Trip and Vacation in Southern Bavaria, Germany

The travel options in Germany are numerous and varied. In such a large country, there are many districts that differ from one another in character and style. Germany is rich in family attractions, including many amusement parks.
The best way is to base yourself in a town or village in a particular area for 4-7 days and take star trips from there. One of the most successful districts in the country for a family trip is the Southern Bavaria region, bordering Austria. It is very convenient to land at Munich Airport, which receives many flights from Israel (both charter and regular), rent a car (car rental prices in Munich are the cheapest in Europe), and drive to southern Bavaria (about an hour to an hour and a half drive).
The continuation of the trip can be to Austria: Tyrol and/or the Salzburgland region, to Northern Italy: the Dolomites and Lake Garda, or to Slovenia.

OBERAU

OBERAU is a small and cute town whose great advantage is its convenient location: about five minutes from the highway leading north to Munich, about a quarter of an hour from the large tourist city in the area, Garmisch, which lies at the foot of the Alps, and about half an hour's drive from the cable car leading to the highest peak in Germany: the Zugspitze. The town is surrounded by high and impressive mountains and in winter serves as an excellent starting point for ski enthusiasts.

Although the town is relatively small, it has a selection of vacation apartments (in German: FERIENWOHNUNGEN) and B&Bs at attractive prices.

If you prefer to stay in a larger and livelier city than Oberau, head slightly south and look for a vacation apartment in Garmisch.

♦ Recommended Accommodation Places:

In Garmisch:

Hotel Edelweiss Garni - 4-star hotel
Luxus Apartments im Herzen von Garmisch - Aparthotel (three ), with a kitchen.
Exklusive Ferienwohnung Alpen Deluxe - Aparthotel (three), with a kitchen.

In the town of Farchant between Oberau and Garmisch:

Hotel Fohrenhof Garni - The hotel has rooms as well as a two-room apartment and a family room.
Hotel Garni Zugspitz - Hotel with rooms for 1-3 guests.

In the town of Oberau

Vacation apartments named: BRANDNER

at 10 Bischofstrasse
Phone: 4988248359
Email: Sandra.brandner@gmx.de

The Brandner family has four apartments for rent in various sizes (60-80 sqm).
I stayed with my family in a spacious two-bedroom apartment (each with a double bed), a large living room (with two comfortable pull-out beds from the closet), a very spacious bathroom, an orderly kitchen, and a balcony surrounding the entire apartment. The apartment is clean and well-maintained, well-equipped and decorated, and the balcony is immersed in flowers.

The landlady does not speak English (only German) but her son is fluent in English and he answers emails and is responsible for making reservations.

If you intend to travel in the summer, it is recommended to book accommodation in the area well in advance (those who look only a month in advance might find themselves without a house to their liking).

Main Family Attractions in Southern Bavaria:

Ascending by train and cable cars to the peak of the ZUGSPITZE on the Austria-Germany border. There are several options to ascend the peak, the most successful of all being the cable car ascent from a tiny town on the shore of a charming lake west of Garmisch named EIBSEE.

View of Lake Eibsee from the Zugspitze peak:

The modern Legoland park located near the town of Gunzburg. (Especially suitable for families with young children).

The ALPAMARA water park located in the town of BAD TOLZ. In the park (which is mostly indoor and therefore visiting it is suitable in any season and any weather) there are many water slides, a wave pool, a surfing pool, and various current pools containing warm mineral spring water.

The Bavaria Film Park Bavaria Film , is also located a short drive away in the town of Geiselgasteig.

The castles of King "Ludwig the Mad" are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bavaria. There are several castles in the area, the most famous of all being Neuschwanstein Castle (from which Walt Disney took inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle). It is highly recommended to book tickets in advance (via the internet), ascend to the castle in a horse-drawn carriage, and descend on foot.

Another castle built by King Ludwig in the area is SCHLOSS LINDERHOF. This castle is known for its impressive gardens featuring fountains, statues, and tiered gardens. Entrance to the gardens is free, but entrance to the castle is paid.

Walking tour in the marvelous water canyon PARTNACH GORGE. The trail starts from the parking lot of Garmisch's Olympic park where there is a stadium with ski jumps. Adjacent to the Olympic park are several active recreation facilities such as: an alpine slide and trampolines.

In the Southern Bavaria region there are many alpine slides (Summer sledging-run), for example: near Ludwig's castles in the FUSSEN area or near Bad Tolz, and almost every child will be thrilled to cap off the day with a fast slide down the mountain.

Fans of painted and decorated houses are invited to visit the towns of OBERAMMERGAU and MITTENWALD (located less than a half-hour drive from OBERAU) which feature many houses with biblical paintings on their walls as well as paintings of famous characters from children's stories. OBERAMMERGAU is also known for its many wood-carving workshops and galleries, while MITTENWALD (considered the prettiest of the Bavarian alpine towns) is dubbed "The Village of a Thousand Violins" thanks to the long-standing tradition of violin making in the city.

The Bavarian Alps region is a paradise for active recreation and nature lovers. The area features many lakes with bathing beaches, boats of all kinds, rafting, and all kinds of sports and recreation opportunities. In the Oberau area, there are numerous hiking trails (well-marked) of all difficulty levels and bike trails.

Munich

It is definitely worthwhile to dedicate a day or two to Munich itself. There is no need to stay in Munich itself; rather, it is better to commute to Munich from Oberau or one of the other towns (accommodation prices in Munich are much higher, and additionally, it's better to avoid the unnecessary hassle of moving and changing places of accommodation). The drive to central Munich from Oberau takes about an hour and a quarter.
It is recommended to visit the main pedestrian mall in the city center, Karlsplatz, Marienplatz, the English Garden (it's nice to rent a bike there) and the Olympic Park (where the BMW Museum is also located).

Recommended Guided Tours in Munich from Viator:

Munich also has a successful zoo, Zoo Hellabrunn, and many museums (a possible solution for particularly rainy days). Central Munich:

Before traveling abroad, it is advisable to visit the websites of the various attractions and print out driving directions, maps, opening hours, and prices. Take into account that the opening hours of the attractions are quite limited, and even on summer days when it is still daylight at 21:00, many tourist sites close as early as 17:00.