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Things to do in Starnberg
Boat trips on Lake Starnberg, guided tours, the year’s events, the Five Lakes Film Festival, the Christmas market and the best viewpoints over the lake.
Boat trips on Lake Starnberg
The passenger boats on the lake are run by the state-owned Bayerische Seenschifffahrt. Their Starnberg pier is on the lakeshore by the railway station, so you can step off the S-Bahn and onto a boat in a few minutes. From there the boats call at the villages around the lake, or take you on a round trip with the Alps on the horizon.
Round trips from Starnberg
| Trip | Duration (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Große Rundfahrt — the whole lake | 3 h 40 |
| Nördliche Rundfahrt — northern part | 2 h |
| Südliche Rundfahrt — southern part | 1 h 30 |
| Kurzrundfahrt — short round trip | 1 h |
Piers
Starnberg, Berg, Leoni, Possenhofen, Tutzing, Bernried, Seeshaupt and Ambach. Check the current timetable on seenschifffahrt.de before you go.
The fleet
Among the boats on the lake are the catamaran MS Starnberg, the MS Seeshaupt and the electric EMS Berg.
The Roseninsel ferry
Rose Island is not served by the lake boats: a small private ferry crosses from the Glockensteg in Feldafing, from early May to 15 October (€5 one way for adults, cash only). Rose Island →
Guided tours & activities
Book a tour, a day trip or an activity around Starnberg with our partners, or ask the tourist information on Hauptstraße.
Events in Starnberg
Upcoming events, soonest first. Past events disappear automatically; follow the RSS feed to get new dates as soon as they are announced.
- 3 Dec2026Starnberg Christmas Market3 December 2026 – 6 December 2026 · Kirchplatz, Starnberg. More
- 9 Dec2026Starnberg Ice Stock Magicfrom 9 December 2026 (end date not yet published) · Kirchplatz, Starnberg. More
Every year
- MonthlyMuseum Sunday at the Museum Starnberger SeeEvery first Sunday of the month, 11:00–18:00, admission only €1.
- JuneMemorial mass for King Ludwig IIAround 13 June, the anniversary of his death in 1886, at the Votive Chapel in Berg, with delegations in traditional costume.
- SummerKultursommer StarnbergThe town’s culture summer, from late June to early August, in the Bucentaurpark on the lakeshore and other venues.
- JulyNacht der langen TafelThe “Night of the Long Table”, Starnberg’s town festival in the town centre (2025: Saturday 19 July, 18:00–24:00). The 2026 date had not been published.
- Sept.Roseninsel-AchterRowing regatta for eights around Rose Island, every year at the end of September.
Dates as announced by the organisers; always check before travelling. Sources: starnberg.de (Christmas market 2026) · StarnbergAmmersee.de (Christmas markets) · Stadtgespräch 1/2025 · starnberg.de (Museum Sunday) · StarnbergAmmersee.de (Votive Chapel) · Wikipedia (Starnberger See). Checked 8 October 2026.
Fünf Seen Filmfestival
Every year at the end of August or in September, the Five Lakes Film Festival (FSFF) fills the cinemas of the region and open-air screens by the lakes. Founded in 2007, it is centred on the Kino Breitwand in Starnberg, with further venues in Gauting, Seefeld and around the five lakes.
The programme and the dates of the next edition are published on the festival’s website, fsff.de.
Starnberger Christkindlmarkt
Starnberg’s Christmas market takes place every year on the first weekend of Advent, from Thursday to Sunday, on the Kirchplatz in the town centre.
Starnberger Eisstockzauber
After the Christmas market, the Kirchplatz becomes the setting of the “Eisstockzauber”, with Bavarian ice stock sport (a cousin of curling), from 9 December 2026. Its end date had not yet been published.
Viewpoints over the lake
Two classic walks to a view of the lake and the Alps, on the west and the east shore.
Sources: Bayerische Seenschifffahrt · timetable (PDF) · StarnbergAmmersee.de (Roseninsel) · fsff.de · Festivals in Deutschland · StarnbergAmmersee.de (Ilkahöhe) · StarnbergAmmersee.de (Bismarckturm). Checked 8 October 2026.