This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Oberammergau.
Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany, belongs to the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the federal state of Bavaria. The small town is situated close to the Austrian border in the Bavarian Alps. Around five thousand two hundred people permanently live in Oberammergau, which is a well-known holiday destination for culture and sport lovers. The Oberammergau Passion Play is one of the highlights in the region and the history of this famous play dates back to the seventeenth century. However, the play is only performed repeatedly over the course of five months every ten years. There are several worth-seeing architectural monuments in and around Oberammergau such as the Linderhof Palace, the only castle where King Ludwig II also lived for a couple of years.
Outdoor-sport lovers appreciate the numerous hiking trails in the surrounding mountains. If you like hiking, there are hiking tours for every difficulty level. An easy hiking trail is the Oberammergau Loop Road, which shows you the best of Oberammergau in a very relaxed way. The loop is about eleven kilometres long and it is suitable for hikes all year round. A more difficult trail is from Schleifmühl Gorge to Kolbensattel -- this thirteen-kilometre-long hike leads you up to an elevation of over one thousand three hundred metres. The final reward is the terrace of the Kolbensattel Hut, where you can try out the typical Bavarian food and enjoy the beautiful panorama. The region also is very renowned for woodcarving and handicrafts, a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages. At Pilatushaus, you can observe craftsmen working on their pieces of arts from mid-May to mid-October.
In the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the average maximum temperatures reach around twenty-two degrees Celsius in summer. In winter, you can expect mean maximum temperatures ranging from two to four degrees Celsius. Keep in mind that you are very close to the Alps, so the temperatures drop a lot at night.
Oberammergau is a popular tourist destination and therefore you can find a good supply of hotels, holiday apartments, and traditional guesthouses; options for a Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany hostel exist as well. Your Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany hostel may belong to the German Youth Hostel Association DHJ, and if you want to stay in this accommodation, either you have to buy a quite pricey guest card or you become a member with an annual fee. You can find a Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany hostel located in the town, close to the river, about a ten-minute walk from the local train station. Alternatively, there are free parking spaces available.
Written by local enthusiast for Oberammergau hostels
Flo