The Tegernsee Valley and its surrounding mountains, the Schliersee and the Spitzingsee, Bayrischzell and the Wendelstein form a kind of picture book Upper Bavaria. In the Tegernsee region, Germany is not only doing well, it is doing splendidly. But you can't complain in the Inn Valley either ...
Lago di Bonzen is not a nice term. Tegernsee is nevertheless called that. Sometimes maliciously, sometimes enviously, sometimes disrespectfully. Lago di Bonzen is a reaction in words. To tranquility and wealth. To serenity and comfort. To beauty and cleanliness. To perfection.
One of the best addresses Germany's self-evidently, Lake Tegernsee is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, because a ring sewer system was created more than 50 years ago - the first of its kind in the world, by the way. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Tegernsee is considered one of the best addresses in Germany, for many known and even more unknown rich - brand gold rimmed glasses with boardroom blond in expensive loden.
The place Tegernsee not only bears the name of the lake because it was the first to be settled, it is also good at glamour. But in the Tegernsee Valley, Rottach-Egern in particular stands for society. When the German Pope Benedict XVI was still in office, he was greeted at Munich Airport by the Tegernsee Mountain Riflemen - Benedict is their honorary member. Even the flea market can be a high-profile affair, such as when Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria cleans out her attic and sells curios or valuable items for a good cause. Bad Wiessee, on the other hand, is a place for best and golden agers. Some people turn the tables and say: Wiessee suffers from this image, since the place has healing springs to offer, including Germany's strongest iodine sulfur spring.
The Schliersee is also known throughout Germany. But as in the almost untouched Spitzingsee 300 meters higher, the clocks here seem to go more leisurely than in the rigged Tegernsee. The Rotwand, the Rosskopf and, further east, the Wendelstein, Bayrischzell and the Sudelfeld, which is popular with people from Munich, are considered wonderful hiking and winter sports areas. The double Olympic skiing champion Markus Wasmeier, who comes from Schliersee, had the nice idea to bring a farming village with its several centuries old farms to life in his home village. Today, they are traditionally farmed.
Who believes, Anyone who thinks that tradition and young life don't go together and that cultural integration is something for hopeless dreamers can be surprised by the opposite in Wasserburg. This medieval dollhouse town with its many old stories and the island-like old town, which is almost completely surrounded by the Inn River, appears young. If visitors and residents of Wasserburg are asked what they appreciate about the town, they usually go into raptures: Southern, cosmopolitan, lively, culturally enthusiastic and multicultural, they say. But Wasserburg is also full of old stories. Many of them have to do with the salt trade routes that once made this town prosperous. In the old days, small noble residences and country castles were typical landmarks in the region. Just like Weikertsham Castle. Hidden among fields and farms, this gem, built in the late Middle Ages as a patrician house, lies on the eastern bank of the Inn near Wasserburg. The tower-like castle with its frescoes on the gable front is surrounded by trees and a garden with a lake pond. Today, two rooms are rented out to vacationers. And so, as a guest at Weikertsham Castle, you can feel - at least temporarily - like a country lady or a country lord.
The island-like 1000-year-old old town of Wasserburg (pop. 12,700) is almost completely surrounded by the Inn River. With its medieval character, its narrow streets alternate old craftsmen's houses with hall-like squares and vaulted arcades. Particularly worthwhile:
Old Town: The salt road led into the city through the massive Brucktor (1470). The center of the old town is the Marienplatz. The entrance hall of the town hall (15th and 19th century) and the bread house, in which the baked goods of the local bakers were offered until the 1970s, remind of the former Kornschranne. The core house has one of the most beautiful rococo facades in southern Germany by Johann Baptist Zimmermann. The dominant hall church of St. Jakob (1410-1478) is late Gothic, equipped with a magnificent Renaissance pulpit (1635) by the Zürn brothers as well as a "Tree of Life" (1460) on the southeastern chancel wall. In the Frauenkirche (around 1325), the "Beautiful Madonna" (1430), a lovely depiction of the Madonna, can be seen on the high altar. Its tower was once the city tower with the apartment of the city watchman.
Nations Festival: The Nations Festival in the Old Town offers dance, music and international gastronomy www.rio-konkret.de; Sat. mid-June.
Historic house facades: At Wasserburg leuchtet, historic house facades are illuminated with light effects starting at 8 p.m. (first Fri. after the Bavarian summer vacations).
A winter sports community as it stands in the book: cozy, manageable. But also in summer the climatic health resort (1600 inhabitants), which originated from a monastery settlement in the 11th century, has best references among hikers and motorcyclists. Especially recommended:
Wendelstein, Sudelfeld road, Tatzelwurm waterfall: The vacation resort around its baroque parish church from the 18th century lies in the shadow of the Wendelstein (1838 m; Wendelsteinbahn, www.wendelsteinbahn.de); all around there are about 50 managed alpine pastures. Bikers with and without motors love the Sudelfeld Road, while the Upper Sudelfeld is a good ski area with 16 lifts and 32 km of slopes. 95 m plunges the Tatzelwurm waterfall of the Auerbach.
The charming location with mountains rising to the south, its manageable size of just under 9 km², endearing villages and the many beautiful hiking, water and winter sports opportunities make the region an ideal place to switch off and enjoy, recharge your batteries or be active. The highlights:
Walk along the lake promenade: A walk along the Bad Wiesse lake promenade to the district of Abwinkl should not be missed, nor should the view from the Prinzenruhe lookout point there. The best view of the valley is from an excursion steamer (Schifffahrt Tegernsee, Seestr. 70, 83684 Tegernsee, www.seenschifffahrt.de).
Rowing and pedal boat rental: Or you can rent a rowing or pedal boat (a. Christoph Rixner, Seestr. 12 a, Tegernsee, www.bootsverleih-rixner.de).
The health resort (3700 ew.) offers rare animals and plants in the nature reserve of the Weißach-Auen and is considered a snow-sure area in winter. Worth seeing:
Kreuth Parish Church: The parish church from the 12th century is the oldest Leonhardi sanctuary in Bavaria (Leonhardifahrt on Nov. 6).
Cover photo: Two ways to enjoy the lake: on one of the excursion boats or on the terrace of the "Herzogliches Brauhaus" in the village of Tegernsee © picture alliance / DUMONT Bildarchiv | Reinhard Eisele