bavarian alps in southern germany - ebrochure 2012

Village people

Bavarian alpssummer 2012

see page 23

The best beer in the world – and where to find it

EIN BIER BITTE

Bavaria By Bicycle peaks, palaces and picnics

FREEWHEELING

a glorious summeron the great lakes

FUN aNd SUN

Country life of the rural South

WIN a dREaM WEEKENd – vISIT THE GREaT paLaCES

Passau

© Publicom international 2012. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information is correct, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent inaccuracies or omissions. Hotel prices, restaurant menus and opening times of local attractions can change without notice; it is always advisable to check with the venue or the tourist information office in advance. views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Bayern Tourismus marketing or Publicom international. Bavarian alps 2012 is wholly protected by copyright and nothing may be wholly or partly reprinted without permission. manuscripts, transparencies and illustrations are submitted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody.

Published by Publicom international on behalf of Bayern Tourismus marketing GmbH, leopoldstrasse 146, D-80804 munich.sales: mav-muenchen.comT: +49 89 2123970 F: +49 89 21239799e: [email protected]

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editor michael Wattsart director Nick Brown DesignPicture editor Graham Harperimages 4 corners images, alamy, Getty images, istockphoto, Thinkstock, markt GaPa, Peter Hutzler, Florian Werner, laif/camera Press, Bridgeman art © Dacs 2012, superstock, inmagine, age FotostockPrinters Polestar chromoworks ltdcover Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Contents

W W W. B ava r i a N -a l P s . T r av e l

Willkommen!

Germany

Bavarian alps

How To geT THere• london to Franz Joseph strauss airport, munich: approx 1hr

40 mins direct from Heathrow (lufthansa, Ba) and stansted (easyJet). central munich is 28.5kms (18 miles) away.

• stansted to allgäu airport memmingen, in southwest Bavaria: approx 1hr 25 mins (ryanair). The town of memmingen is 4kms away.

04 MUNiCH Beer garDeNS 200 years of Gemütlichkeit

07 lower allgÄU medieval memmingen

10 ZUgSpiTZe Glorious mountain resorts

14 THe CHieMgaU summer by the lake

17 CYCliNg BaVaria expert road guide

18 HoMe oF Beer Why Bavaria is best

19 SeleCTeD HoTelS

23 reaDerS’ CoMpeTiTioN

the Allgäu

more and more discerning Britons choose to spend their holidays in Bavaria.

it’s easy to see why. Bavaria is bigger and richer than the rest of Germany. and it has the alps – a necklace of dramatic peaks that run across its southern border and weave in and out of the old German alpine road.

Bavaria is also blessed in its wealth of beer and in lovely locations for drinking it. This publication celebrates 200 years of the biergarten, an institution that has spread across the globe but is still at its best in the land where it began.

climate in Bavaria30˚c

20

10

0

A m j j A s otemp max/min

memmingen

Garmisch-Partenkirchenmittenwald

lake chiemsee

Munich

ZugsPitZe

ChiemgAu

One beer, please’ is pretty much all the German you

need when visiting Bavaria, almost a sacred destination for authentic beer-lovers. Germany has roughly 1,200 breweries, and at least half are Bavarian. moreover, the concept of the beer garden (biergarten) was invented in munich, Bavaria’s capital and biggest city, and copied around the world.

every British traveller to munich knows of its Oktoberfest, the annual

orgy of beer and food. But reverence for

locally-brewed beers continues throughout the year at many

and various beer gardens across the

capital, from the most touristy (the chinesischer Turm, or ‘chinese Tower’, in the english Garden) to the largest (the Hirschgarten, which can accommodate 8,000 drinkers). it’s said that there are enough beer gardens in the city to seat 130,000 people.

This year, munich celebrates 200 years of this beloved institution (www.200-jahre-biergarten.de), which was established when King maximilian i of Bavaria decreed that farmers could legally sell home-brewed beer in the shade of specially-planted trees. This resolved a bitter dispute between entrepreneurial farmers and innkeepers. a proviso, barring the farmers from serving any other food but bread, led to the surviving tradition of customers bringing their own food, or Brotzeit.

Today, Bavarians believe that the beer garden is a place where families from all walks of life can spend the day together. They epitomise Gemütlichkeit, the good life, and their neighbourly atmosphere is captured by the constant sound of strangers clinking their glasses of beer. »06

Bavaria has many indigenous beer styles,

but four predominate: the increasingly popular Weissbier (‘white’ or ‘wheat’ beer); Helles (the classic, straw-blond lager, aka munich light); Pils (hoppy golden lager); and export (a stronger version of the Helles).

six brewers monopolise munich’s beer market: löwenbräu, Hofbräuhaus, augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and spaten, all with long and illustrious histories, usually monastic or royal in origin. if you are driving, perhaps ask for a Radler (a shandy-mix of beer and lemonade), Spezi (cola and orange soda) or Apfelschorle (apple juice and mineral water)


The Chinese Tower chinesischer Turm (chinaturm.de) was built in the 18th century as a platform for bands playing to the crowd in the beer garden below. rebuilt after the War, it now presides over seating for 7,000 people – the biggest in munich after the Hirschgarten (hirschgarten.com). Within walking distance from Gieselastrasse U-Bahn on the U3 or U6 lines

m u N i c H

04

s

05

200 YearS oF THe Beer garDeN

Brewers planted chestnut trees above their cellars to help keep their ales cool. customers bought the beer and drank it beneath the shady trees.

Family Trees

HoFBrÄUkeller in Haidhausen, on the bustling Wiener Platz, under the shade of pictur-esque horse chest-nuts. Hofbräu beer.

