Camping at Lake Starnberg

Just 25 kilometres from the Bavarian capital, Lake Starnberg is located in the popular recreational area of the beautiful Fünfseenland region. There is something for everyone with the wide range of leisure activities on offer. Long, relaxing walks and short hiking excursions from Tutzing to Possenhofen in the picturesque landscape are not just for camping enthusiasts. Cyclists can try out the extensive network of routes in the Starnberg region, while water lovers can enjoy sunbathing and swimming on the many public beaches.

Camping at Lake Starnberg: All the important information at a glance

While Munich residents are happy to make the not-too-distant journey to Starnberg by public transport, the Bavarian Alps are already preparing travellers from the north for an enjoyable holiday between lake and mountain.

Thanks to the first-class local infrastructure, camping enthusiasts will find plenty of opportunities to pitch their tent: for example, there are campsites right by the lake, romantically situated under a starry summer sky. It's only a stone's throw for visitors to jump into the cool waters of the lake early in the morning. Families with small children appreciate the pebble or meadow beaches that slope gently into the water, promising cosy, relaxed days of splashing around and swimming.

Between Starnberg and Ambach, there are also well-managed campsites on Lake Starnberg where you can always find a pitch for your motorhome. Volleyball and mini golf are offered at many campsites and provide a change from sunbathing on the sunbathing lawns. Young campers will love the campsite's own children's playgrounds where they can let off steam and make friends.

Many holidaymakers follow a long tradition and turn camping on Lake Starnberg into an individual family holiday. Thanks to the warm climate in summer, there are also long-term campers in the southern region of Bavaria who come here every year with a tent or their own caravan, so it is not uncommon for friendships to be cultivated at the campsite.

As Lake Starnberg is located in the Fünfseenland region, there are a whole host of other lakes that are also ideal for a camping holiday. Beautiful campsites can also be found at Pilsensee, Wörthsee or Ammersee, which is the second largest lake in the region after Starnberger See.

A little further south are the picturesque Osterseen lakes near the village of Iffeldorf. There are a number of picturesque nature campsites on the 19 lakes that stretch as far as Seeshaupt, such as the scenic Fohnsee.

Campsites on Lake Starnberg

Here is a selection of the most beautiful campsites around Lake Starnberg and in the Fünfseenland region.

Camping Seeshaupt

This beautiful campsite is located on the southern shore of Lake Starnberg and offers spacious pitches in a quiet lakeside location as well as several cosy sleeping cabins for campers without motorhomes. All pitches have an electricity connection, and there is also a kiosk and a corner shop on site where you can get fresh bread rolls every day.

Pilsensee campsite

This fantastic campsite is located between Lake Ammersee and Lake Starnberg on the beautiful Pilsensee. In addition to pitches, the site offers a range of beautiful rental accommodation, e.g. sleeping barrels, mobile homes, chalets and the particularly comfortable hunting lodges. If you prefer glamping by the lake, this is the place for you.

Fohnsee campsite

This natural campsite in the Osterseen nature reserve near Iffeldorf promises tranquillity, a dreamlike landscape and many opportunities for hiking and cycling tours. The site is quite small and deliberately kept natural. Nevertheless, it boasts clean sanitary facilities and a highly recommended restaurant right on the site. Grocery shops and other shopping facilities can be found in Iffeldorf, around 10 minutes away.

The most beautiful holiday destinations on Lake Starnberg

The holiday destinations on Lake Starnberg line the western shore from Possenhofen and Pöcking via Tutzing to Bernried and Seeshaupt. The eastern shore is also enchanting with its idyllic little communities. Visitors can take a dip almost anywhere and set off on long walks or cycle tours along the shore.

Starnberg

Starnberg is not only the county town of the district of the same name, but also has a high recreational value thanks to its public outdoor pool, sailing and surfing schools. Families, even with older children, will find numerous offers from over fifty clubs for sporting activities during their camping holiday.

Those who are drawn to the water can join a sailing course, go kayaking and SUP or fish for their own whitefish and trout. Campers interested in culture can marvel at historic castles or churches, such as the picturesque St Peter and Paul Filialkirche.

Ambach

As a district of the municipality of Münsing, Ambach also delights its visitors with numerous monuments scattered throughout the village. The birthplace of author Patrick Süskind, which is over 1,000 years old, also has a boat landing stage and a nearby campsite.

Berg

The municipality of Berg with its 15 districts on the north-eastern shore is ideal for excursions and tours around Lake Starnberg thanks to the mooring points for passenger boats. Cycling and hiking trails lead in all directions through the historic town, which also boasts a long list of architectural monuments.

Top sights

Castles, museums and an island also make the Starnberg region culturally interesting. Only one islet floats in the water - Roseninsel in Feldafinger Bucht can be reached by a five-minute ferry ride from the western shore. Popular destinations for day trippers are the Casino Castle, the relics of the prehistoric pile dwellings, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the colourful, fragrant rose garden. Berg Castle on the eastern shore of Lake Starnberg was once inhabited by Elector Ferdinand Maria.

