Weekend in Bavaria

Biergarten at the Viktualienmarkt, Munich

Spring is my favorite time to travel, and Bavaria is especially beautiful this time of year. The sun is out, the flowers are blooming and biergartens are overflowing. A recent long weekend spent in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen was a good way to kick off the travel season.

Garmisch is a resort-like village surrounded by some of the highest peaks in Germany, about an hour by train from Munich. It’s a surprisingly affordable destination, even for a budget traveler. Rooms in gasthauser, or entire self-catering apartments are available for as little as €45 per night. If you don’t plan on driving, take advantage of the Bayern-Ticket from Deutsche Bahn. With it, a group of up to five people can travel all day in the region, as well as to Salzburg for as little as €10 per person. Hopping on and off the train, you can explore the pretty towns and villages in the area for next to nothing. Stock up on groceries at Rewe and pack a picnic lunch for the day, or grab a doner kebap, or a sandwich at one of the great bakeries in town to fuel up for just a few euros.

Nature is the main attraction here, and there are many ways to explore it. You can rent a bike and head for one of the paths that run through the countryside, or take a hike up to a waterfall. The Loisach river is known as a whitewater rafting mecca, but you can also just rent a kayak or a canoe for a more peaceful experience. On a clear day, a ride to the top of the Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany is in order. There’s so much to do here, a weekend is barely enough time to do it justice, and I know I’ll be back. Garmisch, auf Wiedersehen!