A mere 60 miles south of Munich lies the winter wonderland of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

This 1936 Winter Olympics host resort is situated around Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. This iconic mountain is abutted by the joined villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen. Garmisch Partenkirchen has been noted for an almost perfect winter climate: not too cold, plenty of sunshine and considerable snowfall. This sprawling resort is spread over numerous ski areas, some of which straddle the Austrian border.

Garmisch is touted as one of Germany’s best ski resorts, and for those who have skied in the Western U.S., it’s certainly comparable. It offers skiers and snowboarders a little bit of everything, however the on-piste areas are best reserved for intermediates. Experts on the hunt for a unique adventure will find more challenging terrain on the Zugspitze’s glacier, which is accessed via the cogwheel train. Even freestylers will be pleased with Garmisch’s terrain park offering. Renowned as having Germany’s first superpipe, Garmisch has a history of being friendly towards skiers and boarders with a penchant for getting creative in the air.