Mittenwald Germany Trip 2020

 Day 1 (Driving to Mittenwald)

I got the idea of staying in Mittenwald from my German friend Werner.  It is located near the Austrian border.

Even though I have been to Schwangau a few times to see the Neuschwanstein castle, I wanted to stop here before checking in at the hotel to capture a picture of the castle from a different angle.  Since there is all this social distancing stuff, it was an hour wait to cross the Marien bridge.  Once on the other side of the bridge, I hiked up the mountain about 35 minutes and got this picture.  It wasn't the angle I was hoping for but it was an awesome view nonetheless. 

  

Mittenwald is a charming town with plenty of cafes and shops.  Strolling through the town center you can enjoy the colorfully decorated buildings with "Luftlmalereien" murals.  This dates back to the 18th century and the murals are based on biblical themes and the peaceful everyday life of the Bavarian people.

I stayed at the Alpenhotel Rieger which is only a one minute walk to the pedestrian center with all the shops and restaurants. The room was nice and offered a great view of the Karwendel Mountains.

Day 2 (Partnachklamm)

Started the day early to see the Partnachklamm in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.  It worked out nice because I arrived shortly after it opened and I had the place all to myself.  

The Partnachklamm is a 2300 ft (702 meters) gorge.  The giant stone walls, narrow passages and rushing water are just amazing.  

After going through the gorge, the only way back to the beginning is to do some hiking through the mountain side.  

View from bridge

The trail takes you to the Eiserne Brucke (Iron Bridge).

So glad I stopped to see this gorge.

Day 3 (Leutascher Geisterklamm)

Rain was in the forecast on this day so I headed out early for the Leutascher Geisterklamm.  It was about a 30 minute walk from my hotel.  There was a little hiking involved but not too bad. 

This gorge opened in 2006 and is impressive too.  It was very peaceful out there with just the sound of the water racing through the gorge. 

Panoramic bridge at 
Leutascher Geisterklamm

In the same area as the gorge is the Leutasch Gorge waterfall.  I went there in the afternoon and it was not bad.  Here you can also see stone walls and of course the waterfall that is tucked in a nook type area.

Day 4  (Karwendel Mountains and Museum of Violin Making)

 

I was fortunate to have great weather this day.  From the hotel, it was a 15 minute walk to the Karwendel cable car that takes you to the top of the mountain.  With an altitude of over 7,300 feet, you get a great view of the towns below and the surrounding alps. 

Once on top, you can hike around the area to get different views from different peaks.  It also offers a few hiking trails down the mountain that range from 3 to 7 hours.  I chose to take the cable car back down.  The clear skies made it a perfect day to enjoy this amazing place.

I did not know this but Mittenwald ranks among the world's major centers of violin making.  I stopped by to check out the Museum of Violin Making.  It is housed in one of the oldest houses in town.

Last day (Zugspitze and Eibsee)

I wasn't sure if I would make it to the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak, but the skies were going to be clear so I bought my ticket for the cable car ride to the summit.  

At 2,962 m (9,718 ft), the view is simply amazing.  There is not much to do up there except sit and enjoy the splendor of the alps.  I climbed up to the summit cross and enjoyed a beer on one of the terraces. 

Back at the bottom of the Zugspitze, I rode around a lake named Eibsee.  

There is a nice trail around the lake that is a little over 7 km.  There were a lot of people walking and some bike riders.  There were also "beach" areas where visitors were having picnics and sunbathing.  It was a very nice area with the Zugspitze as a backdrop.  

Final thoughts

I thought Mittenwald was a nice destination to spend a few days to enjoy nature and the outdoors.  It is close to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (about a 30 minute drive).  The gorges I visited were amazing and the views from the mountain tops were spectacular.  If you visit here, you will not be disappointed.