One of my goals for my trip to southern Germany was to see small, fairy tale Bavarian towns. Ettal and Oberammergau were exactly that! The towns are about ten minutes apart and located just over an hour’s drive south of Munich. They are very close to the Austrian Central Alps and to Neuschwanstein Castle. If you ever have the chance to pass through these adorable towns, you won’t be disappointed! I hope you enjoy this guide to Ettal and Oberammergau.
ETTAL
I originally wanted to spend a night in Ettal on our road trip through Southern Germany. However, it is a very small town with limited accommodation and restaurant options so we decided to stay in Oberammergau instead. That being said, you shouldn’t miss passing through this cute village and stopping at these spots!
Ettal Abbey
Prior to my trip, I read a lot about how beautiful Ettal Abbey is, so I knew I had to see it. Ettal Abbey was founded in 1330 by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian. The foundation originally consisted of a Gothic Benedictine monastery. In 1744, the abbey was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt in the Baroque style with a double-shelled dome. The interior of the church is absolutely beautiful.
Hotel Blaue Gams
This charming hill-top hotel is where I wanted to stay in Ettal. Since we didn’t end up staying there, I insisted that we sit at the hotel restaurant’s patio for a drink. The restaurant patio was lovely and it has a perfect view of Ettal Abbey. The hotel was as cute as I imagined – hopefully I can stay there one day!
Linderhof Palace
Linderhof Palace is one of King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s famous palaces. It is the smallest of the three palaces that he built and the only one which he lived to see completed. Linderhof is located just a ten minute drive from the Ettal village centre and it is definitely the most popular attraction in the area.
To read my blog post, “A Guide to Visiting Linderhof Palace,” click here.
OBERAMMERGAU
I am so glad that we ended up staying in Oberammergau because it is such a fairy tale town! The citizens of Oberammergau have a tradition of painting frescoes of Bavarian themes, fairy tales, and religious scenes on their houses and buildings. This is what makes the town feel like a Bavarian fairy tale.
We stayed in Hotel Wittelsbach. It had a great, spacious room but no air-conditioning, which can be tough in the summer. It also had an amazing breakfast buffet!
Fresco Tour
The number one thing to do in Oberammergau is to walk around and admire all of the frescoes painted on the houses and buildings.
Make sure you stop by the following:
- Pilatushaus (Ludwig-Thoma-Strasse 10)
- Forstamt (Ettaler Strasse 3)
- Kolblhaus (Ettaler Strasse 10)
- Mussldomahaus (Lüftlmalereck 1)
- Little Red Riding Hood house (Ettaler Strasse 48)
- Hansel and Gretel house (Ettaler Strasse 41)
- Hotel Alte Post (Dorfstrasse 19)
St Peter and Paul Church
This Baroque church was built in 1749 on the site of a medieval church. The interior is painted with the town’s infamous breath-taking frescoes. The church cemetery is also beautiful, with elaborate headstones and a backdrop of the Bavarian Alps.
Restaurants
Oberammergau has some great restaurants to check out:
- Mundart
- Wankalm
- Zauberstub’n
- Piccola Toscana
- Ammergauer Maxbrau
- El Puente Mexikanisches Restaurant
I hope this guide to Ettal and Oberammergau inspires you to visit these fairy tale towns!
To read my blog post, “A Road Trip Through Southern Germany and the Austrian Alps,” click here.
