Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

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w Kochel am See

Bavaria; 82431

To the north of Walchensee lies Kochel

am See. The town is closely associa ted

with artist Franz Marc (1880–1916),

who, in the years before World War I,

was a leading member of the

Munich-based Blauer Reiter group of

Expressionist painters. A villa overlook-

ing the lake now houses the Franz

Marc Museum (closed Mon), which dis-

plays about 200 of the artist’s works.

ª Continue along the B11 to

Benediktbeuern. The abbey is well

marked and provides parking space.

VISITING

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

Parking

The paid parking lot at Kongresshaus

is the most central in Garmisch.

Tourist Information

Richard Strauss Platz 2, 82467; 08821

18 07 00; http://www.gapa.de; mid-May–late

Oct, mid-Dec–mid-Jan: open daily

WHERE TO STAY

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

Atlas Grand Hotel

moderate–expensive

Partenkirchen’s oldest hotel is located

on its main street. Rooms have en suite

baths or showers.

Ludwigstrasse 49, 82467; 08821 936 30;

http://www.atlas-grandhotel.com

Reindl’s Partenkirchner Hof

moderate–expensive

This five-star, traditional hotel has

a welcoming, rustic ambience.

Bahnhofstrasse 15, 82467; 08821 94

38 70; http://www.reindls.de

WALCHENSEE

Einsiedl moderate

A simple hotel with a beer garden and

boats for rent nearby. Wi-Fi is available.

Walchensee, 82432; 08858 90 10;

http://www.hotelamwalchensee.de

BAD TÖLZ

Posthotel Kolberbräu moderate

This family-run former coaching inn

has 35 tastefully decorated rooms.

Marktstrasse 29, 83646; 08041 768 80;

http://www.kolberbraeu.de

TEGERNSEE

Hotel Bayern expensive

Hotel Bayern’s sleek and elegant rooms

range in size and style. There is also an

on-site spa.

Neureuthstrasse 23, 83684; 08022 18

20; http://www.dastegernsee.de

BACK ROADS GERMANY

Winter Sports

The towering Zugspitze provides a

spec tacular backdrop for Garmisch-

Partenkirchen’s pistes, which include

Germany’s only glacier skiing and the

fearsome Kandahar Run, used for

World Championship downhill

races. The Zugspitze offers 14 miles

(22 km) of high-altitude skiing at a

height of almost 9,843 ft (3,000 m);

for begin ners, runs are graded blue

(www.zugspitze.de). Due to the altitude

of its pistes, the ski season here is a

long one, beginn ing in November

and continuing through to May.

0 Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Bavaria; 82467

Facing each other across the narrow

Partnacher stream in the shadow of

Germany’s highest mountain, the

9,718-ft (2,962-m) Zugspitze, the twin

towns of Garmisch and Partenkirchen

together comprise Germany’s best-

known ski resort. The towns were

amalga mated at the time of the 1936

Winter Olympics but still have quite

distinct characters: Garmisch is

cosmopolitan, while Partenkirchen

preserves its old-fash ioned Alpine

charm. In Partenkirchen, composer

Richard Strauss’s villa (closed Sat &

Sun) is now a small museum.

ª Continue along the B2 to Krün, turn

left on to the B11 for Walchensee. Park

at marked parking lots along the route.

e Benediktbeuern

Bavaria; 83671

Visible from a distance, the Bavarian

onion-domed towers of the basilica of

Benediktbeuern rise above an abbey

complex of considerable size and

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

q Walchensee

Bavaria; 82432

Surrounded by impressive mountains,

Walchensee lies 2,631 ft (802 m) above

sea level and is among Bavaria’s most

beautiful lakes. Despite its scenic

grandeur, it remains rela tively undis-

cov ered. In summer the lake offers

every thing from angling and swim-

ming to windsurf ing, and sailing. Enjoy

an excur sion in the Herzogstandbahn

cable car (Am Tanneneck 6, 82432;

http://www.herzogstand.kochel.de; open daily),

which goes from the north end of

Walchensee village to the top of the

5,679-ft (1,731-m) Herzogstand

offering breath taking pano ramas

of the surrounding landscape.

ª Take the B11 to Kochel am See.

Park at the well-marked parking lots

at the lake, city or museum.

Right Yacht sailing on the Walchensee

Far right Isar river, Bad Tölz Below right

Bad Tölz’s Marktstrasse, lined with houses

with painted façades

ACTIVITIES AROUND TEGERNSEE

Mountain biking is a popular activity

in Tegernsee (www.en.tegernsee.com).

Every summer the town has a

mountain biking festival (www.mtb-

festival.de). The Gleitschirmschule

Tegernsee offers tandem jumps and

paragliding courses (Tegernseerstrasse

88, 83700 Reitrain; 08022 25 56; http://www.

paragliding-tegernsee.de).