2 Best Sights in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, The Bavarian Alps

Soaring to 9,718 feet, this is Germany's highest mountain and the number-one attraction in the area. Hard to see from Garmisch-Partenkirchen—and often mistaken for the nearby Alpsspitze—it's worth going up to see the view, and the best way to do that is with a "Zugspitze Round Trip" ticket. From Garmisch you'll take the historic Bayerische Zugspitzbahn cog railway, which trundles all the way up to Zugspitzplatt, about 8,530 feet above sea level. From here, the Gletscherbahn cable car whisks you right to the summit. Once you've taken in the scenic views (on a clear day you can see four countries), you'll descend on the record-breaking Zugspitze cable car—dropping 2 km (1¼ miles) in just 10 minutes—to catch the cog railway back into town.

The region's culture and history are intriguingly presented in this Partenkirchen museum, mostly set inside a beautiful 17th-century merchant's house (but with parts of the exhibition space dating back to the 1200s, and others to 2018). Spread over 19 rooms and five floors, the exhibits explore traditional aspects of life in the Werdenfelser region (an independent state for more than 700 years, until 1802), from traditional folk costumes, jewelry, arts, and crafts to recreations of rural and bourgeois bedrooms. There are regularly-rotating temporary exhibitions showcasing modern local paintings and sculptures. The museum is located on Partenkirchen's historic Ludwigstrasse, home to dozens of colorful, ornate building facades, so continue exploring local history and culture with a leisurely stroll along the street.