King Ludwig II and Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sisi, had more than just family ties. Ludwig and his great cousin were true kindred spirits. Visit with us the places on Lake Starnberg where Sisi grew up, where the two of them discussed life and love, and where the ‘Kini’ drowned in tragic circumstances.
Lake Starnberg is only about half an hour’s drive south of Munich. You can book a guided tour there through us – as a full-day or half-day excursion, each led by one of our certified guides. The programme is tailored entirely to your preferences. In summer, you can combine the tour with a boat trip following in the footsteps of Sisi and King Ludwig II, giving you a unique insight into the villas and parks around the lake.
As well as the Votive Chapel with its memorial cross commemorating King Ludwig’s death at Schloss Berg, your guide will also show you what makes Starnberg special today – from the historic boathouses to the elegant villas of the town’s wealthy residents. On the Schlossberg, the pretty Rococo Church of St Joseph, with its high altar by the Bavarian sculptor Ignaz Günther, is well worth a visit. From there, a magnificent view across the lake unfolds.
If you are particularly interested in the life of Sisi, you should visit the following places: The Empress Elisabeth Museum in the historic railway station in Feldafing, where Sisi arrived when she visited her homeland in her years as empress, and the Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth, where she stayed.
The wooden ferry takes you to Roseninsel (island), the site of conspiratorial meetings between Ludwig and Sisi. On the island, you can discover the casino of King Maximilian II (father of Ludwig II) and a landscaped garden with some historical rose varieties.
During a guided tour of the new exhibition at the Starnberger See Museum, your guide will give you a vivid and fact-based account of the events leading up to the death of King Ludwig II. The last four days of his life are examined as a drama in four acts, supported by numerous contemporary documents. What sort of person was Ludwig? What was the political and social context in which he lived? And how did this lead to the tragedy of his death? The epilogue describes the events immediately following his death. Can what is arguably the most famous unsolved death in Bavarian history finally be resolved?
If you’re in the mood for modern art, why not combine your trip to Lake Starnberg with a visit to the Buchheim Museum of Imagination in Bernried, followed by a stroll through the village, which is one of the most beautiful in Upper Bavaria.
Basic information about the Starnberg See day trip:
If you would like to make a binding booking for this tour with München Tourismus, please send your booking request with the following details by e-mail to: [email protected]
You will receive the booking confirmation by e-mail once a guide has been arranged. You can download an overview of our tour guide fees as well as our terms of payment and cancellation here:
Prices and conditions for guided tours 2026 as PDF for download
If you have any further questions, our colleagues from the tour guide agency will be happy to help you.
Phone: +49 89 233 30234
E-mail: [email protected]
