Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Discover your true nature.

Germany’s highest mountain, Germany’s steepest ski slope - the legendary Kandahar-Downhill racecourse-, or Germany’s most spectacular cable car together with its proximity to Munich Airport and easy access by car or train are some of the reasons to visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is a ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany, which borders Austria. It is located at the foot of Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain (2,962 meters a.s.l.).

Garmisch-Partenkirchen the former twin cities "under the Zugspitze", is one of the most famous ski resorts of the whole alpine region. The Bavarian town hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1936, the Arlberg Kandahar races since 1954, FIS Ski World Cups since 1970, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1978 and 2011, and the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in 2009. For that reason, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is been considered the cradle of ski racing in Germany.

Traditionally, a ski jumping contest is held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on New Year's Day, as a part of the Four Hills Tournament (Vierschanzentournee).

The Olympic Ski Jump is worth a visit for fans of the ski jumping sport and everyone else, too. In 1923, an artificial start tower was erected on a descent of the Gudiberg. After numerous modernisation interventions, the construction was replaced by the “free-floating giant” in 2007. With its 100-metre start tower, it floats above the terrain at 62 metres above ground. During the day, it harmoniously blends into the winter landscape, and at night, it becomes a fascinating light sculpture: High above Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Olympic ski jump is a true landmark for the holiday resort with its characteristic silhouette.

There are two ski resorts in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze region: Garmisch-Classic and Zugspitze.

In Garmisch Classic you will find a diverse ski resort with 40 kilometers of slopes and four downhill runs between the three ski mountains Hausberg, Kreuzeck, and Alpspitz (12 km of blue, 18 km of red, 10 km of black slopes). Located between 740 and 2,050 meters above sea level, 25 km are covered by snowmaking facilities, including the four thrilling downhill runs.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is home of the famous Kandahar Downhill racecourse.The name of the run goes back to Frederick Roberts, Earl of Kandahar. In his name, numerous efforts were made to establish Alpine skiing in the form of downhill and slalom in the FIS. Since 1954, Garmisch-Partenkirchen has also been the venue for the famous Kandahar races.

The slopes below the summit of the Alpspitze, offers one of the most incredible panoramas of the Northern Alps above the tree line. It is well worth taking a detour to the AlpspiX viewing platform on the Osterfelderkopf to enjoy the incredible views.

The Glacier Ski Area of Zugspitze is Germany’s highest ski resort.

For a comfortable trip up the mountain, you can choose between the world-record-holding Zugspitze cable car, the almost 100-year-old cogwheel train, and the Gletscherbahn cable car.

With 20 kilometers of slopes with guaranteed snow, thanks to its altitude between 2,000 and 2,700 meters, skiers can enjoy here an extra-long season from mid-November to the start of May.

Following the opening of the state-of-the-art Zugspitze cable car in December 2017, the new restaurant Panorama 2962 opened its doors in July 2018.

The brand-new restaurant is an excellent reason to visit the Zugspitze. At an altitude of almost 3,000 m above sea level, the multifunctional restaurant is an architectural treat and the perfect place to enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of over 400 peaks in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland – including the highest mountains in the eastern Alps such as the Großglockner (3,798 m), Wildspitze (3,768 m), Ortler (3,905 m) and Piz Bernina (4,049 m).

But in Ski Paradise we have another good reason to recommend you travel to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Bavarian cuisine is famous way beyond the limits of the region. Down-to-earth and spicy, sweet, savory, fluffy, and hearty Bavarian delicacies like the Schweinshaxe mit Knödel, (Crispy pork with dumplings, and Bavarian kraut), or the Sweet and lardy Auszogne (fried yeast-risen pastry with lots of powdered sugar) are worth a visit. That’s how Bavaria tastes.