Possenhofen: Sisi History and Lake Starnberg

Possenhofen combines the history of Empress Elisabeth with trails along Lake Starnberg and bathing spots on the shore. As a child and young woman, Sisi spent carefree summer months with her family at Possenhofen Castle. The Kaiserin Elisabeth Museum is located in the former royal railway station, now Possenhofen station on the S6 suburban railway, at the east exit. This part of town thus brings together historic traces, a museum and a range of ways to spend time outdoors.

Following in Sisi’s footsteps on foot and on an audio walk

The cultural and historical Elisabeth Trail follows in the footsteps of Empress Elisabeth from the museum to Possenhofen Castle and on to the crossing to Rose Island. The walk from the museum to the castle is listed as taking about 10 minutes, and the walk to the crossing about 30 minutes. In Feldafing, the trail follows Kaiserin-Elisabeth-Weg and the Wolfsschlucht gorge, with its nature trail, back to Possenhofen station; a shorter option leads to Feldafing station. The different walking times help with planning your day: the walk to the castle is the shorter section, while the walk to the crossing takes longer.

The free audio walk “Audio Walks Empress Elisabeth, ‘Sisi’ – Feldafing and Possenhofen” offers another way to discover Sisi’s story along the way. Its nine stops in Possenhofen and Feldafing tell the story of Elisabeth’s childhood on Lake Starnberg and her tragic death. The audio stops can be accessed via QR code and explored in any order; the experience is suitable for all age groups. If you prefer to go with a group, you can include the guided tour “In Possenhofen in Sisi’s Footsteps” in your plans. It starts and ends at Possenhofen station by the Sisi statue and covers 2.8 km on foot. Check the dates if you want to plan this tour in advance.

The museum in the former railway station

The Kaiserin Elisabeth Museum looks beyond Sisi, with images, printed materials, memorabilia, literature and historical documents about Empress Elisabeth and her family from different periods of their lives. Other exhibits cover King Ludwig II, Lake Starnberg and the history of the station. The tour is available in six languages, and there is a children’s audio guide as well as a German-language audio/video guide for deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors. This allows visitors to shape their museum visit around different interests, from the Empress’s family and life story to the history of the place and its railway station.

Time by the water and bathing spots

The parts of town of Possenhofen and Niederpöcking border Lake Starnberg. This provides access to the lake’s boat services, which are primarily geared towards tourism. Individual landing stages and timetables may change; check the current service if you are planning a boat trip.

The City of Munich’s bathing area in Possenhofen/Niederpöcking has four jetties and toilet facilities. The large sunbathing lawn with trees has paid parking; a large kiosk with a beer garden is near Possenhofener Straße. Facilities and parking information may change, so it is worth checking the latest details before your visit. The “Paradies” bathing area is a large bathing spot on the former grounds of Possenhofen Castle Park.

Nature trails in the wider destination of Pöcking

If you also consider the wider destination of Pöcking, you will find a different focus for walking there: the Maisinger circular trail runs between Pöcking and Maising, past Pöckinger Alm and along Maisinger Bach to the centre of Maising. The return route follows a footpath along the edge of the forest to Pöcking. Maisinger See has been a nature reserve since 1941 and is Bavaria’s oldest nature reserve; it provides a habitat for rare bird and plant species. Maisinger Moor is also a protected breeding area for rare bird species, while Maisinger Schlucht is designated as a water protection and recreational area. These nature attractions complement Possenhofen’s cultural and historical trails with destinations of their own in Pöcking.

If you would also like to include Pöcking, the Maisinger circular trail offers an additional focus for walking. These interests can help you decide which destination area suits your planned trip.

Go to the wider travel overview: Pöcking.