EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Garmisch-Partenkirchen's Bahnhof is handily placed between the two constituent villages; immediately to its rear is the Zugspitzbahnhof , terminus of the mountain rail line. At the latter you can buy passes (a passport photograph is required) covering all the cable cars except those on the Zugspitze - something well worth considering if you're planning on doing a lot of hiking. During the summer season these cost DM64/¬32 for adults, DM38/¬19 for children for three days, rising to DM130/¬65 and DM78/¬39 respectively for a week, DM207/¬103.50 and DM124/¬62 for two weeks. Winter ski passes for the region are also available for a variety of periods, with the three-day versions costing DM144/¬72. The tourist office (Mon-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-noon; tel 0 88 21/18 06, fax 18 07 55, www.garmisch-partenkirchen.de ) is at Richard-Strauss-Platz 2, five minutes' walk south of the Bahnhof.

Budget accommodation options include the youth hostel , Jochstr. 10 (tel 0 88 21/29 80, fax 5 85 36; DM21/¬10.50) in the incorporated village of Burgrain, reached by bus #3, #4 or #5 from the Bahnhof, and the Naturfreundehaus , Schalmeiweg 21 (tel 0 88 21/43 22) at the eastern edge of Partenkirchen. There's also a campsite , Zugspitze (tel 0 88 21/31 80), ideally placed for the peaks, by the village of Grainau to the west. Private rooms (less than DM60/¬30-DM99/¬49), while on average marginally more expensive than elsewhere in the Alps, are still wonderful value, as are the many guesthouses , such as Neuner , Kreuzstr. 21 (tel 0 88 21/5 62 91; DM60-79/¬30-39), Christina , Burgstr. 61 (tel 0 88 21/13 34 or 23 75, www.gaestehaus-christina.de ; DM60/¬30-DM124/¬62), and Reiter , Burgstr. 55 (tel 0 88 21/22 33, www.reiter-gap.de ; DM60/¬30-DM124/¬62).

Among the town's hotels , Berggasthof Panorama , up from the Wank cable-car station at St Anton 3 (tel 0 88 21/25 15, www.garmisch-partenkirchen.com/berggasthof.panorama ; DM125-149/¬63-74) offers the most spectacular views. A couple of medium-range alternatives in the heart of Partenkirchen are Gasthof Zum Rassen , Ludwigstr. 45 (tel 0 88 21/20 89; DM80/¬40-DM199/¬99), and Gasthof Fraundorfer , Ludwigstr. 24 (tel 0 88 21/92 70, www.gasthof-fraundorfer.de ; DM125/¬63-DM249/¬124). There are many enticing luxury options, notably Posthotel Partenkirchen , Ludwigstr. 49 (tel 0 88 21/9 36 30, www.apzp.de ; DM200-249/¬100-124), a marvellous old inn decked out in rustic style; Reindl's Partenkircher Hof , Bahnhofstr. 15 (tel 0 88 21/5 80 25, www.garmisch-partenkirchen.com/Reindl ; DM200/¬100-DM300/¬150 and over), which is furnished with antiques, has a swimming pool, fitness room, winter garden and balconies with panoramic views; and Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl , Burgstr. 97 (tel 0 88 21/70 20, www.sonnenbichl.de ; DM250/¬125-DM300/¬150 and over), which offers similar facilities, though if anything is even grander in style.

All the hotels listed above have recommendable restaurants open to non-residents. Among Garmisch's many enticing cafés , Krönner , Am Kurpark 5, and Pavillon , Am Kurpark 2, stand out.