nice, leisurely drive to whatever town you pick.
It's not very difficult to drive out of the city--and there are rental car locations all over the place, so you don't have to start right in the middle of the city.
It's not very difficult to drive out of the city--and there are rental car locations all over the place, so you don't have to start right in the middle of the city.
Jan 5th, 2007, 02:36 PM
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I agree with the other posters that recommend Oberammergau, Fussen, Reutte, or Mittenwald.
I also recommend renting a car (not at the airport or train station where you pay an extra 19%). If you want to spring for the "Winter tires" feature on the car it will cost you an extra $20 per day but might be worth it for the peach of mind if nothing eles. Driving in Germany is actually pretty easy with nice highways and well maintained roads in the mountains. Stay in the right lane excapt to pass on the autobahn.
Distances are not all that great from point to point. It is just easier having a car to explore the other villages and sights in the area. Between Mittenwald and Reutte is only about 60 miles or so but it is a great area to explore with Garmish, the Zugspitze, Ettal Monastary, Linderhof, Oberammergau, Wiesse Kirche, the castles above Reutte and of course Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau near Fussen.
Your sons will probably enjoy the Deutsches Museum in Munich (a technology musuem similar to parts of the Smithsonian).
If you have any music interests you will enjoy Mittenwald with its violin makers shops. That is between Garmish and Innsbruck.
I also recommend renting a car (not at the airport or train station where you pay an extra 19%). If you want to spring for the "Winter tires" feature on the car it will cost you an extra $20 per day but might be worth it for the peach of mind if nothing eles. Driving in Germany is actually pretty easy with nice highways and well maintained roads in the mountains. Stay in the right lane excapt to pass on the autobahn.
Distances are not all that great from point to point. It is just easier having a car to explore the other villages and sights in the area. Between Mittenwald and Reutte is only about 60 miles or so but it is a great area to explore with Garmish, the Zugspitze, Ettal Monastary, Linderhof, Oberammergau, Wiesse Kirche, the castles above Reutte and of course Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau near Fussen.
Your sons will probably enjoy the Deutsches Museum in Munich (a technology musuem similar to parts of the Smithsonian).
If you have any music interests you will enjoy Mittenwald with its violin makers shops. That is between Garmish and Innsbruck.
Jan 5th, 2007, 03:39 PM
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I might suggest that you try staying in Fischen im Allgäu (www.fischen.de). The Allgäu is a beautiful alpine area, well known to Germans, but almost unknown to Americans. Fischen is in the Iller vally on the western end of the German alps. At the mountain end of the valley is the German ski resort of Oberstdorf, where the German Olympic team trains. Oberstdorf is a lovely alpine town which appears to be what Vail wants to be. It would fit your request for a quaint town with shops to browse. My wife even found an antique mall there.
From Fischen there is a bus to Füssen, where you could visit the castles. You can also take the train down to Lindau, on the Bodensee.
There are plenty of place to stay in Fischen and Oberstdorr, but I would highly recommend Pension Bergheimat in Fischen (www.pension-bergheimat.de) IF you can get in. The pension is very popular with Germans. The owner, Alex, speaks excellent English (he was a chef on an American cruise ship), and he runs his pension like a cruise ship. If you get dinner under the half pension plan, there is a single seating for dinner. He is an excellent cook.
From Munich, the Allgäu Express (ALX) leaves a 9:21 and goes directly to Fischen (and on to Oberstdorf) in just over 2 hours. You can make the trip with up to five people with a €27 Bayern Ticket.
From Fischen there is a bus to Füssen, where you could visit the castles. You can also take the train down to Lindau, on the Bodensee.
There are plenty of place to stay in Fischen and Oberstdorr, but I would highly recommend Pension Bergheimat in Fischen (www.pension-bergheimat.de) IF you can get in. The pension is very popular with Germans. The owner, Alex, speaks excellent English (he was a chef on an American cruise ship), and he runs his pension like a cruise ship. If you get dinner under the half pension plan, there is a single seating for dinner. He is an excellent cook.
From Munich, the Allgäu Express (ALX) leaves a 9:21 and goes directly to Fischen (and on to Oberstdorf) in just over 2 hours. You can make the trip with up to five people with a €27 Bayern Ticket.
