We just got back from our annual ski vacation, this year for the first time in Reit im Winkl. We had stayed there for a weekend in August 2000, the year we moved to Munich. It made a favorable impression on us at the time; back then we weren't thinking in terms of ski vacation. Our first ski vacations were spent in Mittenwald, a town we're very fond of, but the ski area there is just too small and unchallenging. Last year we tried Alpbach in Austria, but we weren't totally convinced. So this year something new!
1. Our QuartersWe stayed at Haus Seerose, where we had a two-person apartment. Our hosts were very friendly, the apartment was well-equipped and cozy. Just off the small, serviceable kitchen was a charming breakfast nook with a bay window and a great view:
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In addition there was a small sitting room which included a flat-screen TV with cable and an L-formed couch with table. The bathroom was modern (with shower, not tub), and a separate bedroom with a very comfortable double mattress. There was also a balcony which we didn't use this trip but would be pleasant on a summer visit. The house had free WiFi available, but I left my laptop at home. All in all a bargain at 69€ a night (including use of the garage); we plan to return next year.
2. The Village
Reit im Winkl is about 100 km from Munich, under ideal conditions a driving time of 1 hour 20 minutes. As anyone familiar with traffic around Munich knows, these ideal conditions are seldom present, especially on a Saturday. It took us about an hour 45 minutes to get there last Saturday (Jan. 17), and two hours to get home this morning. How I wish Germany had the level of traffic reporting of the USA! Traffic jam info comes late and inaccurately. An example - as we were already in a traffic jam south of Munich, Bavarian radio reported a blockage of two lanes due to a multi-car accident. The potentially useful information which lanes were blocked (a four-lane freeway) was lacking. And by the time we heard this message and decided to leave the Autobahn at the earliest opportunity the traffic jam must have had a length of 7 km or so.
I digress - we were talking about Reit im Winkl. Those who followed the link above will have learned more about the village.The population is about 2,600, but during peak vacation periods there are probably about 5,000 or more tourists in town. Its roots go back to the 12th century or earlier. To those who know a little German, it must seem as if the name has something to do with horse riding (Reiten = ride). But actually it refers to a clearing in the forest (Rode, Reuth, Reit). If you think about it this is a part of the name of many German cities and towns (Bayreuth, Wernigerode). The word "Winkl" means corner ("Winkel" in Hochdeutsch), and refers to the geographic location of the village in a corner between Bavaria and Austria.
Why was there a clearing? Because they cut down most of the trees in the valley. For centuries the village subsisted by providing wood for the salt manufactures of Traunstein and Reichenhall. Today the primary source of income is tourism.
It seems Reit im Winkl (the clearing in the corner) is largely unknown to foreign tourists - we encountered some Dutch on the ski slopes, but otherwise practically all the tourists were Germans. Mostly Northerners (or "Preußen" as they're sometimes referred to deprecatingly in Bavaria). Mostly middle-aged or older (logical at this time of the year, since school vacations come later).
Reit im Winkl, like most Alpine villages, doesn't have much impressive architecture, but the village center is compact and attractive, dominated by the village church. Nestled along the north side of a valley that's about a kilometer wide and several kilometers long, it offers spectacular views of the Kaisergebirge in Tirol.
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There are plenty of shopping opportunities in the village, including one of the best sports apparel and equipment stores I've seen. Everywhere we met friendly and helpful salespersons and store owners (most of the stores are small, independent operations).
3. Winter sports
We came primarily for Alpine (downhill) skiing, but a majority of the guests seem to be there for cross country skiing. Reit im Winkl has dozens of kilometers of prepared cross country trails (and many opportunities to rent or buy equipment). There's also a decent public indoor swimming pool (Ruhpolding, 23 km away, has a very fancy spa-type complex).