Trams: 18 or 19 hofbraeukeller.de

paUlaNer aM NoCkHerBerg Traditional biergar-ten in Giesing area, serving the great, cloudy Nockher-berger. ‘Pleasantly shady on a hot day’.Tram: 27 Ostfriedhof nockherberg.com

gUTSHoF MeNTerSCHwaige in an idyllic location, high above the river isar near Harlaching, and popular with bik-ers and hikers. Open in summer 10am-1am.Trams: 15/25 menterschwaige.de

walDwirTSCHaFT groSSHeSSeloHe in south munich, nick-named ‘WaWi’, and rather beautiful, with regular live jazz and a barbecue for guests to grill on.S-Bahn S7 to Grosshesselohe waldwirtschaft.de

SeeHaUS Good location on the banks of lake Kleinhes-selohe, in the english Garden. you can spend an afternoon drink-ing, sun-bathing and (apparently) pulling.U-Bahn to Münchner Freiheit kuffler-gastronomie.de

FiVe BeST Beer garDeNS

DRink UP!

ein Bier, bitte

m e m m i N G e N & T H e a l lGäu

06 07

SHoppiNg preSeNTS

aMoNg the small

pleasures of visiting new places is returning home with mementoes of your stay

Bavaria’s great palaces and gardens, like the Nymphenburg and residenz in Munich, are blessed with high-quality souvenirs bearing the imprint of Bavaria’s rich cultural history. initially intended as a way of highlighting state treasures, they have enjoyed such success that they are now prized objects, at home as well as abroad.

The range has been designed and produced by the kulturgut company. Shoppers can choose from beautiful silk scarves, cushions, bags, napkins, jewellery, decorative bottles and porcelain.

prices are affordable. a pendant of garnets, named

after lola Montez, mistress of king ludwig 1, costs €50. a scarf called ‘pagodenburg’, in honour of the Chinese

pavillion in Schloss Nymphenburg, is €60.

GarDeN ParTy

1 Schloss Nymphenburg The spectacular ‘Nymph’s Palace’ will host special events to mark the 350th anniversary of max emanuel, the great 17thc. elector of Bavaria (July 7-15)

schloesser.bayern.de 2 The HofBräuhaus No visit to

munich is complete without visiting this huge, historic beer-hall on the marienplatz. The ground- floor alone contains 1,000 people, seated at long tables. hofbraeuhaus.de

3 BMW Welt receiving 2m. visitors a year, BmW World is a multifunctional complex that includes exhibitions of cars and state-of-the-art technology.

bmw-welt.com

raiSiNg THe MaYpole The Bavarian tradition of ushering in a successful year is toasted with maiboch beer, a strong, golden lager. April 30loNg NigHT oF MUSiC 100 city locations offer everything from church music to blues, flamenco and hip-hop, with special buses to shuttle you between gigs. April 28. €15

HiGHliGHts

SPRING EVENTS

3 must-see PlACes

take home a little bit of munichit’s traditional to bring your own picnic to enjoy on a warm, summer evening with the house beer. This might contain home-made Obatzda cheese dip, emmental, radishes, pretzels, ham and sausages, presented on a checked table-cloth and eaten from wooden boards. But most beer gardens also serve food, such as Wurstsalat (sliced sausage in vinaigrette), Leberkäse (meat loaf) and Steckerlfisch (small fish, barbecued on skewers)

To see online, go to schloesser-bayern-shop.de

or call 0049 8917 889670

THe SpleNDoUr oF oTToBeUreN aBBeY iS a Major Draw For Uk TraVellerS To THe MeDieVal CiTY oF MeMMiNgeN aND iTS TraNqUil CoUNTrYSiDe

Pomp and circumstance

s

Memmingen and the nearby towns of Bad Grönenbach

and Ottobeuren are in the lower allgäu, a rolling landscape that lies north of the allgäu alps and their peaks and palaces. since ryanair has been flying to memmingen, there has been a temptation to see this region as only a gateway to munich, 100 miles away. But tourists thinking thus would be missing a trove of treasures and pleasures.

The 8th century Benedictine abbey of Ottobeuren has a Basilica

regarded as the apex of Baroque architecture in southern Germany, together with a library and museum housing a millennium’s worth of art and culture. People come the world over to see its architecture and perhaps stay to hear the celebrated organ concerts which are given every saturday until November.

Bad GRöNENBaCH is on a ’spa route’ which runs from Überlingen on lake constance to Bad Wörishofen, a journey through lush countryside with stop-overs at superb

hotels devoted to beauty and health regimes. many travellers seek in particular the ‘Kneipp cure’ of hydrotherapy, named after a 19th century priest and founder of naturopathy who was born hereabouts

memmingen dates back to the roman empire, and its old town of castles, palaces, merchants’ houses and ancient fortifications is among the best preserved in Germany. it has been called ‘The Town of Human rights’ because the first articles of such in europe were written down here in 1525. »

Only an hour’s drive from memmingen, on the a7 autobahn, is ludwig ii’s Neuschwanstein, the most famous castle in the world (after Buckingham Palace)

KiNG OF THe casTles

Work of art von Karajan and leonard Bernsteinhave given concerts in the marvellous Basilica ofOttobeuren abbey, a blinding dazzle of marble,frescoes, stucco cherubs and white walls

08

W W W. B ava r i a N -a l P s . T r av e ls

09legolaND ®Take the kids to legoland, an area as big as 26 football pitches. Wander through cities built of leGO, then make your own robot. Günzburg. legoland.de

walleNSTeiN FeSTiValThoroughly enjoyable pageant of 17th century weaponry and clothes that celebrates albrecht von Wallenstein making memmingen an imperial city – an event in the incomprehensible 30 years War. more than 4,000 locals take part. Memmingen Markplatz. July 29-Aug 5

kNeipp THerapYa century and more after sebastian Kneipp’s death, his naturopathic

regimens, using

water as a

bodily stimulus, are still widely practised.Bad Grönenbach and other Allgäu towns.

