Travel
Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau
Slide Nr 1With millions of visitors from far and wide preparing to descend on Munich for the famous Oktoberfest, now is a good time to remind the world that there is more to Bavaria than what some might consider a two-week annual celebration of public drunkenness (though there’s more to the event than that, as well). Whether you’re looking for a post-fest escape or looking to avoid the spectacle altogether, Lake Chiemsee and the surrounding Chiemgau area provide a perfect getaway for a day trip, weekend adventure or even a full week of exploring. [Photo: Prien Marketing GmbH/Kurt Schubert]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 2The Attitude – Bavaria occupies a special place in the popular imagination. Within Germany, it’s perceived as both economically proficient and hopelessly reactionary, industrially advanced and politically conservative. Internationally, the cliché German of page and screen – you know, the pot-bellied, yodelling, lederhosen-wearing, beer-chugging yokel you’ve seen in everything from the Simpsons to the Sound of Music – is mainly influenced by hackneyed elements of Bavarian culture, which has more in common with that of its Alpine neighbours Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol. [Photo: Prien Marketing GmbH/Tanja Ghirardini]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 3The Look – While traditional Bavarian dress – Lederhosen for men, Dirndl dresses for women – has only recently become the go-to uniform for Oktoberfest visitors, the Chiemgau region has long cultivated its regional folk costumes. Styles vary across Bavaria, but also locally, from one village to the next. If you take a shining to the bucolic and, truth be told, rather flattering styles, you will find so-called “Trachten” shops at every turn, ranging from eye-wateringly expensive manufactories to more affordable boutiques selling traditional and contemporary Bavarian outfits. Just stay clear of the cheap, mass-produced stuff sold exclusively to Oktoberfest tourists.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 4The Journey – It’s cheap, fast and easy to get to the Chiemgau region by train with the main Munich–Salzburg railway line stopping within walking distance of the lake, and convenient local transport in the area. However, if you’re itching to take a spin on the infamous German Autobahn, this is one of the most scenic stretches of motorway in the country, so you might want to rent a car and drive yourself down there.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 5The Digs – The phrase ‘designer digs’ is thrown about a lot, but Nils Holger Moormann, the owner of Guesthouse Berge has some serious design credentials. The award-winning furniture designer and manufacturer fixed up the 350-odd-year-old building, which once housed a bakery, with a deep respect for its architectural and cultural heritage. The overhaul has resulted in bright, contemporary, versatile interiors rooted in a distinctly Bavarian Alpine aesthetic. Picturesque Aschau is not located on the lake, but at the foot of the mountains, and Chiemsee is only a short drive, bus or train journey away.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 6The People – Since the stone age, humans have found the Chiemgau region an agreeable place to settle. The Celts and Romans left their marks early on, and stately homes, opulent churches and monasteries are evidence of local wealth throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Even King Ludwig II, known as the Fairy Tale King responsible for many of Bavaria’s most opulent palaces, was pleased enough with the natural beauty of the area to plan his last great construction project there. [Photo: Prien Marketing GmbH/Tanja Ghirardini]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 7The Moment – The New Palace at Herrenchiemsee is not the king’s most famous pied-à-terre (that would be Neuschwanstein, aka The Disney Castle), but that doesn’t make it any less worth visiting. The uncompleted scale replica of Versailles is located on an island in Lake Chiemsee, with the Alps forming a spectacular backdrop beyond the deep blue water. The history of its construction is intertwined with the fascinating story of Bavaria’s ill-fated regent, who only stayed in the unfinished palace once before his untimely death. [Photo: Prien Marketing GmbH/Kurt Schubert]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 8The Place – Charm-free provincial industry town Traunreut is the last place you’d expect to find a world-class collection of contemporary art, with a substantial selection of Georg Baselitz paintings and sculptures, an entire building dedicated to Dan Flavin’s light sculptures, and a few Warhols thrown in for good measure. It just so happens that Heiner Friedrich, art collector, dealer and cofounder of Dia Art Foundation, inherited his father’s derelict factory in this unlikely place and decided to transform the property into a museum to enable public access. [Photo: John Chamberlain-Halle,© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, Foto Franz Kimmel]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 9The View – With a chain of mountains overlooking the lake and surrounding landscape, you can take your pick of scenic hikes for a bird’s-eye view. Those who don’t fancy a strenuous excursion can take the cable car to 1,500 metres on the Kampenwandbahn. A short stroll along the plateau reveals breathtaking panoramas deep into the central Alps beyond, Chiemsee below and to the rugged peaks above. It’s a great location for spectacular sunsets and special events like the annual midsummer bonfire.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 10The Lunch – Whether you climbed the mountain on foot or took the cable car, while you’re up there, you might as well explore the gently sloping paths leading up to the summit. Take your pick of the many rustic chalets offering hearty food in a casual atmosphere. Our favourite is the beautifully situated, family-run Steinling Alm, where dairy cattle graze in the summer months and hungry hikers have been fed for over 100 years. From there, you can carry on across the peak and descend on the other side of the mountain crest to complete a full-day hike.