Munich and the Alps

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is a handsome city full of grand squares, cobbled streets and majestic old buildings. Lufthansa recently launched nonstop service from Denver, featuring its new A380s—with wider seats, more leg room and a smoother ride.

Powderhounds can hop on a train from the airport directly to the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. Others may want to spend a few days in Munich, which is magical in winter. 

Nobody does Christmas like Munich—with more than 20 Christmas markets in neighborhoods all over the city. Sizzling sausages. Fragrant gingerbread. Roasting chestnuts and sweet-spicy Glühwein (mulled wine). The largest, oldest and most famous is the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz—bustling and festive with a 90-foot-high Christmas tree towering above. 

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Munich offers plenty of wintery delights beyond its famed Christmas markets. Julia Bischoff, director of publicity at the Charles Hotel, recommends Nymphenburg Palace. When word spreads that the castle garden’s canal has frozen, locals gather for skating, hockey and curling. 

Grab a hot coffee at the Palmenhaus, rent a curling stone and have a game on one of 40-plus pop-up curling lanes. Bigger than New York’s Central Park, the English Garden has a special vibe when it is covered with snow. You can find surfers riding river waves (Eisbachwelle) there—even in freezing temperatures. Rent a wetsuit and give it a try.

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Afterward, warm up with savory soup at Fräulein Grüneis’ kiosk or cocoa at Milchhäusl, famous for its organic menu and heated ski-gondola seating. The open-air Mini-Hofbräuhaus in the English Garden serves simple food and good beer, but the big draw here is the cheesecake, baked fresh every day from the owner’s great-grandmother’s recipe.

Munich is serious beer country, and the local favorite is weissbier, a flavorful, cloudy brew. Munich Tourist Board’s Maximillian Berger says that “winter is the perfect tavern season,” and, indeed, many restaurants have the spirit of a boisterous beer hall full of camaraderie. You might hear anything from oom-pah-pah to sing-along tunes like Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. 

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Where to Dine

In the shadow of soaring Munich Cathedral of Our Lady, brewery-restaurant Bratwurst Glöckl am Dom is an amiable place that specializes in delectable pinky-sized sausages, charcoal-grilled and served with tangy sauerkraut. 

An inn for more than 400 years, Weinhaus Neuner serves haute Bavarian cuisine and has a well-stocked cellar of German and Austrian vintages. 

Wirtshaus in der Au is a dumpling paradise with a cheerful atmosphere and a younger crowd who love the jazz concerts and learning-to-waltz weekends. 

Hundred-year-old Cafe Luitpold is perfect for a quick lunch (a three-course charcuterie board) or a three-tiered high tea with Champagne. 

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Where to Ski 

Many ski areas in the Bavarian Alps are two hours or less (by train) from Munich. Sudelfeld Bayrischzell is Germany’s largest ski resort and is known for being family friendly.

Aspen-based skiing legend Klaus Obermeyer, who has been skiing for more than 100 years, likes the charming, car-free village of Oberstdorf for its long downhill runs, especially Nebelhorn, which extends 7.5 kilometers (about 4.5 miles) and is Germany’s longest.

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

At the Garmisch Classic ski area on the Zugspitze (high above the clouds near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the quintessential German ski town), Obermeyer recommends the historic Kandahar, one of the steepest and most storied tracks in alpine ski racing history. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, tackle the slopes of the Zugspitze Glacier. The elegant Schloss Elmau sits about 30 minutes from Garmisch and offers alpine ski packages—not only downhill but also cross-country, snowshoeing and snow biking.

Skiing in Austria is equally convenient: It’s two hours from Munich to Salzburg by train, with connections to everywhere in Austria. Carve down the slopes and brave speedy toboggan runs in Innsbruck, an iconic Olympic town encircled by majestic mountains. Village-to-village winter hikes along groomed, well-marked trails are popular with outdoorsy non-skiers.

Epic Pass-holders will be glad to know that Skicircus has joined the 2025-2026 lineup. The resort includes the villages of Saalbach, Hinterflemm, Leogang and Fieberbrunn and offers nearly 170 miles of both family-friendly and challenging runs, night skiing, the longest treetop trail in Europe and a lively après-ski scene. Almost every accommodation is located near a ski lift or slopeside.  

The Austrian Tourist Office’s Sigrid Pichler (an avid skier) notes that Dienten am Hochkönig has nearly 100 miles of pistes and is just an hour from Salzberg, but only the locals seem to know about it. For cross-country skiing, she recommends Seefeld and suggests stopping for lunch at rustic-chic Alpin Resort Sacher (an outpost of Vienna’s famous Hotel Sacher).

Photo Courtesy of The Charles Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel

Where to Stay

The Charles (Munich) is centrally located and overlooks the Old Botanical Garden. A short walk to museums, galleries and shopping, it has 160 elegant, quiet rooms, suites and family suites and an endlessly accommodating staff. roccofortehotels.com

Schloss Elmau (near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany) is two adjacent hotels—The Retreat and the more luxurious Hideaway. Historic, recently renovated and family friendly, the hotels offer stunning views of the Bavarian Alps from all the rooms and the mountain-top restaurant. Plus, there’s an authentic hammam and Japanese onsen. schloss-elmau.de/en

Alpin Resort Sacher (near Seefeld, Austria): Elisabeth Gürtler (from the family that owns Vienna’s Hotel Sacher) and her team have refurbished this 1950s alpine retreat into a world-class hotel while maintaining its authentic ambience. Guests luxuriate in the elegant Tyrolean restaurant, Winter Garden, wellness-centric spa and natural bathing pond. seefeld.sacher.com/en/

Photo Courtesy of Munich Tourist

Good to Know 

Lufthansa offers daily nonstop flights from Denver to Munich. The Lufthansa Express Bus (about $18) to the city center runs every 20 minutes. A taxi to town costs between $80 and $100. Multiple trains run from the airport to German and Austrian ski resorts. During ski season, many resorts offer shuttle service from the airport to the slopes.

For more information: munich.travel/en; snow-online.com