Jan 5th, 2007, 04:52 PM
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Hey Hipchick
I would head to Garmish. I am surprised that you cannot get accomodations, but it is high ski season...........and that might be a good reason to take the train! The train from Munich to Garmish, or even Mittenwald (next town down the line!) would be the way to go in late January.(snow in them der alps!) I think you can get a bavarian train tix that would let 5 people travel together for a fair price (not really sure about this, but someone here will know!
Have fun, 'google' "Bavarian Ben" and read his notes and travel tales of Garmish and southern Germany.
John
I would head to Garmish. I am surprised that you cannot get accomodations, but it is high ski season...........and that might be a good reason to take the train! The train from Munich to Garmish, or even Mittenwald (next town down the line!) would be the way to go in late January.(snow in them der alps!) I think you can get a bavarian train tix that would let 5 people travel together for a fair price (not really sure about this, but someone here will know!
Have fun, 'google' "Bavarian Ben" and read his notes and travel tales of Garmish and southern Germany.
John
Jan 5th, 2007, 06:58 PM
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it's www.bensbauernhof.com
very interesting. good info on cheap,unique accomodations. also look up any town by typing www.(town name).de
It usually has a list of all accomdations including feriernwohnung which are apartments or similar with a kitchen. some rent for as little as 1 night and appear to be great values.
very interesting. good info on cheap,unique accomodations. also look up any town by typing www.(town name).de
It usually has a list of all accomdations including feriernwohnung which are apartments or similar with a kitchen. some rent for as little as 1 night and appear to be great values.
Jan 5th, 2007, 08:27 PM
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If you are in Munich, and drive south to the Tegernsee, which is not very far at all, you are in the Bavarian Alps.
You don't need to go very far at all.
A scenic road running from around Berchtesgaden west is readily found on Michelin maps. Get the map of Bavaria and you will instantly see all sorts of routes.
It is very, very doable. And yes, a car would make all the difference in the world because you are there for just a short period. Otherwise, you travel at the behest of local bus schedules that don't always go where you would like.
If you just want to visit an alpine village for a couple of days there is one I find most lovely: Berchtesgaden.
You don't need to go very far at all.
A scenic road running from around Berchtesgaden west is readily found on Michelin maps. Get the map of Bavaria and you will instantly see all sorts of routes.
It is very, very doable. And yes, a car would make all the difference in the world because you are there for just a short period. Otherwise, you travel at the behest of local bus schedules that don't always go where you would like.
If you just want to visit an alpine village for a couple of days there is one I find most lovely: Berchtesgaden.
Jan 5th, 2007, 11:23 PM
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Hi hipchic,
Someone above mentioned Mittenwald, and I'd like to second that recommendation. Mittenwald is a little village, but it's chock full of shops, pensions, hotels, and restaurants. It has a pedestrian center lined with cafes and shops. There are enough walks here -- of every variety -- to keep someone busy for a few months! Website at www.mittenwald.de
I've been here for about three weeks and have another week to go. I'm in a little apartment. I've not run out of things to do.
And, by the way, I **don't** have a car and tell you that you don't need one. The village is small enough that you can walk it end to
Someone above mentioned Mittenwald, and I'd like to second that recommendation. Mittenwald is a little village, but it's chock full of shops, pensions, hotels, and restaurants. It has a pedestrian center lined with cafes and shops. There are enough walks here -- of every variety -- to keep someone busy for a few months! Website at www.mittenwald.de
I've been here for about three weeks and have another week to go. I'm in a little apartment. I've not run out of things to do.
And, by the way, I **don't** have a car and tell you that you don't need one. The village is small enough that you can walk it end to
Jan 5th, 2007, 11:24 PM
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Sorry (hate it when that happens!).
Ok, end to end in about five minutes, and there are busses and trains to take you to neighboring villages and cities.
Let me know if you want more info. It's just lovely here!
s
Ok, end to end in about five minutes, and there are busses and trains to take you to neighboring villages and cities.
Let me know if you want more info. It's just lovely here!
s
