Things to do in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is located in southern Germany in the state Bavaria and close to Austria. The ski town is famous for being the site of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games and for hosting a variety of winter sports competitions.

Originally, Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were two separate towns and even after unification in 1935 they still maintained quite separate identities. Garmisch has a modern feel while Partenkirchen is generally known for its historic appearance with fresco-filled and cobblestoned streets.

Due to its close position to Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze (2962 meters), the city is a famous holiday spot for skiing, snowboarding and hiking. Lots of Nordic and alpine World Cup ski races take place here and the traditional ski jumping contest that is part of the Four Hills Tournament (Vierschanzen-Tournee) occurs on New Year’s Day.