Chiemsee: Discover the Lake, Islands and Culture

Chiemsee combines a vast waterscape with protected natural areas, island destinations and a rich cultural history. At 84 square kilometres, it is Bavaria’s largest lake. For planning your trip, you can choose what to focus on: would you like to discover bird habitats, take a tour of the islands, or combine culture with activities on the water? This also gives you a concrete starting point for finding suitable accommodation.

Waterscape and protected nature

Chiemsee is protected under the international Ramsar Convention. One particularly striking natural area lies at the delta of the Tiroler Ache, where the river flows into the lake: the mudflats have been a protected refuge for many endangered waterbirds and wading birds since 1954. This landscape offers a different focus from the island destinations and watersports. If you’re planning a trip with children, you can consider whether to focus on nature watching or an active day on the water, rather than trying to pack everything into one itinerary.

Islands with a history of their own

The Chiemsee-Schifffahrt’s East Island Tour includes a walk around the island and visits to the Minster, the Gate Hall and the thousand-year-old lime tree. Some departures are only available seasonally. On Frauenchiemsee, the Fraueninsel, several cultural histories come together in a compact area: the Marienmünster is a three-aisled basilica, whose ambulatory contains Romanesque frescoes dating from 1150. The Carolingian Gate Hall dates from the 9th century.

Frauenchiemsee remains a place of pilgrimage. The remains of Blessed Irmengard, the first abbess known by name, rest in the Minster. At the same time, since 1828 Frauenchiemsee has been one of Europe’s oldest artists’ colonies. The island’s monastic culinary traditions are also part of its character: the Benedictine monastery is known for its many monastery liqueurs and sweet marzipan. These themes give an island visit different points of focus, from architecture and religious history to art and regional tradition.

Another island destination is Herrenchiemsee. On Herreninsel, a walking path just over 7 km long circles the 240-hectare island. This makes a walk around the island an activity in its own right, distinct from the island tour and its listed visits.

On foot, by bike or on the water

The Chiemsee circular walking and cycling route goes all the way around the lake, on foot or by bicycle. If you’d like to combine exercise and culture on your trip, this offers another way to explore alongside the island destinations. Sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking and canoeing are also available at Chiemsee, as is the rental of electric boats. Providers and availability may vary; these activities are not necessarily available at every location on the lake.

The Chiemsee-Schifffahrt connects Herreninsel and Fraueninsel with the mainland year-round; timetables may vary. If your plans include a boat trip, check the timetable for your intended journey.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Rosenheim, Tuntenhausen, Oberaudorf, Wasserburg Am Inn, Flintsbach Am Inn, Prutting.

Back to the main travel overview: Rosenheim.