February 10, 2026, 4:30 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
Not far from the Austrian border lies a small town called Mittenwald. TRAVELBOOK editor Katharina Regenthal vacationed in this Bavarian idyll, surrounded by Alpine peaks. Here, she reveals why she quickly fell in love with this place—and why she believes Mittenwald is a better alternative to nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
A vacation in the snow—that was my idea for a short trip in February. Even as a city kid from Berlin, I’m familiar with snow, but let’s be honest: it’s not the same. I wanted snow-covered mountains, to trek through white forests, and ideally, to go sledding. While searching for a suitable place, my husband mentioned Mittenwald, where he had been as a young boy. Allegedly, I would find exactly what I was looking for there: relaxation, nature, mountains, and snow. I can already tell you this much: I got all that and so much more!
As Beautiful as Garmisch-Partenkirchen, but Much More Pleasant
About two years ago, I vacationed in the area, but not in Mittenwald, rather in the much more well-known Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We stayed at a hotel right by the Zugspitzbahn. The surroundings were truly beautiful, the path to the Zugspitze and, of course, the view from there was wonderful—but it’s simply a tourist magnet. The town center was crowded, the trains were full, and even though Garmisch-Partenkirchen is indeed a pretty place, Mittenwald clearly comes out on top in comparison.
The town is significantly smaller, quieter, and cozier. The brightly painted houses and the view of the white mountain peaks are unique. Plus, it wasn’t particularly crowded. We visited during the Berlin winter holidays. And while the highway was indeed busy on the way there, once we arrived, you wouldn’t have noticed. I can’t say how it is during the Bavarian holidays, but overall, I felt that Mittenwald is still one of those hidden gems that aren’t overrun.
Mountains, Cable Cars, and Perfect Views
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you can quickly reach the Zugspitze; in Mittenwald, there’s the Karwendelbahn, which takes you directly to an altitude of 2,244 meters. From there, you have a magnificent view over Mittenwald and the Alps. On the panoramic circular trail, you can enjoy the perfect view—when we were there, snow covered the path, so only half of it was accessible. But that didn’t diminish the beauty of the mountains at all.
Also within walking distance from Mittenwald is the chairlift that leads to the Kranzberg. The ride in a single seat took about 15 minutes—definitely exciting and a little adventure for a city kid like me. Once at the top, you can refuel at a guesthouse or hike another 20 minutes up a fairly steep path to the summit. Once there, you’re directly opposite the Karwendel Mountains and have a wonderful view.
On the way to Mittenwald, we also passed the beautiful Walchensee.
There’s also a cable car at Walchensee that takes you up to the Herzogstand. The mountain in the Bavarian Prealps offers the ideal view of the lake. But that’s not all. Once at the top, you can see that there’s a small ski area on the “backside,” so to speak. As we trudged through the snow, people of all ages raced past us and down the mountain.
For me, who had never experienced anything like this up close (since vacations usually meant the beach rather than the mountains), it was truly a little highlight. And I’m really no expert when it comes to skiing or winter vacations, but for people who want to save on expensive ski passes and only occasionally hit the slopes, this seems like an affordable alternative.
Mittenwald Is Worth a Visit
But it’s not just the surroundings of Mittenwald that are absolutely worth seeing; the town itself is as well. In the town center, there are numerous brightly painted houses, with white mountain peaks peeking out behind them, and there are plenty of restaurants. We tried several over the four days—and they were all fantastic. You really couldn’t go wrong. As I mentioned, I was on a mission during this vacation. I wanted to experience real snow again after a long time. And I did—my personal highlight!
This community in Bavaria is a real insider tip
This lake is the perfect alternative to the crowded Eibsee.
Perfect Sledding Day
The host of our truly lovely guesthouse gave us a real insider tip for sledding. So we headed to Leutasch in Austria to rent two sleds. We left our old wooden sleds at home, which was definitely the right decision. Because on-site, we could rent two sleds from a ski shop for just five euros a day.
With the sleds in tow, we continued to the Hämmermoosalm sledding track. Advantage: There’s no official sled rental, so it was correspondingly empty. Disadvantage: To sled down from the top, you first have to go up. It was a good two kilometers uphill with sleds to the Alm. And after a little refreshment with a view of the mountains, we headed straight back down. And this sledding track was nothing like the mini-hills in Berlin parks.
Even though I occasionally thought I might end up in the abyss at the next curve, it was truly the best experience in the snow. The ride down felt like it lasted forever, even though I was going at a good speed, and I couldn’t stop laughing (even if it was a mix of joy and panic).
If such a sledding experience is too wild for you, there’s also the option of cross-country skiing around Mittenwald. There’s a roughly 70-kilometer-long trail in the cross-country skiing area of the Seefeld Olympic region. And if you’d rather just watch the athletes, you can also relax in one of the spas.
Conclusion
Mittenwald is definitely worth a visit for anyone who loves the mountains and nature. I especially appreciated the fact that it wasn’t crowded and everything moved at a leisurely pace. If you’re also looking for relaxation but don’t want to miss out on (winter) sports, Mittenwald is the perfect place for you.