More HigHligHTS

Memmingen has a largely intact medieval old town and you

get a strong sense of what it must have been like in the 15th and 16th centuries from its historic market Place.

The surrounding architecture is a mixture of Gothic and Baroque, with decorated rococo

jolly pilgrims MEMMINGEN 1. eNgelkeller

‘eat and sleep as if in heaven,’ gushes this hotel-restaurant. We might not go that far, but this is all-round, top quality. engelkeller.de

Bad GRöNENBaCH2. ZUM koHleNSCHieBer

Beer brewed by monks at andechs monastery is among the attractions of this marketplace café, along with home-made cakes at tea-time.

kohlenschieber.de

3. kUrCaFé NeUMair aM kUrpark attractive hotel and restaurant, whose garlanded cuisine is popular with spa tourists. kurcafe.net

ILLERBEUREN4. reSTaUraNT MUSeUM-

gaSTHaUS groMerHoF a half-timbered building near the Farming museum. regional dishes feature wild garlic, venison, noodles and dumplings, with local beer and cider. Try Hochzeitssuppe, or ‘Wedding-feast’ soup. gromerhof.de

ISNY5. HoTel HoHe-liNDe

Only 50 minutes from memmingen on the way to lake constance, this highly attractive yet affordable hotel has a restaurant worth seeking out.

hotel-hohe-linde.de

5 reCommended restAurAnts

m e m m i N G e N & T H e a l lGäu

villas, lofty merchants’ houses and the church of st martin’s with Gothic choir-stalls. Do not miss the siebendacherhaus, or ‘House with seven roofs’, on lindentorstrasse, an ancient tanning salon (but for fur).

CRoSS THE oLd corn market, the schrannenplatz, whose wheat and rye supplied Bavaria, and make for the Weinhaus Zum Goldenen löwen (Golden lion), where you can settle down outside, snack on fresh pretzels with rock salt (brez’n) and drink an alpkönig brewed locally by memminger, one of Bavaria’s great private breweries.

move on to the Kreuzherrnkirche, the ‘Knights’ church, another Baroque gem. enthusiasts of church architecture will find much to engage them here. Throughout Germany there are ‘pilgrimage’ routes trod by followers of certain saints, and the Way of st James passes through memmingen.

sKy’s THe limiTThe allgäu skyline Park is an amuse-ment park catering for children but with some serious rides for adults, notably the sky Wheel, a roller-coaster that rises vertically to almost 50 metres and then loops backwards,

leaving riders upside-down and restrained only by

a waist-harness. The ‘Humpty Bump lift’, it’s nicknamed.Near Bad Wörishofen, on the A96 Munich-Lindau.

alpine Rock a beer event organised by memminger brewery, featuring the musicians of alpen rebellen, aka ‘alpine rebels’

THe roaD To MeMMiNgeN iS paVeD wiTH CHUrCHeS

GAstRonomY

FLY TO THE ALPSONLY

90 MINUTESRYANAIR TO MEMMINGEN

FROM LONDON STANSTED AND MANCHESTER

FANTASTIC MOUNTAINS,

CASTLES, SPAS AND THE BEST BEER IN

THE WORLDALL ON OUR DOORSTEP

ALLGÄU AIRPORT MEMMINGEN

www.allgaeu-airport.de/english

[email protected]

TOUR BAVARIA

WITH STEBER*

DO THE ALPS – THE STEBER WAY

NO HIRE CAR,

NO MAPS,

NO HASSLE!

We’ll pick you up from your

Ryanair flight at Allgäu Airport

Memmingen, then show you all the sights Bavaria

can offer. Or just deliver you safely

to your hotel

*Est. 1927

www.allgaeu-airport-express.de

Allgäu Airport Memmingen is just off the main

autobahn to Munich

Snowy mountains, dark-blue lakes and meadows of an impossibly deep

green; ancient monasteries and medieval houses with intricate, painted facades; vertiginous gorges and flower-decked paths – this is the land immortalised in paint by the 20th century expressionists who took root here.

Germany’s tallest mountain, the Zugspitze, gives its name to an enchanted region encompassing the resorts of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, murnau and Oberammergau, and beyond, to the ammergau and Karwendel alps and the high, picturesque town of mittenwald.

Here is where eccentric ludwig ii built one of his three palaces,schloss linderhof, and reenacted scenes from the operas of his hero, richard Wagner.

The castle park contains a grotto where ludwig was rowed on an underground lake lit in red, green and blue by the new invention of electricity. at Garmisch lived another famous composer, richard strauss, whose villa on the Zöppritzstrasse becomes the focus of activity every June during the festival in his honour.

