Tegernsee: Lake, Monastery History and Hiking Trails
Accommodation in Tegernsee
At Lake Tegernsee, water-based activities, regional history and hiking opportunities offer different reasons to visit. These include swimming spots and boat trips, as well as insights into the history of the monastery and trails in the mountains.
Lake and Boat Trips
Lake Tegernsee covers around nine square kilometres, is six kilometres long and about one and a half kilometres wide. Its water is of drinking-water quality, and there are numerous swimming spots around the lake. A cruise on one of the distinctive Tegernsee boats offers a way to explore the lake and its surroundings. If you plan to take a boat trip, check the current timetable in advance.
Tegernsee’s Cultural History
According to tradition, Adalbert and Otkar founded Tegernsee Monastery in 746. In the Middle Ages, it was an important spiritual and cultural centre. Until 1803, the parish church of St. Quirinus served as the abbey church of Upper Bavaria’s most important Benedictine abbey. The historical connections therefore span from the monastery’s traditional foundation year to the time when St. Quirinus was still an abbey church.
Since 1999, the Tegernseer Tal Museum has used 17 rooms and around 850 exhibits dating from the 14th to the 20th century to present the culture and history of a traditional region of Old Bavaria. The museum and parish church offer different historical perspectives: the collection includes objects from several centuries, while St. Quirinus is connected with its former role as an abbey church.
Hiking and Mountain Views
The Tegernsee mountains offer more than 650 kilometres of marked hiking trails. The Tegernseer Höhenweg is a section of the 34-kilometre panoramic trail around Lake Tegernsee. An easy hike, the Höhenweg follows a ridge about 100 metres above the lake, passing through forests and meadows to Gasse in Gmund.
In the wider region, the Wallbergbahn takes visitors comfortably and safely up the Wallberg. From there, you can enjoy panoramic views across Lake Tegernsee and the Alps. The Wallberg offers an additional viewpoint for travellers who want to include the mountain scenery of the Tegernsee holiday region in their plans.
Events Throughout the Year
The Tegernsee Art Exhibition has been held annually since 1949. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the dates for the relevant year in advance.
For more than two decades, the Tegernseer Tal Montgolfiade has been part of the local winter programme, attracting numerous balloonists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland each year. Passenger flights offer views across the Tegernsee mountains as far as the main Alpine ridge. If you plan to take a flight, check the dates and programme for the relevant year.
Getting There by Train
Bayerische Regiobahn’s RB 57 service runs from Munich Central Station via Holzkirchen to Tegernsee. Check the current timetable before travelling for specific departure times and possible disruptions.
Discover more destinations: Neu-Ulm, Bavarian Jura, Dingolfing-Landau, Aichach-Friedberg, Mühldorf Am Inn, Erlangen-Höchstadt, Bamberg
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