Chiemsee Overview

The original inhabitants of these picturesque islands, meadows, and marshlands, located between Munich and Salzburg, built the famed 9th-century island monasteries. Later, King Ludwig II chose the Herreninsel as the site for his last and most extravagant fairy-tale château. This “Bavarian Ocean” has been overrun by resorts and rising prices. Much of the lake is now a Naturschutzgebiet (Nature Preserve) and its waters remain relatively pristine. Chiemsee also attracts a younger, more active audience, thanks to the variety of sports on tap, from wind-surfing and sailing to hiking and mountain biking. Prien, the largest lake town, functions as a hub for the other towns around the lake, including Aschau, resort paradise Bad Endorf, and the ski areas of Kampenwand.

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