In Tegernsee, monastery history and museum visits go hand in hand with boat tours and themed walks. If you’re looking for a hotel in Tegernsee, you can start by considering what you’d like to focus on during your trip: the history of the former monastery, collections on the area’s past, or a combination with a boat tour. The places and activities offer different highlights without requiring you to follow a set itinerary.
Museums and Monastery History
The Olaf Gulbransson Museum on Lake Tegernsee is a branch gallery of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Since 1966, it has presented a permanent exhibition on Olaf Gulbransson and Simplicissimus. The museum visit thus brings together the artist’s name and that of Simplicissimus; both are at the heart of this exhibition.
The Tegernseer Tal Museum focuses on the history of the town and its surroundings. Its local history collections include visual and written documents, as well as relics from more than 1,000 years of monastic history and from the Wittelsbach family’s activities at Lake Tegernsee. Other holdings include ethnographic objects from the Tegernsee Valley, including significant furniture from the 16th to 19th centuries. Alongside documents about the town’s history, everyday objects are also in focus.
The year 746 offers a starting point for the monastery’s history: that was when the former Benedictine monastery was founded in the town of Tegernsee. It was once one of the most important monasteries in Old Bavaria. Until 1803, St. Quirinus Parish Church served as the monastery church of Upper Bavaria’s most important Benedictine abbey. The dates describe different milestones: 746 marks the monastery’s foundation, while 1803 marks the end of the church’s former use as a monastery church.
Walks and a Themed Guided Tour
A literary walk of about two kilometers follows in the footsteps of Tegernsee’s town and monastery coat of arms. The approximate length gives a clear indication of the route’s distance; no walking time is specified. The walk offers a different focus from a visit devoted mainly to museum collections or monastery history.
The history of beer brewing can also be explored as the theme of a guided town tour. Tegernsee local guides offer a walk that leads from the beginnings of brewing at the Benedictine monastery to the Tegernseer Bräustüberl, passing original historical sites along the way. This tour is listed as a bookable walk for 2026. Check the dates in advance for your stay. This makes the tour a themed option to include in your travel plans, without assuming a particular duration or that a date will be available.
Boat Tours and Central Routes
From Rathaus Steg 1, passengers can take the southern tour on lines C and D, or the grand tour on lines A and B. The Rathaus Steg 1 and 2 boat landings are located in the center of Tegernsee. Both the Herzogliches Bräustüberl and the Tegernseer Tal Museum are just a short walk from there. The central landing stages therefore offer two practical reference points for a stay: the opportunity to take a boat tour and short walks to these two destinations.
These differences can help when choosing accommodation: if you’d like to focus mainly on museums and history, Tegernsee offers several distinct themes. If you’d like to include a boat tour, Rathaus Steg 1 is the departure point for the lines mentioned above. Check the boat tour schedules and the guided town tour dates before planning. This will help you decide which of the options described suits your stay, without needing to turn the various activities into a set itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Schliersee, Miesbach, Hausham, Irschenberg, Valley, Rottach-Egern, Bad Wiessee, Weyarn
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