IN SUMMER, after spring snow has melted, the Zugspitze is a grand place for walking or (its more athletic relation) hiking. you

THe BaVariaN alpS are aT THeir MoST MajeSTiC iN THiS regioN BorDeriNg aUSTria


pretty as a picture (Clockwise, from top left): münter’s Above the Staffelsee captures the landscape near murnau; roadside shrines are not uncommon in catholic Bavaria; a sun terrace on the Zugspitze; hiking with Nordic poles in the ammergau alps

paiNTerS' paraDiSe iN MUrNaU

Z u G s P i T Z e

10

s

eaT aND DriNk6 toP PlACes

can meander through scented alpine pastures, or avail yourself of the many cable-cars and ascend to steep, rugged trails. One of the more challenging hikes is in Höllentalklamm Gorge, which was inaccessible to the public until 1900. its english name is Hell valley.

liquid refreshment is never far away. Dotted around the countryside are restaurants and beer gardens that succour the weary traveller, whether on foot, bicycle or by car. See our list opposite

high pointGermany’s

murNau, on lake staffelsee, lies between munich and

the great Zugspitze resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. it’s become famous through its connection with the early 20th century group of expressionists known as Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue rider), named after a famous work by Wassily Kandinsky.

They were inspired by the local landscapes in the foothills of the alps, a region of mountains and lakes often painted by Kandinsky and his mistress, Gabriele münter. The painter Franz marc christened it the ‘Blue land’ because of the atmospheric blues captured when the skies

suffuse the mountain peaks. Today, you can visit the house

in murnau shared by münter and Kandinsky, simply called the münterhaus. The town and environs still have a lively art scene, with several studios and galleries. Three local museums convey the full German expressionist experience: the schlossmuseum murnau, the Franz marc museum in Kochel am see, and the splendid Buchheim museum on the banks of lake starnberg.

you can also tread the routes taken by the Blue riders. murnau is 30kms from the romantic road, the most scenic highway in all Germany, with many picturesque byways. But do combine your explorations with a ferry trip across the staffelsee to alpenblick in uffing, a very popular beer garden. you won’t be disappointed.

seerestaurant-alpenblick.de

Dotted around the countryside are restaurants and beer gardens

11

»12

HeiMgarTeN near MurnauPerched on top of Hagen mountain, this magnificently appointed beer garden boasts panoramic views of murnau moor.

0049 8841 1414

CaFe HaBerSeTZer Grafenaschaua welcome stop-off on the long hiking/bike route through murnau moor. Home-baked cakes a specialty cafe-habersetzer.deOpen May – September

kreUT-alM Grossweilin the tranquil loisachtal valley, it looks out onto magical lake Kochel. very crowded at weekends kreutalm.de

SoNNalpiN ZugspitzeJust beneath the summit of Germany’s highest mountain, this has a famous terrace where you can view 400 other Bavarian peaks zugspitze.de/en

ÄHNDl RamsachHighly-rated place, at the ‘gateway’ to murnau moor, and thus a good starting-point for a hiking trip. excellent Karg wheat-beer

0049 8841 5241

HoTel MaxiMiliaN Oberammergaureally top-notch food. The beer garden, with its view of the ammergau alps, serves excellent maxbräu, brewed on the premises maximilian-oberammergau.de

W W W. B ava r i a N -a l P s . T r av e ls Z u G s P i T Z e

5-stAr loCAl sights

1 Ettal abbey World-famous Benedictine abbey, close to Oberammergau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with its own distillery, brewery and cheese factory. abtei.kloster-ettal.de

2 The passion play since it began in 1634, Oberammergau has staged biblical tableaux every decade on a year ending in zero. The next is in 2020. passionplay-oberammergau.com

3 Mittenwald violin Museum The international reputation of mittenwald as a maker of stringed instruments is enshrined at the Geigenbaumuseum.

geigenbaumuseum-mittenwald.de

Twin peaks The combined villages of Garmisch and Partenkirchen (GaPa) comprise Germany’s top alpine resort.

Partenkirchen is full of olde worlde charm. sophisticated Garmisch (above) gets going as its neighbour heads to bed

ADVENTURES IN FAIRYLANDKarwendel Hike THroUgH leUTaSCH gorgeThe leutaschklamm, just south of mittenwald, is best seen from the Geisterklammweg, a walkway which winds for several hundred metres above a dizzying plunge to the stream below.

ammergau alps walkiNg THe MeDiTaTioN Trailan 85kms journey through the ammer valley, an area of outstanding beauty, to linderhof Palace, close to ettal abbey. The full route may take 5-7 days.

kiTCHeN CUrioa culinary curiosity of the alpenwelt Karwendel is making sweet food as a main course. Germknödel are big dumplings of yeasty dough filled with Powidl - a dark, plum paste. They are

cooked over steam, and should be firm out-

side, fluffy inside, and served hot with melted but-ter, poppy seeds and icing sugar.

lAnDmARks

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Garmisch-partenkirchen ZUgSpiTZe aND alpSpiTZeTo explore Germany’s highest mountain (2,962m), get a train in Garmisch to the Zugspitzblatt, near the top, and thence by gondola to the summit. The alpspiX, a scary viewing platform on the alpspitze, teeters over a 1,000m drop.

Comfort foodTop riB-STiCkerS, BeST eNjoYeD wiTH Beer

Although Bavaria has many sophisticated restaurants, especially

in and around munich and resorts like Garmisch-Partenkirchen, authentic cooking tends to be hearty, as in rural Britain. in Bavaria, it’s typified by the many kinds of sausages, especially the glory that is white veal sausage (Weisswurst).

veal is a common meat dish, usually roasted and often served with sauerkraut, or pickled green cabbage. Noodles and dumplings (Knödel) are also a staple. Otherwise, bread and pastries are highly important to Bavarians, as are pretzels, which they claim to have invented, and there are more than 400 different cheeses.

Pasta, such as Spätzle, softer and moister than the italian version, and the ravioli-like Maultaschen, is especially popular in the lower allgäu.

