Oberstdorf Germany Travel Guide

Located only 10 minutes from the Austrian border, Oberstdorf is a wonderful base point for travels around Southern Germany and the Western portion of Austria. The town itself is surrounded by three major mountains: Nebelhorn, Söllereck, and Fellhorn. This means you'll have amazing views on clear days and the option of in-town attractions or the more remote mountain hikes and gondolas. Keep reading for more information on things to do in the area! 

How to Get Here

Hohenems/Dornbirn Airport
Car


Public Transportation
Book Bus Tickets ~€33.40, 2 hr 50 minutes

Munich Airport
Car


Public Transportation
Book Train Tickets ~€20, 2 hr 20 minutes

Innsbruck Airport
Car


Public Transportation
Book Train Tickets ~€59.90, 5 hr

Things to Do

• Hiking/Skiing - The same mountains that are great for hiking have skiing available during winter months. Click the link for interactive hiking trail map seen below.

  

  Interactive Map From OutdoorActive.com
  
  

• Nebelhorn - 2,224 meter high mountain. Can be hiked by various trails or take the cable car to the top.
• Fellhorn - Mountain range connecting Germany and Austria. 2,652 meter high, also reachable by hiking or cable car.
• Söllereck - 1,400 meter mountain and smallest mountain in the area. Great for beginners. The trail is paved a good portion of the way. There is also a gondola or cable car system here. See video below of our hike.

• Local Cottages/Huts
• Feeling more adventurous? Check out the Oberstdorf Tourism Website for more trail options. Small villages in the area as well as individual huts/farms produce cheese and dairy products from the alpine cows. Everything is local here.
• Allgäu Coaster - Alpine Coaster located at the base of the Söllereck. €5/Person Discount with AllgäuWalserCard.

• Breitachklamm - Magnificent gorge and walking trails. This also offers a discount with the AllgäuWalserCard. Save money on parking by parking on the road and walking in. This beautiful attraction is a must see, but plan to get wet. That means wear shoes with good treads and a rain jacket or poncho. Umbrellas will hinder your walking. The gorge is even better in the rain, so no reason to let a rain day disrupt your trip. Plan 1-2 hours here.

 

• Golf
• Mini Golf
• Ice Sports Arena - Ice Skating (with rentals available), curling, ice stock bowling
• Spa or Therme - prices starting at €9.50 for use of the spa, massages also available.
• Oberstdorfer Marktbahnle Train - Enjoy a trip around Oberstdorf.
• Paragliding - Beginners enjoy tandem flights with professionals, while experienced gliders can set out on their own.
• Erdinger Arena - Ski Jump Hill, Ski Museum, Tubing, and Restaurant
• Tennis
• Horse Riding - Various options for rides through the mountains
• White Water Sports - From Kayaking to rafting, they have your white water sports.
• Local Festivals
• "Viehscheid" in the Allgäu - In late September, the locals dress in traditional costume (lederhosen and dirndls) and the cows are driven from the alpine pastures down to Oberstdorf and the lower pastures. Music, beer, a fair ,and lots of food are involved with this festival.
• Volksfest - Festival celebrated the arts with live music, cabaret, poetry contests and more. Takes place the beginning on September.

Places to Stay

Oberstdorf Tourist Information Hotels
Trip Advisor Oberstdorf Hotels

Berggasthof Seeweg
We stayed at the Berggasthof Seeweg located at the base of the Söllereck and just steps away from the gondola system, the alpine coaster, and the start of the hiking trails. There are restaurants nearby and the main town is only a ten minutes drive away. There is a bus stop at the entrance drive with frequent buses and the other attractions in the area are all within 10-15 minutes. There are plenty of hotels within the area, however we found this one to be the best value based on amazing location (and mountain views), great breakfast, large rooms, and really great staff. Since it is a little ways out of town and the attractions close around 6PM, the rooms are nearly silent.  For a full review, find the post Wonderful Stay at Seeweg Berggasthof.

Combing eBates and Booking.Com will get you the most for your money. In addition, if you use the link provided for Booking.com, you will earn $25 with your first booking.

Restaurants

You'll find almost any cuisine you can think of here from French to German to Turkish to Italian. There are far too many restaurants to list here so I'll provide a link to help you find what you're looking for and give a few details on our favorites.

Check out Trip Advisor for a fairly comprehensive list.

Zum Wilde Männle, der Brauereiausschank des Allgäuer Brauhaus

Located a short walk to the west of the Nebelhornbahn, the central location within the shopping center or market makes it a great stopping spot during the day. Lunch specials run every day, offering great tasting food for a very affordable price. Very little to no English is spoken here, so come prepared for an adventure (you'll be rewarded for your effort).

Hotel Traube

On a rainy night, we had trouble finding a good restaurant to eat at. We stumbled across the Hotel Traube's Beergarden and couldn't have picked a better spot to eat. The beer garden has awnings and heaters to keep you warm and dry even on the wettest day. The beer here was the best we had throughout our stay in Germany. The dunkles (or dark beers) tasted chocolatey and had no bitter aftertaste, while the weiss beers had a hint of vanilla and were just as smooth. During dinner, musicians played traditional music, put on a comedic display, and overall entertain all who were there (even if you don't speak German). If we had been able to stay longer, we would have come back here again.

Are You on a Tight Budget?

Why not enjoy a nice picnic as you hike up one of the surrounding mountains? There are many grocery stores offering ready to eat food, fresh baked croissants, and affordable drinks. You can still experience great local flavors without spending money on a restaurant.

Where to Next?

Countless options exist when looking at where to travel after you visit Oberstdorf so you'll have to decide what is important to you to narrow down your options.

• Want less Germany? Head west towards Strasbourg or travel along the Rhine for the best Riesling.
• Seeking culture? Head east towards Schwangau and Fussen to explore Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles as well as many museums, shops, and restaurants.

• Looking to head into nature and explore small towns in the Black Forest? Head North towards  the Black Forest and visit towns like Baden-Baden, Pforzheim, Triberg, or Freiburg. In each you'll find more hiking trails, local crafts (i.e. wood carving and cuckoo clocks, local wines, etc.), as well as museums and great cuisine. If you're feeling really adventurous, try a multiday hike between a few of the smaller villages.

• Feeling like getting a big city experience? Head Northeast to Munich and check out the Marienplatz, palaces, and viktualienmarkt. You won't need a car here and will want to take full advantage of public transportation.
• Want wine tasting? Head north to the Mosul River Valley region. Enjoy river boat tours, rent a bicycle to ride on the well upkept trails, visit Cochem Castle or Burg Eltz to satisfy your castle cravings, and be sure to participate in the multitude of local wine festivals. Did I mention you should try the wine here? They also have a great kolsch beer.

• Head south into Austria. Here you will get more amazing local food as well as some of the best Italian restaurants on your trip. Innsbruck is a must-see if you are in Austria. Vignettes can be purchased as most gas stations and are a necessity before you cross the border. If you do not purchase you risk a quite large fine.  
• Drive Southwest into Switzerland to hit another country on your European road trip. Be sure to buy a driving pass before crossing the border.