Garmisch

High above the ancient towns and fairy tale castles of Garmisch and Partenkirchen, is Germany's most famous ski area. Garmisch hosted the Winter Olympics in 1936 and is still a World Cup venue. It is perched on the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, an hour from Munich and right on the Tyrolean border. The skiing begins on a glacier, which is reached by a long, picturesque train journey, followed by a cable car ride which, unusually, brings skiers down to the slopes. There is a good mix of terrain from cruising to steeper bowl skiing, off-piste and gladed runs on the lower slopes. The ski pass covers 28 lifts at Garmisch and the neighbouring ski areas of Wank, Eckbauer, Kreuzeck and Alpspitz.