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 11The Dinner – Whether atop a mountain or lakeside, carnivores will have no trouble getting fed, thanks to a proliferation of excellent Bavarian restaurants, specialising in dishes of the meat-potatoes-two-veg variety. Vegetarians or those keen on a meat-free alternative can head to Pura instead. Serving healthy, tasty, mainly plant-based fare – from veggie burgers to seasonal specials – there’s something for everyone who needs a break from a steady pork diet.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 12The Party – There’s an entire lakefront stretch of bars, restaurants and cafés in Übersee (literally “across the lake”) but our favourite for sundowner drinks and beyond is Sundowner Bar. Watch the last light of the day disappear into the lake as you dangle your feet off the jetty, drink in hand. In addition to the late bar every weekend (weather permitting), the open-air bar hosts full moon parties and SUP surf nights, plus special events.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 13The Sound – You can find live music by the lake – or you can listen to live bands, DJs and entire orchestras on the lake. A lot of the musical cruises offered by the Chiemsee ferry company are more likely to appeal to folks whose clubbing days are long gone (which is not to say they aren’t fun). Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that a lot of local clubs – and even event organisers from Munich – will charter boats to host their own party cruises, featuring stellar entertainment and a much younger crowd.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 14The Event – Believe it or not, for years Chiemsee was a byword for reggae. The eponymous Chiemsee Summer festival was one of the largest and most respected reggae festivals in the world, but has more recently morphed into a more generic rock and pop event. If you want to see international big-name headliners and some of the most famous German bands and artists, then by all means check it out. If you’re willing to be surprised by a line-up of smaller, local and national indie bands, then the smaller Seewärts Festival may be right up your alley. [Photo: Chiemsee Summer]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 15The Flavour – You may have come to Chiemgau to escape Oktoberfest, but there’s no avoiding beer in Bavaria. In fact, the region has its fair share of Volksfeste similar to the Munich beer fest, albeit on a smaller scale (and with a smaller price tag). If you don’t happen upon one of these special festivities, you can always visit one of the local breweries – from 500-year-old bastions of tradition to young crafters offering atypical ales and stouts.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 16The Secret – Luckily, it’s not all beer and breweries. Traditional distilleries are alive and well across the region, with new contenders pushing the boundaries with Bavarian whiskey and gin. For something truly unique, try Amaro Mondino, a Bavarian aperitif bitter, which makes a fine Spritz, Negroni or tastes delicious with a dash of soda water. A multi-generational effort, it’s a new product made in an old distillery by third-generation distillers. Unlike industrially produced bitters, it’s organic and vegan, with many ingredients locally sourced.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 17The Market – If you find yourself in the Chiemgau region in winter, you’ll be spoiled for individual shopping choices, with Christmas markets popping up all over the place. It’s hard to beat the quaint charm of the “Christkindlmarkt auf der Fraueninsel,” which takes place on two weekends in November and December on one of the smaller Chiemsee islands, with stalls dotted along the promenade between the large monastery and a small settlement of homes and restaurants. [Photo: Prien Marketing GmbH]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 18The Cycle – One of the most famous bike routes in Germany, the Chiemsee-Radweg takes you all the way around the lake. Mostly meandering along or close to the shore, the path only crosses the road in a few well-marked places. The rest is a gently meandering, mostly flat ride with great views and plenty of opportunities for refreshments or a quick dip in the lake. The 55 kilometres are easily doable in a day. If you’re not feeling energetic, you can rent an e-bike to make it even easier. [Photo © norbert-eisele-hein.com]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 19The Drive – To those visiting from outside mainland Europe, the ease of travel between countries holds a strange appeal. Travel from Chiemsee in three of four directions and you’ll end up crossing the border into Austria, without even noticing. Salzburg is less than an hour away, Innsbrück an hour and a half, the nearest border crossing less than half an hour. The most scenic cross-border drive takes you past Tegernsee on the German side and Achensee on the Austrian side, into the Tyrolean mountains and famous ski resorts like Mayrhofen and Kitzbühel.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 20The Hangout – Locals swear by locally roasted coffee from Rosenheim-based Dinzler. Their beans gained such a reputation that the family roasters have opened a third outlet, conveniently located next to the motorway. Visitors from Munich, Salzburg and beyond stop for a caffeine fix after a long drive or stock up on beans en route. We recommend enjoying the atmosphere in their “Kunstmühle” branch, a lovingly modernised former mill in Rosenheim. [Photo: DINZLER]
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
Slide Nr 21The Kids – Lakes, mountains, boat trips and hikes should keep the kids entertained for days, but for a specifically kid-friendly day, visit the fairy tale park in Marquartstein. After all, you’re in Germany, home to many of the most famous fairy tales. Meet characters from the folk tales transcribed by the Brothers Grimm, explore the forest and water playgrounds, take a spin on the choo-choo train or a slide on the toboggan. Finally, get up close and personal with local animals in the petting zoo.
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Weekend Getaway Guide: Chiemgau.
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