Cycling tours in the Chiemgau: Cycling through Bavaria's postcard idyll
As the name suggests, Chiemgau refers to the region surrounding Lake Chiemsee in southeastern Bavaria. The largest city is Traunstein. Divided into north and south by the lake and the A8 motorway, it boasts a unique natural diversity. Many cycling routes run along the water. North of the motorway, in the Chiemsee hinterland and around the lake, countless kilometers can be cycled, and many restaurants also invite you to enjoy leisurely tours. South of the lake, floodplains and moorland crisscross the foothills of the mountains. Action junkies will find their money's worth in the Chiemgau Alps: flowing trails and beautiful alpine pastures reward mountain bikers.
An environmentally friendly journey to Chiemgau is easy: IC and ICE train stops are in Prien and Traunstein. Getting around the area is also easy: DB and regional train stops are in Übersee, Bergen, and Traunstein. Those arriving by car can take the A8 Munich–Salzburg motorway, which passes directly by Lake Chiemsee.
In the Chiemsee hinterland, largely surrounded by forest, lies the Eggstätt-Hemhofer Lake District. This loop from Bad Endorf first leads through Mauerkirchen and then south across Lake Langbürg into the lake district. The asphalt roads turn into gravel tracks, and through a forest, you reach Lake Hartsee. Following its shore, you circle the lakes via Oberulsham and Pelham before returning via Bad Endorf Airfield before Stephanskirchen.
Lake Simssee is a worthwhile detour in the Chiemsee area. From Bad Endorf, the route leads via Krottenmühl to Lake Simssee and via Baierbach and Riedering to its southern shore. From there, the route continues eastward, gently up and down to Lake Chiemsee, which can be reached south of Prien. Along the lakeshore, the loop continues north on the Chiemsee Cycle Path. From Rimsting, you cycle back to Bad Endorf, with a slight climb via Hemhof. The route is mostly paved.
Where you start the Chiemsee Cycle Path is up to you. The largely paved route takes cyclists all the way around the Bavarian Sea, most of the time directly along the shore or at least with a view of the lake. The path makes larger loops near Grabenstätt around the mouth of the Ache River and between Übersee and Bernau, where the A8 motorway runs directly along the lakeshore. Numerous restaurants, ice cream parlors, and lidos invite you to linger along the flat circular route. Therefore, plan it as a day trip.
For this tour on the south side of the lake, it's a good idea to pack your swimming trunks: Starting in Grassau at the foot of the Chiemgau Alps, you cycle towards Bergen through moss and felt landscapes. Before Bergen, turn left, cross the motorway, and head to Grabenstätt. From there, it's just a stone's throw to Lake Tüttensee, a warm moor lake perfect for a swim. This is followed by a loop along the shore of Lake Chiemsee before the tour returns to Grassau via Feldwies and Übersee.
Between April and October, snow can remain at the foot of the Alps until spring. During the holiday months of July and August, traffic is heavy, and hotels are fuller.
As an ADFC-certified cycling region, Chiemgau offers certified bed-and-bike accommodations . They are specifically tailored to bikers' needs and are often conveniently located near cycle paths: for example, Haus Waldesruh in Feldwies-Übersee or Weßnerhof in Marquartstein. Information on all eleven accommodations: chiemsee-chiemgau.info/radunterkuenfte . Chiemgau also offers many campsites and parking spaces where you can find your own accommodation in beautiful lake or mountain locations – you can find a few examples here. in our campsite database :
Fish on a stick, bread and butter – and, of course, local beer with a long tradition: Chiemgau cuisine is hearty, diverse, and draws on the surrounding alpine pastures, especially for dairy products. When fish on a stick is grilled on the charcoal grill at the Hartseestüberl in Eggstätt, it's considered some of the best in the region. The Wieninger Bräu inn in Prien offers local Bavarian cuisine – in summer, on the sun terrace in the lively town center. A sundowner is best enjoyed at the Übersee beach bar.
At Hartsee, the largest in the lake district, the forest spits us out again after our trail adventure. Around the pub of the same name, a few swimmers, beach volleyball players, and mini-golfers are having fun. "Suddenly, there's a lot going on here! Maybe it's the Steckerlfisch," speculates our local. It's sensational. Indeed, it's true, but the view on the way back towards Bad Endorf turns out to be almost even more sensational. If you look south, you might think you're cycling directly towards the Kampenwand, the most famous mountain in the Chiemgau Alps. "You definitely have to go in that direction if you want to experience something here. But it's pretty crowded at the Kampenwand," says Marius. That's why he recommends Simssee, southwest of Bad Endorf. While it's not quite as hidden as the Eggstätter Lakes, it's also not as touristy as Lake Chiemsee. A good compromise, we think.
... the complete article including all tour tips is available here as a PDF download:
Chiemsee Tourism offers a wealth of themed bike tours, child-friendly routes, and inspiration for your own trips: chiemsee-chiemgau.info. The website chiemsee-alpenland.de/entdecken/radfahren provides further information about the region, sights, cuisine, and events, as well as a planning tool and a tour portal. The German Cycling Club (ADFC) also operates a website on the Chiemgau with tour suggestions: radtourismus.de/chiemsee-chiemgau
You can find more cycling tour highlights in our new special issue!
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