Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [302]
Behind a very pretty facade, Hotel-Gasthof Alpenrose ( 927 00; www.alpenrose-mittenwald.de; Obermarkt 1; s €26-48, d €71-89; ) has cosy, old-style rooms, a cute restaurant and live Bavarian music almost nightly. Around 1km south of the Obermarkt, Restaurant Arnspitze ( 2425; Innsbrucker Strasse 68; mains €17-23; closed Tue) serves award-winning gourmet fare.
Mittenwald is served by hourly trains from Garmisch-Partenkirchen (€3.70, 20 minutes), Munich (€20.50, 1¾ hours) and Innsbruck, across the border in Austria, (€10.20, one hour). Otherwise RVO bus 9605 connects Mittenwald with Garmisch-Partenkirchen (30 minutes) several times a day.
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OBERSTDORF
08322 / pop 11,000
Spectacularly situated in the western Alps, the Allgäu region feels a long, long way from the rest of Bavaria, both in its cuisine (more Spätzle than dumplings) and the dialect, which is closer to the Swabian of Baden-Württemberg. The Allgäu’s chief draw is the car-free resort of Oberstdorf, a major skiing centre a short hop from Austria.
The tourist office ( 7000; www.oberstdorf.de; Prinzregenten-Platz 1; 8.30am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-noon Sat) and its branch office ( 700 217; Bahnhof; 9am-8pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun May-Oct, 9am-noon & 2-6pm Nov-Apr) runs a room-finding service.
Oberstdorf is almost ringed by towering peaks and offers superb hiking. For an exhilarating day walk, ride the Nebelhorn cable car (adult/child €20/9.50) to the upper station, then hike down via the Gaisalpseen, two lovely alpine lakes (six hours).
In-the-know skiers value the resort for its friendliness, lower prices and less-crowded pistes. The village is surrounded by 70km of well-maintained cross-country trails and three ski fields: the Nebelhorn (day/half-day passes €33/28), Fellhorn/Kanzelwand (day/half-day passes €36/31) and Söllereck (day/half-day passes €25/20).
For ski hire and tuition, try Alpin Skischule ( 952 90; www.alpinskischule.de; Am Bahnhofplatz 1a) opposite the train station.
The Eislaufzentrum Oberstdorf ( 700 530), behind the Nebelhorn cable-car station, is the biggest ice-skating complex in Germany, with three separate rinks.
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Sleeping & Eating
Oberstdorf is chock-full with private guesthouses, but owners are usually reluctant to rent rooms for just one night, even in the shoulder seasons.
DJH hostel ( 2225; www.oberstdorf.jugendherberge.de; Kornau 8; dm under/over 27yr €18.20/22.20; Jan–mid-Nov) A relaxed, 200-bed chalet-hostel with commanding views of the Allgäu Alps. Take bus 1 to the Reute stop; it’s in the Kornau suburb, near the Söllereck chairlift.
Weinklause ( 969 30; www.weinklause.de; Prinzen-strasse 10; s €55-68, d €42-64; ) Willing to take one-nighters at the drop of a felt hat, this superb lodge offers all kinds of rooms and apartments, some with kitchenette, some with jaw-dropping, spectacular alpine views. A generous breakfast is served in the restaurant, which comes to life most nights with local live music.
Filser Kur-und Ferienhotel ( 7080; www.filserhotel.de; Freibergstrasse 15; s €84-110, d €83-119; ) This is one of many luxurious but good-value health resorts in the area, with sparkling facilities, including fitness rooms, pool and sauna. Rooms are high-standard studies in modern simplicity and some sport elegant traditional touches. There’s wheelchair access.
Weinstube am Frohmarkt ( 3988; Am Frohmarkt 2; mains €7-18; 5pm-1am Thu-Tue) The musty-sweet aroma of wine, cheese and Tyrolean cured ham scents the air at this intimate wine bar. Rub shoulders with locals over the Törggelen buffet downstairs, or retreat upstairs for a quiet glass of wine.
Imbisstro ( 800 718; Oststrasse 19; snacks €3.50-7.50, mains €10-20) With a menu featuring everything from champagne to Currywurst this trendy place certainly lives up to the play on words (Imbiss, ie stand-up food stall plus bistro) in its name. Grab a cheap bar-stool lunch, or take your time over a steak blow-out under camp chandeliers or out on the street.
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