6 foods to enjoy

• Schweinshaxe Pork knuckle, sometimes a deep red colour from salt-curing, that can be roasted, grilled or boiled in sauerkraut.

• Semmelknödel Bread dumplings the size of tennis balls, containing eggs, onions, milk and seasoning.

• Schupfnudeln Gnocchi-like noodles that resemble fat fingers. usually served as side dishes, but sometimes as dessert, when drenched in cinnamon sugar.

• Hefezopf a long loaf made of sweet, yeasty dough whose ends are often braided to form a wreath. such breads are popular at easter.

• Kartoffelsuppe Potato soup, with crispy bacon and grilled onions added, often accompanied by sausages such as Bockwurst.

• Krapfen sweet or savoury pastries which are deep-fried. a flat, doughnut version is called Ausgezogene. Delicious.

eAtinG

preTZel logiCThe ideal pretzel should have a dark-brown, crispy crust and be soft inside. it’s often topped with salt or sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds. Before baking, the dough is dipped in sodium hydroxide and water to impart its distinctive flavour.

W W W. B ava r i a N -a l P s . T r av e lc H i e m Gaus

15

HerreNiNsel and its grandiose palace is undoubtedly the chiemsee’s greatest attraction, but there’s much else to see, notably the tiny, neighbouring island of Fraueninsel, whose 8th century Benedictine convent still operates.

The onion-shaped dome of its chapel rises over the landscape, with the alps behind. Gardens belonging to owners of second homes are lovingly tended. at the inselwirt restaurant, try the grilled trout, freshly caught. it’s pretty perfect.

The shipping company, chiemsee schifffahrt, runs ferryboats from Prien to the islands and other towns dotted around the lake, such as Gstadt, seebruck, chieming, Übersee-Feldwies and Bernau-Felden.

its special cruises feature music. One in august focuses on star-gazing. another recommendation, the Chiemseer G’schicht’n (Tales of chiemsee), is a three-hour guided tour. it costs €22pp.

chiemsee-schifffahrt.de

The Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake at around 80 square kilometres, is

where the inhabitants of munich choose to escape city-life for a spot of r&r, whether windsurfing, fishing and boating, or hiking and biking in the hills nearby.

as a result, there’s a fair bit of sophistication around chiemsee (pronounced ‘Keem-say’). One of europe’s finest hotel-restaurants, the residenz Heinz Winkler, is only seven miles from the lake, in aschau, close to the a8 autobahn from munich to salzburg in austria.

Tourists, however, come principally to see the stupendous Herrenchiemsee, the palace built by ludwig ii, but never completed, on Herreninsel, an island in the lake. construction on this third and last of ludwig’s fantasy castles threatened to bankrupt Bavaria. Work continued from 1878 to 1885, but the king stayed there only nine days before his drowning the following year, after a psychiatric test found him unfit to rule. Herrenchiemsee was then left to the public.

IT WaS INTENdEd to be a Bavarian versailles and, even unfinished, it’s testimony to a magnificent obsession. it has a kitschy, gold-filigreed interior, and a Hall of mirrors, the Grosse spiegelgalerie, even bigger than versailles’ – one which would have been lit every night by almost 2,000 candles. in one room, a cuckoo clock strikes the hour not with a bird but a tiny louis Xiv. it’s easy to mock, hard not to be impressed.

you can catch the chiemsee-schifffahrt ferryboat to Herreninsel from Prien, the chiemsee’s biggest resort town, or from a ferry landing at stock, 20 minutes’ walk away, where every kind of boat regularly plies the lake. a narrow-gauge steam train links stock to the main train station in Prien.

many come here for what is slightly jokingly called ‘the Bavarian sea’, but not far away is the other destination. The splendid chiemgau alps, the twin peaks of Hochfelln and Hochgern, the Kampenwand, sonntagshorn and Geigelstein, offer walkers and cyclists numerous trails (and trials, though no mountain is higher than 2,000 metres). in these foothills, between the rivers inn and Traun, activity freaks can enjoy golf, horse-riding, gliding, rafting, paragliding, hang-gliding, trips by balloon, even inline skating.

Two of the most beautiful mountain towns are ruhpolding and inzell. ruhpolding hosts the annual biathlon championships, in skiing and rifle-shooting. inzell has the world’s most modern ice-skating rink, the max aicher arena. Both are pleasant places just to sit and have a beer.

and there are many excellent local beers here. The great breweries include Wieninger, Hofbräuhaus Traunstein, Kiesel, schnitzlbaumer, Bürgerbräu, Wochinger and schlossbrauerei stein. eleven breweries from chiemgau have been nominated for national and international awards. so good beer-hunting! »

ViSiTiNg lakelaNDChiemsee’s special cruises

ludwig stayed only nine days before his drowning, after a psychiatric test found him unfit to rule

Messing about in boats many people keep small boats at chiemsee, but the lake also has a yacht club and serious

sailing events featuring ‘soling’, a class of keelboat that competes at the Olympics

14

Herrenchiemsee The palace built by King ludwig ii was intended as a replica of versailles,

with gold-encrusted rooms (inset). it sits amid chestnut and maple forests on Herreninsel island

fantasy islandopUleNT, BewiTCHiNg aND qUiTe MaD – THe STraNge STorY oF BaVaria’S VerSailleS

Munich

Passau

Deggendorf

landshut

lindau Königssee

THE BodENSEE-KöNIGSSEE

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

s c H i e m Gau

3 loCAl eventsHiGHliGHts

GiviNG us THe FiNGerin alpine Bavaria, men and boys alike love nothing more than a spot of Fingerhakeln, or finger-wrestling. Two contestants sit on opposite sides of a ta-ble and thread their fingers into a strap. at a signal, they pull until one yanks the other across the middle of the table.

