Holiday in Chiemsee

What makes Chiemsee special as a destination?

Chiemsee, affectionately called the Bavarian Sea, is the largest lake in Bavaria at 80 square kilometers and is nestled between gentle hills and the majestic Alpine panorama of Chiemgau. Three islands shape its character: Herreninsel with its magnificent royal palace, the idyllic Fraüninsel with its ancient monastery, and the uninhabited Krautinsel. Herrenchiemsee Palace on Herreninsel is King Ludwig II's most ambitious construction project — designed as a Bavarian Versailles, it impresses with a 98-meter-long mirror gallery, splendid state rooms, and extensive gardens with fountains. The Augustinian Canons' Monastery on the same island houses a museum that commemorates the creation of the German Basic Law, which was drafted here in 1948. Fraüninsel enchants with its 1,200-year-old Benedictine convent, where nuns still live today and produce their famous Chiemsee monastery liqueur. Picturesque fishermen's huts, small galleries, and the scent of smoked fish characterize the atmosphere. The lakeside towns of Prien, Gstadt, Bernau, and Chieming offer beach baths, sailing schools, and cycling paths along the 64-kilometer lakeside trail. The fleet of steamers connects the islands every half hour. Culinary delights include fresh Chiemsee whitefish, Kaiserschmarrn in rustic alpine huts, and beer gardens with views of Kampenwand and Hochfelln.