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Oberstdorf
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Imagine your ideal mountain resort and
OBERSTDORF
will almost certainly fit the picture. Tucked away about 50km southwest of Kaufbeuren by road or rail, amid magnificent Alpine mountains and valleys, the old village has grown discreetly, without any high-rise aberrations, but with excellent modern sports facilities, including swimming pools, a skating rink and an Olympic ski-jump. These co-exist with traditional farming life: there are open fields right on the outskirts of town.
The higher mountain valleys beyond Oberstdorf take you to lonely Alpine huts and the sort of views that give a surge of energy. Serious mountaineers will find the Nebelhorn (2224m) to the east of town the most challenging, while for less strenuous Alpine walking the Fellhorn (2039m) and SAśllereck (1706m) to the south make good alternatives - the latter is especially gentle. All three peaks are also accessible by cable car (various rates, the maximum being DM40/a?Ź20 return to the Nebelhorn summit), and in winter form the heart of an excellent skiing range. Another worthwhile excursion is to the gorges of the Breitachklamm , some 6km southwest of Oberstdorf; these are best seen in late winter, when draped with ice.
A bit further south, the valley known as
Kleinwalsertal
is a real novelty. Once one of the most isolated corners of the Alps, it was settled by a hardy people known as the Walsers who gave their allegiance to the House of Habsburg. Today, it remains officially part of Austria, but it is only accessible by the road from Oberstdorf, which is served by regular buses. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Germany,
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