The alpine ski area stretches between the Winkelmoos Alm at 1160 m and the Steinplatte at 1870 meters. One curiosity: if you ski the whole area you will cross from Germany into Austria! There's a central parking lot at Seegatterl, about a ten minutes drive from Reit im Winkl; here you can buy your lift ticket and take the bus up to Winkelmoos Alm (a ten minute ride, the buses leave more or less continuously). The lower ski area (Winkelmoos) is mostly suited for beginners, it has a long, even, gentle run (we called it the Autobahn) that's good for finding your ski legs again after 11 months. The more adventurous will cross over to the Steinplatte area in Austria, where there is a wide variety of chair lifts; most of the runs here are only moderately difficult, but there are also red and black runs for the experts. The views are as expected:
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The snow was excellent, the slopes were not overcrowded. The only quibbles - the markings could have been better, and the Skihütten could have been more numerous and convenient. But all in all we felt that this was the perfect ski area for us (I'm an advanced beginner, Anja is experienced).
4. Dining
After an exhausting day on the slopes (OK, we rarely spent more than three hours skiing), one's thoughts turn to culinary pleasures. And we were not disappointed in Reit im Winkl. After a rather irritating Auftakt Saturday night in a restaurant where the waitresses seemed to be still learning their trade (though the food was excellent), we landed by chance in a wonderful place called Zum Fiaker (At the Carriage). Located in the center of the village (Kirchplatz 6, Tel. 08640/796590) it features a mixture of Bavarian and Mediterranean cuisine served in a romantic atmosphere. The prices were moderate (entrees from under 9€ to about 18€). The presentation of the food was appealing, and the food itself was better than in most restaurants of this price class (or higher) in Munich. The service was attentive, friendly yet unobtrusive. Particularly memorable were the scallops, the pork roast, and the clear pheasant broth with truffle dumplings.
And for a snack or coffee in the afternoon, we found a delightful café called Sonnhof's, run by the Gautier family, originally from Colmar in the Alsace region of France. The best cappuccino in town, and fantastic homemade pastries. It's located at Weitseestr. 14, tel. 08640/797847. While you're there, you can buy some of their homemade jam.
5. Summary
Anyone still there? There's not much else to tell - so go and see Reit im Winkl yourself someday!
We conclude with some photos of our winter sports fans.
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1. Our QuartersWe stayed at Haus Seerose, where we had a two-person apartment. Our hosts were very friendly, the apartment was well-equipped and cozy. Just off the small, serviceable kitchen was a charming breakfast nook with a bay window and a great view:
.jpg)
In addition there was a small sitting room which included a flat-screen TV with cable and an L-formed couch with table. The bathroom was modern (with shower, not tub), and a separate bedroom with a very comfortable double mattress. There was also a balcony which we didn't use this trip but would be pleasant on a summer visit. The house had free WiFi available, but I left my laptop at home. All in all a bargain at 69€ a night (including use of the garage); we plan to return next year.
2. The Village
Reit im Winkl is about 100 km from Munich, under ideal conditions a driving time of 1 hour 20 minutes. As anyone familiar with traffic around Munich knows, these ideal conditions are seldom present, especially on a Saturday. It took us about an hour 45 minutes to get there last Saturday (Jan. 17), and two hours to get home this morning. How I wish Germany had the level of traffic reporting of the USA! Traffic jam info comes late and inaccurately. An example - as we were already in a traffic jam south of Munich, Bavarian radio reported a blockage of two lanes due to a multi-car accident. The potentially useful information which lanes were blocked (a four-lane freeway) was lacking. And by the time we heard this message and decided to leave the Autobahn at the earliest opportunity the traffic jam must have had a length of 7 km or so.
I digress - we were talking about Reit im Winkl. Those who followed the link above will have learned more about the village.The population is about 2,600, but during peak vacation periods there are probably about 5,000 or more tourists in town. Its roots go back to the 12th century or earlier. To those who know a little German, it must seem as if the name has something to do with horse riding (Reiten = ride). But actually it refers to a clearing in the forest (Rode, Reuth, Reit). If you think about it this is a part of the name of many German cities and towns (Bayreuth, Wernigerode). The word "Winkl" means corner ("Winkel" in Hochdeutsch), and refers to the geographic location of the village in a corner between Bavaria and Austria.
