Skiing In Germany

Many people consider Germany to be sort of the little brother of European skiing when compared with France, Switzerland, and Austria. The ski resorts of Germany are quite a bit lower in elevation than its three neighbours and the availability of powder snow during the whole season is not as certain. The resorts of Germany tend to be a bit smaller as well. Yet, bigger does not always mean better. Germany features skiing on beautiful tree lined slopes while headquartered in picturesque and historical mountain villages.

A major plus of a German ski trip is the accessibility of the slopes. The city of Munich is the main hub for a visit to the resorts of Southern Germany. Excellent roads and rail connections from Munich service all the major areas. Overall, the slopes tend to be free from crowds, especially during the week days. The ambience is very friendly with many areas extremely family orientated and ideal for children. The top six resort areas in Germany can be divided into three groups. The chic set includes Garmisch-Parkenkirchen and Oberstdorf. The hidden gems are Berchtesgaden and Lenggries. The village ambience sites are Oberammergau and Mittenwald.

Garmisch-Parkenkirchen is the largest and best known area in Germany. There are 40,000 beds available within easy striking distance of the ski areas and GP boasts more than 5 million overnight stays per year. The Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, towers above the town. The town has an Olympic history having hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics. In fact, the two separate towns were combined, rather reluctantly, for the Olympics and they have been growing ever since. The United States Army operates a recreational area here and this contributed to the areas rise to prominence in the ski world. There is an annual downhill race here on the very challenging Kandahar course.

Oberstdorf rivals Garmisch as the top resort in Germany. It is located roughly between Munich, Stuttgart, and Lake Constance. It is also fairly close to the Austrian resorts as the crow flies, but more easily reached from the German cities due to the mountains between them. This is a very cosmopolitan area. It offers a great deal of attractions outside the realm of Alpine skiing. This extends even into the summer when it is known as a popular wellness area. Oberstdorf is well known for its ski jumping competitions.

Berchtesgaden is one of the hidden gems of German skiing. It is a mixture of history and excellent skiing. It is located very close to the Austrian cultural centre of Salzburg. Some of the history is a bit on the dark and disturbing side. Berchtesgaden is the location of the Eagles Nest, Hitler's mountain top retreat. The Eagles Nest is still a popular tourist attraction here, but the real attraction is the skiing. Most of the rooms are in the town and the nearby ski areas are reached by car or bus. This area has some of the most spectacular scenery in Germany.

Lenggries is not well known outside of Germany, but its local ski club has produced three of Germany's popular recent World Cup female ski stars. The town is located in the valley of the Isar River, and is close to the town of Bad Tolz and is reached easily by train from Munich. The ski areas are all on the other side of the river, but frequent buses transport skiers from their hotels in town to the base stations of the major slopes. The area is noted for some very interesting and very challenging slopes close to the town. This area is not crowded at all during the week, although its proximity to the cities brings out weekend skiers in hoards.

Oberammergau is better known for its famous Passion play, as well as its woodcarving and Christmas shops, than for its skiing. The Kolben area just outside of town is noted for a very good selection of gentle slopes and interesting intermediate runs. This makes Oberammergau ideal for a family vacation. This would be especially true if part of the family is either beginning skiing or has not yet developed a true passion for it. There are plenty of other attractions to keep them busy while the serious skiers seek out the more challenging runs.

Mittenwald is only a 15 minute drive over the mountains from the Austrian resort of Seefeld. Its location on a major north south trading route gave rise to a medieval trading city. Today, this location benefits skiers because it is a stop on a main train line over the mountains from Munich into Austria. Like many of the other resorts in Germany, the accommodations are located just a short ride from the slopes. Bus service runs on a regular basis to take skiers to the foot of the slopes.

These are the top six in Germany, but there are plenty of other smaller resorts spread across Southern Germany and the Bavarian Alps. The peak ski season runs from December through March, and the majority of the resorts continue to offer their hospitality on into the spring and summer. This is one of the main attractions of German skiing. The resorts are located in a wonderful part of the world that is full of natural beauty and places of historical interest. It may be possible to get a more pure skiing experience in one of Germany's neighbours, but the country is rarely surpassed when it comes to a total ski vacation.