Germany may not be your obvious ski destination but Garmisch is a great winter sports town in southern Bavaria in the foothills of Germany’s highest mountain, the 2,962m Zugspitze. Think Oktoberfest but in the mountains: bar staff in lederhosen and dirndls, bratwurst and beer and steaming bowls of cheesy (pasta-like) Käsespätzle.
As for the skiing? There are a total of 60km of slopes split between two areas – Garmisch classic and the glacier, which offers skiing up to almost 3,000m. There’s also a large children’s area with magic carpet and funslope.