Why was there a clearing? Because they cut down most of the trees in the valley. For centuries the village subsisted by providing wood for the salt manufactures of Traunstein and Reichenhall. Today the primary source of income is tourism.
It seems Reit im Winkl (the clearing in the corner) is largely unknown to foreign tourists - we encountered some Dutch on the ski slopes, but otherwise practically all the tourists were Germans. Mostly Northerners (or "Preußen" as they're sometimes referred to deprecatingly in Bavaria). Mostly middle-aged or older (logical at this time of the year, since school vacations come later).
Reit im Winkl, like most Alpine villages, doesn't have much impressive architecture, but the village center is compact and attractive, dominated by the village church. Nestled along the north side of a valley that's about a kilometer wide and several kilometers long, it offers spectacular views of the Kaisergebirge in Tirol.
.jpg)
There are plenty of shopping opportunities in the village, including one of the best sports apparel and equipment stores I've seen. Everywhere we met friendly and helpful salespersons and store owners (most of the stores are small, independent operations).3. Winter sports
We came primarily for Alpine (downhill) skiing, but a majority of the guests seem to be there for cross country skiing. Reit im Winkl has dozens of kilometers of prepared cross country trails (and many opportunities to rent or buy equipment). There's also a decent public indoor swimming pool (Ruhpolding, 23 km away, has a very fancy spa-type complex).
The alpine ski area stretches between the Winkelmoos Alm at 1160 m and the Steinplatte at 1870 meters. One curiosity: if you ski the whole area you will cross from Germany into Austria! There's a central parking lot at Seegatterl, about a ten minutes drive from Reit im Winkl; here you can buy your lift ticket and take the bus up to Winkelmoos Alm (a ten minute ride, the buses leave more or less continuously). The lower ski area (Winkelmoos) is mostly suited for beginners, it has a long, even, gentle run (we called it the Autobahn) that's good for finding your ski legs again after 11 months. The more adventurous will cross over to the Steinplatte area in Austria, where there is a wide variety of chair lifts; most of the runs here are only moderately difficult, but there are also red and black runs for the experts. The views are as expected:
.jpg)
The snow was excellent, the slopes were not overcrowded. The only quibbles - the markings could have been better, and the Skihütten could have been more numerous and convenient. But all in all we felt that this was the perfect ski area for us (I'm an advanced beginner, Anja is experienced).
4. Dining
After an exhausting day on the slopes (OK, we rarely spent more than three hours skiing), one's thoughts turn to culinary pleasures. And we were not disappointed in Reit im Winkl. After a rather irritating Auftakt Saturday night in a restaurant where the waitresses seemed to be still learning their trade (though the food was excellent), we landed by chance in a wonderful place called Zum Fiaker (At the Carriage). Located in the center of the village (Kirchplatz 6, Tel. 08640/796590) it features a mixture of Bavarian and Mediterranean cuisine served in a romantic atmosphere. The prices were moderate (entrees from under 9€ to about 18€). The presentation of the food was appealing, and the food itself was better than in most restaurants of this price class (or higher) in Munich. The service was attentive, friendly yet unobtrusive. Particularly memorable were the scallops, the pork roast, and the clear pheasant broth with truffle dumplings.
And for a snack or coffee in the afternoon, we found a delightful café called Sonnhof's, run by the Gautier family, originally from Colmar in the Alsace region of France. The best cappuccino in town, and fantastic homemade pastries. It's located at Weitseestr. 14, tel. 08640/797847. While you're there, you can buy some of their homemade jam.
5. Summary
Anyone still there? There's not much else to tell - so go and see Reit im Winkl yourself someday!
We conclude with some photos of our winter sports fans.
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