Fingerhakeln was once used to settle disputes. Now, apparently, it’s a sport. Pull the other one.

peace time This sweeping view, towards the distant chapel of st Nikolaus, is in inzell, a much sought-after resort, where many outdoor activities can be accessed free with a special inzell card. On June 16, this sports-mad place will host a one-day hike through chiemgau and Berchtesgadener land called ‘24 hours of Bavaria’. start and finish line is the max aicher arena. inzell.de

RUHpoLdINGgore-Tex TraNSalpiNe-rUNat this 8th annual event, runners from 25 nations race for 320kms across the alps, from ruhpolding to sesto in italy’s alto adige. There are 250 teams of two runners each. Sept.1-8. transalpine-run.com

ST. george’S riDeOn the first sunday in every september, almost 200 native-bred horses, primarily coldbloods, Haflingers and Pinzgauers, are paraded through ruhpolding. The ceremony has its roots in the 16th century, when owners asked God to bless their horses.Sept. 2. ruhpolding.de

aLTöTTINGa town with a shrine to a ‘Black madonna’ that’s the German equivalent of lourdes, especially at Pentecost, when thousands converge for a candle-lit procession. The current Pope, Benedict Xvi, was born in nearby marktl, so this is a popular day trip from ruhpolding and inzellPentecost: May 27

Saddle up in German, ‘bicycle’ is Fahrrad (wheels that drive) or just Rad (wheel). a bike path is Radweg, a ‘wheelway’. armed

with this basic knowledge and our map, you can set off

THE BodENSEE-KöNIGSSEE

From lindau on lake constance (or Bodensee), the route winds east, through the rolling landscape of the allgäu, with picture-postcard views of the famous Zugspitze and castle Neuschwanstein, and via Bad Tolz to the lakes of Tegernsee, schliersee and chiemsee. From Traunstein, in the heart of chiemgau, you navigate the wonderful alpine scenery of Berchtesgaden National Park to the ‘King’s lake’, near the austrian border.

leNgTH 418kmsHighlights Bavaria’s most scenic cycle route, with many delightful, red-roofed villages, health resorts and beer gardens.difficulty strenuous. Hilly terrain, steep climbs and descents. mostly on minor, paved roads (Landstrassen), with little heavy traffic.

THE ISaR another cycle path that roughly follows a river, this time the isar, which begins high in the Karwendel mountains by scharnitz, and then flows northeast through the isarwinkel region, scene of an historic Bavarian revolt against the Habsburgs. The road passes through the lakeland resorts of ammersee, starnberg and Tegernsee, and on and through munich to its erstwhile rival, landshut. it ends in Deggendorf, ‘gateway’ to the Bavarian Forest.

leNgTH 300kmsHighlights apart from munich, the nature reserve Pupplinger au, southwest of the capital: 7kms of lovely lowland forest.difficulty moderate. mostly on riverside, car-free paths or hilly roads.

THE INN allow at least a week for this, should you wish to cycle the complete route that skirts the river inn from its source in switzerland, through austria’s Tyrol and finally to Passau in southeast Bavaria. The landscape is formed by meadows and gentle hills that lie in the shade of the alps, and you encounter many picturesque old towns, churches and market squares. a good choice for a family holiday, perhaps.

leNgTH 530kms including Switzerland and austriaHighlights The pilgrimage town of altötting (see p.16) and the european Nature reserve near Passau.difficulty Fairly flat and easy.But touring and mountain bikes still recommended.

Cycling through BavariaTHree loNg-DiSTaNCe Bike roUTeS

There are well over 100 long-distance bike routes in Bavaria, though some cover only 30kms at best. Most are interconnected.

Cycle tourism is important to Bavaria, and these trails are generally well-marked See bayerninfo.de/vib/rad


THE ISaR

THE INN

for more information on these cycle routes visit bavarian-alps.travel/en/bavarias-long-distance-cycle-routes

16 17TraDiTioNal iNNSAll beers are brewed locally

RUHpoLdINGwiNDBeUTelgrÄFiNHistoric farmhouse restaurant, with a famous dessert (above): the ‘lohengrin cream puff’, a huge pastry in the shape of a swan, with a cherry cream filling windbeutelgraefin.de

INZELLkaMiN BeiSl The ‘chimneys Pub’: cosy, quaint, with a good regional menu kaminbeisl.de

gaSTHoF raUSCHBergBliCkNamed after nearby rauschberg mountain, this has a decent beer garden, serving home-made bacon and liver dumplings. Guests stay in cute wooden huts, and there’s a Finnish log sauna rauschbergblick.de

ForSTHaUS aDlgaSSin an ancient building (c.1465), the ‘Forest House’ belongs to the ‘slow Food’ movement and has a cracking, organic cuisine. convenient, too, for alpine walks forsthaus-adlgass.de

rosenheim

Surrender to nature at the

Bio-AKtiv hotel ChiemgAuer hof

HHHH

Tradition meets Design at

AlPenhotel WittelsBACh

HHH s

Make your tour base the

AlPenhotel gAstAger, inZell

HHH

REadER oFFER

4 NIGHTS including Buffet breakfast • a drink on

arrival in Gillitzer’s beer garden • a four-course dinner • our

guest card provides free access to museums, transport and the

vita-alpina Wellness Bath

€179pp

REadER oFFER

3 NIGHTS All-inclusiveChoice of touring the local brewery, lunching at our

beer garden, or a candlelit hotel dinner

from €201pp

Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when bookingPlease quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking

