Ettal is a small village in a narrow Alpine valley near Oberammergau, dominated by one thing: its monastery. Ettal Abbey was founded in 1330 by Emperor Ludwig IV of Bavaria and has grown over the centuries into a grand Benedictine complex, its centrepiece a baroque basilica with a massive dome that seems wildly oversized for the tiny village around it. The interior is lavishly decorated with frescoes and stucco work — a worthwhile stop even for those with limited patience for churches.
The monks still run the place and produce their own beer and herbal liqueurs, both sold in the shops across the road. You are supporting the monastery when you buy a bottle, which makes it practically a charitable act. Ettal sits at the foot of good hiking country — the Ettaler Manndl peak above the village offers a rewarding two-hour hike with views back over the monastery dome.
The two best day trips from Ettal are Linderhof Palace, Ludwig II's most intimate and obsessively decorated royal retreat 10 km to the west, and Oberammergau, 4 km north, famous for its Passion Play and painted house facades. Together they make Ettal one of the best bases in the Bavarian Alps for a day or two of exploration.