"Whoever has seen many beautiful landscapes in the world, in a frenzy of desire calls this one the most beautiful, never hopes to see a more beautiful one again," has travel writer Lorenz Westenrieder

once raved about. The Starnberger Fünf-Seen-Land with its farming villages, magnificent residences and over 100 kilometers of lakeshore has always attracted summer visitors. From nearby Munich, recreation-seekers commute to fashionable Lake Starnberg, the more down-to-earth Ammersee, also known as "Bauernsee," as well as Pilsensee, Wörthsee and Weßlinger See. The high nobility, including fairy-tale King Ludwig II and his grand cousin Empress Elisabeth of Austria ("Sisi"), resided in stately villas and castles that still tower over the shores of Lake Starnberg today.

In addition to glitz and glamor, there is also plenty of art and culture to discover in the Starnberger Fünf-Seen-Land: The Buchheim Museum, for example, which displays a spectacular collection of expressionist masterpieces, or the Museum Starnberger See, which transports visitors to the worlds of 19th- and 20th-century life. Other highlights include the famous Andechs Monastery on the Holy Mountain and the magnificent Marienmünster on the opposite lakeshore in Dießen.

The five lakes (Starnberger See, Ammersee, Wörthsee, Pilsensee and the Weißlinger See) also offer a wide range of sports: numerous lidos invite you to swim with a view of the Alps, while from the shore you can watch the sailors and surfers who find the best conditions here. Cyclists and hikers can look forward to varied tours: whether villa-watching, lido-hopping or pure nature experience - countless facets make the Starnberger Fünf-Seen-Land a Dorado for explorers.