To BooK SEE

[email protected]

0049 8665 6720

To BooK SEE

[email protected]

0049 8665 6700

To BooK SEE

wittelsbach.eu and look for ‘Short Break’0049 8663 4173870

2 0 1 2 H oT E L d I R E CTo RY

cHiemGau

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a charming and affordable hotel, right in the centre of the resort town of inzell and the beautiful alpine region of chiemgau. it’s perfect for day trips to Lake Chiemsee and the famous beauty spot of Berchtesgaden, while Mozart’s Salzburg is only 30kms. away.

a member of the Small Elegant Hotels, we are a 19thc, alpine-style hotel in the heart of ruhpolding. a hotel should be an oasis in everyday life, and we pride ourselves on our personal touch with guests, who have come for many years to enjoy anja and marcus’s hospitality and local outdoor activities.

The first thing to be said is that the Purity law of 1516

insists that beer brewed in Germany can contain only water, malt, hops and yeast. yet the result is a medley of highly complex aromas and tastes across an astonishing spectrum.

The second is the influence of changing seasons. in spring, when it’s still too cold to enjoy a stein outdoors in the beer garden, the beers of choice are bocks – Bockbier and Doppelbock: strong, malty and warming.

These beers are produced in march, during the ‘strong Beer season’ (Starkbierzeit), a tradition begun by 17th century Paulaner monks brewing what they called ‘Holy

Father Beer’ (Sankt Vater Bier). in lent, when fasting monks were only allowed liquids, this developed into a dark beer style called ‘salvator’ that was ‘double’ strong (doppel). salvator is still brewed today.

IN apRIL beer gardens open for

Bavarian Beer Week and an opportunity to try many different

beers. munich also holds its Frühlingsfest

(april 20-may 6), a scaled-down version of the famous Oktoberfest that marks the end of the strong Beer season. Then in may appears maibock, still strong yet golden in colour. as days grow warmer, indeed, beers get lighter.

munich’s traditional lager is Hell or Helles, which means ‘light’ – a reference

to its pale appearance, not its hefty alcoholic strength. But the most popular beer now is undoubtedly Weissbier, a wheat-based ale with a typically tall, creamy head.

it’s said that Bavaria now brews more than 1,000 kinds of ‘white beer’, including a foamy, unfiltered style called Hefeweizen (‘yeast-wheat’). When specially filtered, this is marketed as Kristallweizen and is very effervescent, so much so that it is sometimes served chilled in a tall glass and called champagnerweizen, or ‘champagne wheat’.

One other classic style is Dunkel, a ‘dark’ beer made with barley, which has a soft, firm taste sometimes described as ‘nutty-sweet’. it goes well with typically hearty Bavarian food: dumplings, venison cooked with fruit, a pork knuckle or Jägerschnitzel, a cutlet in mushroom sauce. equally, you could say it’s a meal on its own.

the home of beer• The world’s

oldest breweries are Bavarian.

• Tankards have hinged-lids because of 16th century laws to protect against flies during the Bubonic Plague.

• many breweries are called Gambrinus, for the mythical ‘king of beer’.

• To leave space for the ‘head’, German beer glasses are made taller than the volume poured.

BeerOlOGy

Beer iS ‘liqUiD BreaD’, BaVariaNS SaY. THaT’S How iMporTaNT iT iS To THeM

Bavaria now brews more than 1,000 kinds of ‘white beer’, or weissbier

Bavarian Beer Week includes tastings,brewing demos and hikes to beer gardens


a environmentally-friendly hotel in an area of outstanding beauty, with an accent on organic food, children’s entertainment and leisure activities: biking, hiking and speed-skating at the inzell ice-rink. Spa facilities include a sauna, steam-bath, cosmetic treatments and massage.

REadER oFFER

Including Use of indoor pool • FREE

admission to local facilities with the INZELL Card plus

€43 pp per day

IN a doUBLE RooM


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Relax to the manor born Enjoy authentic cuisine at

»dAs KrAnZBACh« allgäu resorthelios business &

health hotel

HHHH s HHHH s

Michelin-approved food at Fly high at

The real Bavaria at

reindl’s PArtenKirChener

hof

AirPort hotel Berger’s PArK

HHHHH HHH s

HHH s

Dine in fine style at Your holiday starts at

WohlfÜhlhotel ortnerhof, ruhPolding

dreXel’s PArKhotel

HHHH HHHH

Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when bookingPlease quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when bookingPlease quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking

To BooK SEE

[email protected]

0049 8863 88230

To BooK SEE

[email protected]

0049 8331 9320

To BooK SEE

[email protected]

0049 8823 928 000

To BooK SEE

allgaeu-resort.de0049 8334 5346 500

REadER oFFER

4 NIGHTS including 5-course dinner • a bottle of

fine Riesling by Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt • a spectacular

tour by train and cable-car of the Zugspitze mountain

€320pp

REadER oFFER

7 NIGHTS including double room • Gourmet dining • Use of extensive

spa facilities with massage • FREE or reduced entry to

many local attractions

from €565pp vaLId TILL ENd 2012

REadER oFFER

2 NIGHTS including double room • Breakfast that

includes a novel lesson in how to make your own white

sausage, the famous veal Weisswurst, which is served to you with a pretzel and a beer

€156pp

memmiNGeNcHiemGau ZuGsPiTZe

REadER oFFER• a Romantic package, including breakfast, candlelit dinner and

organised tours of the abbey, Bavarian castles and allgäuer observatory2 nights, €179.99 pp. in a double

