Vachendorf: Nature, Culture and Cross-Country Skiing

Vachendorf offers several distinct reasons to choose a stay: Lake Tüttensee and its species-rich shoreline, St. George’s Chapel with its history as a former pilgrimage site, and the Tobi Angerer Trail on Hochberg. These themes give you a concrete way to decide if you want to focus more on nature, local history or cross-country skiing.

Nature at Lake Tüttensee

Lake Tüttensee is a kettle lake in the Bavarian Chiemgau and lies within the municipalities of Grabenstätt and Vachendorf. Its shore includes a species-rich protected landscape area. The lake and the protected area thus bring together two different perspectives: the lake’s place in the landscape and the species-rich, protected shoreline. Lake Tüttensee offers a specific connection to nature when choosing your destination; the protected-area designation draws particular attention to the shore. If you are interested in the landscape, you can take both aspects into account when planning your trip.

Hiking and local history

St. George’s Chapel in Vachendorf was once a well-known pilgrimage site throughout the region. An official hike to the chapel starts at Vachendorf Town Hall. The hike therefore links a named starting point with a destination known for its former importance as a pilgrimage site. If you want to include local history in your choice of destination, this offers a distinct cultural connection alongside the landscape around Lake Tüttensee.

Another cultural connection is the painter Johann Baptist Neumüller (1799–1840). He was from Vachendorf, was supported by King Max I Joseph, and painted the high altar painting “Descent from the Cross” in the parish church. The artist’s origins, the king’s patronage and the specifically named work link local cultural history to a single work of art. Together with St. George’s Chapel’s former importance as a pilgrimage site, these offer two different perspectives on local history: the pilgrimage tradition and religious painting.

Cross-country skiing and leisure

The Tobi Angerer Trail on Hochberg adds a sporting winter highlight. It includes varied cross-country ski routes and offers panoramic views of the Alpine range while skiing. This focus differs from the hike to the chapel: here, cross-country skiing and Alpine views take centre stage, while the hike has a cultural destination. If you are choosing Vachendorf based on what you want to focus on, this difference can help you decide.

Local leisure facilities in Vachendorf also include an outdoor swimming pool and a tennis court. If you plan to include either in your stay, please check their accessibility for your travel dates in advance.

A separate look at Traunstein

Another, separate focus is the Traunstein district. It is home to Lake Chiemsee and Lake Waginger See; the Chiemgau Alps have more than 170 mountain pastures and peaks of up to 2,000 metres. The Seeon Lakes are listed as a nature reserve in the Traunstein district, while Lake Waginger See and Lake Tachinger See are listed as protected landscape areas. These details offer a regional view of lakes, Alpine landscapes and designated protected areas.

The city of Traunstein also has its own cultural and historical theme. The historic town walk passes the Klosterkirche cultural forum and then continues to the saltworks chapel, the saltworks houses and the Salinenpark, built in 2019. The saltworks houses and chapel offer an insight into Traunstein’s significant salt history; the saltworks chapel is the largest chapel in Germany. The local history museum houses a town and toy museum with exhibits on civic culture, religious art and the history of the saltworks. The brewery museum near Jackl Tower is part of Hofbräuhaus Traunstein.

For the main travel overview: Bergen.