Exploring the Lake

The village of Herrsching, with a population of 10,000, is home to the Kurpark Schlösschen (tel. 08152/42-50), an enormous villa with fabulous turrets, facades, and pagoda roofing. It was constructed in the late 19th century as a summer getaway for the artist Ludwig Scheuermann. It is now home to the municipal cultural center and is the venue for occasional summer concerts.

The small fishing village of Diessen, popular for its pottery and its church, the Marienmünster, is a short ferry ride from Herrsching. Ferries depart about nine times a day from the Seepromenade; the ride takes 20 minutes, and the fare to Diessen is 6.80€ each way. For information, call Bayerische Seenschifffahrt Ammersee (tel. 08143/9-40-21; www.seenschifffahrt.de) at Landsberger Strasse 81 in Ammersee.

Also a short journey from Herrsching, and well worth the time, is the ancient monastery of Andechs (tel. 08152/376-0; www.andechs.de). Set high on a mountain, the Heiliger Berg, this Benedictine monastery (daily 7am-7pm) draws multitudes of pilgrims and beer aficionados. The pilgrims visit to venerate the religious relics from the Holy Land; the less devout make the journey for the stupendous beers and cheeses produced by the monks. Buses depart from the front of Herrshing's railway station every hour year-round. Contact Omnibusverhehr Rauner (tel. 08152/34-57) for information. You can also hike the 5km (3 miles) uphill to the monastery -- head east along the trails marked from the center of Herrsching.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.