Ammerland Castle on Lake Starnberg in the district of the same name in the municipality of Münsing is also magnificent. It is very hidden by the lake and yet is a real eye-catcher thanks to its two onion domes dating from 1683 and 1685. If you are a good walker, hike from Tutzing on the western shore just under ten kilometres further west to the Pähler Gorge with the mighty Pähler Waterfall.

Further south along the lakeshore, camping holidaymakers can visit the Museum of Fantasy, also known as the Buchheim Museum. It boasts a collection of famous expressionist works by the artist Lothar-Günther Buchheim.

The Lake Starnberg Museum presents the history and culture of the region and shows how the lake has been utilised over the course of time. On a day trip eastwards, children's hearts will beat faster at the Märchenwald amusement park in the Isar valley. Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and other characters from Grimm's fairy tales hide under shady trees here from April to October.

Activities and excursions

Active around the lake

In addition to numerous water sports and relaxing by the water, visitors can take advantage of the wide range of excursions on offer around the campsites. There is a signposted route of over 49 kilometres around the lake for leisurely walks through woods and fields. This route, which is closed to motorised traffic, can also be used by sports enthusiasts as a cycle path or for jogging.

Those who want to take a break can dip their feet in the water every now and then or treat themselves to a cool drink in the famous Kloster-Andechs beer garden. Visitors arriving in autumn may be lucky enough to find mushrooms in the dense forest, which can then be cooked over a barbecue and enjoyed afterwards.

Boat trip

Of course, you can also take it easy and leisurely on holiday and discover the large lake with a ticket from Starnberger See Schifffahrt, which offers various themed cruises across the lake. Ideally, Munich residents can take the next boat directly from the S-Bahn, which runs from Leoni to Possenhofen, for example. Pedal boats or rowing boats can be used for individual exploratory tours. Numerous boat hire companies on Lake Starnberg hire out boats by the hour.

events

May

• Dießen pottery market: If you are looking for modern porcelain or classic crockery and the right silver cutlery in the second week of May, take a trip to the village of Dießen am Ammersee.

June

• Africa-Caribbean Culture Festival: The open-air culture festival on the second weekend in June in Starnberg brings a Caribbean feeling and African flair to Bavaria with live music, a bazaar and African delicacies.

August

• Fishing tournament: Every five years since 1907, the traditional Prinzregent-Luitpold fishing tournament has been held in Starnberg Bay, where holidaymakers can experience the regional custom up close.

August - September

• Five Lakes Film Festival: From August to the beginning of September, over 150 films take centre stage at this large-scale public festival with a focus on new German-language films. Short films, documentaries and feature films are shown at this renowned event.

September

• AMMERSEErenade classical music festival: Not far from Lake Starnberg, the stages around the Ammersee near Schondorf are filled with chamber music every year in the third week of September, enchanting audiences with new talent on the red Steinway grand piano.

December

• Christmas markets: As soon as it gets cold, they bring a cosy, pre-Christmas atmosphere to the Starnberg area with mulled wine, stollen, biscuits and Christmas music.

Gastronomic highlights for campers

The Bavarian cuisine that holidaymakers can sample while camping at Lake Starnberg is hearty and hearty. In addition to cosy beer gardens offering delicious snacks, there are also first-class regional restaurants in the villages around the lake. Of course, fresh fish is on the menu. Trout and whitefish with young potatoes are popular with holidaymakers. You can also try the famous mackerel on a skewer in the beer garden. The local cuisine is also known for its variety of meat dishes.

In addition to roast pork, veal shank with coleslaw or sauerkraut is also a must on the menu. A hearty snack with pretzels and a pint of lager or wheat beer naturally also includes sausages of all kinds. White sausages are particularly typical. Bratwurst sausages, on the other hand, can be prepared particularly well on the campsite with your own barbecue. Hearty soups are also very popular and liver dumpling soup or pea sausage soup, for example, are an excellent choice for warming up in cooler weather.

Vegetarians will also find what they are looking for in Bavarian restaurants: "Reiberdatschi" is the name given to the delicious potato pancakes, which are prepared with onions and are best eaten with apple sauce. The savoury cheese preparation Obatzter, which traditionally consists of soft cheese and spices, is recommended as a typical alternative to a snack.

Weather and best time to travel for a camping holiday at Lake Starnberg

The region in southern Bavaria has a moderately warm climate. Camping at Lake Starnberg is particularly suitable in summer. Then, in the months of June to August, the temperatures are around 20°C. With highs of around 25°C, July is the warmest month of the year and therefore ideal if you want to combine a camping holiday at Lake Starnberg with swimming fun. The lake's water temperatures are also at their highest in summer - up to 24°C.