• Brewery Guided Tour and Tasting (min.10 adults), with 2 nights in a comfortable double room with

breakfast €189.99pp

REadER oFFER

Small double €86 a night + €10 breakfast

Large double €89 a night + €10 breakfast

To BooK SEE

hirsch-ottobeuren.de 0049 8332 79677

To BooK SEE

airport-hotel-bergers-park.de/eng 0049 8331 92514

Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking

Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking

a contemporary, stylish hotel, close by allgäu airport and its Ryanair flights from the uK, but still peaceful.

a chic, country house hotel, originally built by a British aristocrat, which has incredible wellness facilities and a tranquil location in a protected alpine valley, only an hour from munich. you can borrow bicycles and hiking poles, and enjoy Pilates, aqua-aerobics, outdoor yoga and meditation.

a small, family-run hotel, with excellent spa, indoor pool facilities and food praised for its authenticity by the Eurotoque association of chefs. it’s right on a golf course, with others easily accessible, and ideal for hiking and biking.

a traditional, family-run hotel, close to Germany’s highest mountain, with an indoor pool, steam bath, Finnish sauna, bio-sauna, ice fountain, massage room and gym. marianne Holzinger’s upscale Bavarian cuisine earns a Bib-Gourmand from Michelin.

Our affordable, mod-cons hotel in the heart of memmingen is an ideal location for exploring this historic old town. it’s only 10 minutes’ walk from bus andtrains, and 6kms from the airport.We have a traditional beer garden, piano bar and a pleasant park to the rear.

a hotel with a micro-brewery attached producing terrific local beers. We are 10kms from allgäu airport, in the market square of Ottobeuren, a charming village with an internationally famous 8th century abbey. Free underground car parking.

BrAuerei hotel hirsCh, ottoBeuren

To BooK SEE

reindls.de and look for ‘Short Break’

008821 943870

REadER oFFER

4 NIGHTS includingdouble room • Buffet

breakfast • Traditional Bavarian three-course dinner

with beer • Entrance to the farm museum Illerbeuren

and its beer garden

€299pp

REadER oFFER

3 NIGHTS includingBreakfast buffet • afternoon tea • 5-course dinner • FREE

deep relaxation massage€484 pp Mary Portman double

€514 pp Garden wing double

vaLId apRIL 15 - MaY 25 2012


Our thoroughly modernised hotel, allgäu resort, Bad Grönenbach (15kms from allgäu airport) offers excellent spa and sport facilities. enjoy high-quality, regional food in our Weitblick restaurant and try traditional Bavarian and swabian specialities in our popular beer garden.

22 23


Enjoy sophisticated life at

hotel vier jAhresZeiten

stArnBerg

HHHH s

A great city-centre base at the

mAritim hotel muniCh

HHHH

Feel the buzz of the

Angelo design hotel

HHHH

Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when bookingPlease quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking Please quote ‘Bavarian Alps 2012’ when booking

To BooK SEE

angelo-munich.com0049 89189 0860

To BooK SEE

[email protected] 8955 2350

REadER oFFER

2 NIGHTS including Breakfast • Beer vouchers • 3-day City Tour Card for

FREE public transport

€133pp IN a doUBLE RooM€184 SINGLE USE

muNicH

REadER oFFER

a WEEKENd paCKaGE including

Breakfast • Beer vouchers • Three days’ FREE travel

with a City Tour Card (This includes discounts at over 30 tourist attractions, such as the BMW Museum and

Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich)

€169 IN a doUBLE RooM

Subject to availability

a cool, contemporary hotel, well-located 3kms from munich’s marienplatz citycentre. it has 146 rooms, with a restaurant, lobby barwith open fireplace and off-site fitness centre with spa and pool.

Fine-dining in Oliv’s restaurant at this hotel in the beautiful Five lakes area, close to the watersports of Lake Starnberg but only 20 minutes from munich. spa facilities include a Finnish sauna, steam bath and sun terrace.

a comfortable, first-class hotel, noted for its tranquillity, yet centrally located near munich’smain rail station and shopping.spa facilities comprise a top-floor pool, sauna, steam bath, fitness room and a solarium with views across the city.

REadER oFFER

2 NIGHTS including Breakfast • 3-course dinner in

oliv’s restaurant • Sausage and beer at the Hofbräuhaus • Use

of the wellness facilities • FREE admission to the great museums

of Munich and Lake Starnberg

€179pp IN a doUBLE RooM€309 SINGLE USE

To BooK SEE

vier-jahreszeiten-starnberg.com0049 8151/4470-0

W W W. B ava r i a N -a l P s . T r av e lComPetition

the Brauereihotel hirsch is right on the marketplace of lovely ottobeuren,

near the Abbey’s celebrated Basilica hirsch-ottobeuren.de

fly on ryanair to Allgäu Airport memmingen, from where you will be taken by Allgäu-

Airport-express to your superior three-star hotel, which has its own micro-brewery

YoUR WEEKENd INCLUdES• A PrivAte tour of the BreWery • A sPeCiAl triP to sPeCtACulAr CAstle neusChWAnstein*• sight-seeing At World-fAmous ottoBeuren ABBey • A journey to the heArt of BAvAriA

visit the picturesque valleys and mountains around oberstdorf

Win A holidAy for tWo

For details of the competition, please visit bavarian-alps.travel/competition. Closing date for entry is midnight, May 6, 2012. The prize is valid from May 16 until November 2, 2012.*Subject to availability

see the PAlACe WhiCh insPired disney’s ‘sleePing BeAuty’3 nights’ B&B in A hotel With its oWn BreWery!

bavarian alps in southern germany - ebrochure 2012

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