Mittenwald is an Alpine town in the German state of Bavaria. Although it only has a population of 7,200 people (2023), it has a great tradition of violin-making. It is a pretty small town with dramatic mountains in the background in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, near the border with Austria.

Understand

Interior of the parish church St. Peter and Paul, frescoes by Matthäus Grüner

It sits in the valley of the river Isar, by the northern foothills of the Alps.

The manufacture of violins, violas and cellos began in the mid-17th century at the Klotz workshop. Matthias I Klotz founded the Mittenwald school of violin-making. Aegidius Klotz is believed to have crafted the personal violin of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Eduard Melkus played on an unaltered violin by Aegidius Klotz.

Get in

Mittenwald has a railway station on the Munich-Innsbruck railway. Deutsche Bahn operates hourly trains to Munich and two-hourly trains to Innsbruck. The train journey to Innsbruck from Mittenwald is a spectacularly scenic trip, not to be missed.

Get around

The whole town is walkable on foot.

See

• The pink Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul is typical of the region. The church and many of the surrounding buildings, both businesses and private residences, are decorated with elaborate paintings on the exterior walls.
• Leutascher Geisterklamm (next to Mittenwald, on the German-Austrian border). An impressive gorge, somewhat similar to the Partnachklamm in nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen. 
• Colourful painted houses throughout the town.
• Geigenbaumuseum Mittenwald, Ballenhausgasse 3. A museum showcasing Mittenwald's rich history of violin making. Exhibits in English and German, €5.50 admission for adults.

Do

• Karwendelbahn. up to the mountain for dramatic views €27. 
• Hike in the numerous mountains above the town. There are several marked trails to Hoher Kranzberg and other viewpoints in the area.

Buy

• REWE, Innsbrucker Str. 4. Supermarket, part of a chain, with some local products.

Eat

• 1 Gasthof Gries, Im Gries 41 (im Gries, 3 minutes from downtown), ☏ +49 8823 1471, info@gasthof-gries-mittenwald.de. Bavarian cuisine (updated Nov 2024)
• Osteria Veneta, Obermarkt 31. Italian food.

Sleep

• Jugendherberge Mittenwald, Buckelwiesen 7, ☏ +49 8823 1701. 
• Naturcampingpark Isarhorn, am Horn 4, ☏ +49 8823 5216. 
• Haus Waldfrieden, Elmauer Weg 14, ☏ +49 8823 94315. (updated Nov 2022)
• Gasthof Stern, Fritz-Prölß-Platz 2, ☏ +49 8823 8358. 
• Alpenrose, Hotel-Gasthof, Obermarkt 1, ☏ +49 8823 92 700. 
• Hotel Rieger, Dekan-Karl-Platz 28, ☏ +49 8823 92500. 
• Landhotel Tonihof, Buckelwiesen 3, ☏ +49 8823 50 31. 
• Jägerhof, Partenkirchner Straße 35, ☏ +49 8823 9228-0. 
• Hubertushof, Dammkarstraße 9, ☏ +49 8823 5024. 
• Post Hotel Mittenwald, Obermarkt 9, ☏ +49 8823 9382333.