You’ll think you’re in Italy due to the warmth of the air on spring evenings. The Marktstraße magically attracts visitors into its coffee houses with the first rays of the sun. The many boutiques and delightful little stores invite you to admire and shop. The market on Wednesday from morning to noon is another attraction. Oh, how beautiful Murnau is!

Murnau am Staffelsee is a market town in the Upper Bavarian district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and historically belongs to the Werdenfelser Land. Murnau is nestled in the foothills of the Alps in the immediate vicinity of the Bavarian Alps about 70 km south of Munich.

The picture-book town of Murnau with its many picturesque nooks and alleys is surrounded by the Murnauer Moos nature reserve and the three warmest bathing lakes in Upper Bavaria.

The overall appearance is characterized by Emanuel von Seidl’s architecture, the castle museum and the Gabriele von Münter building. The many small restaurants, ice-cream parlors and cafes exude Italian flair, and as soon as temperatures allow it people are eating and celebrating outside - both in the Marktstraße and along the shores of the Staffelsee. The view of the Wetterstein, Ester and Ammer mountains is impressive and the fresh air is a real pleasure.

Even before 1800, Munich painters discovered the poetic charms of the natural world for their art, and to this day artists from all over the world flock to Murnau to be inspired by the beautiful landscape and to use it as a model for their paintings. The castle museum focuses on the artists of the “Blue Rider”. It also documents landscape and local history, shows an international collection of reverse glass art and commemorates the ten years that writer Ödön von Horváth spent in Murnau.

Concerts, theaters, conferences, congresses and exhibitions are held in the cultural and conference center, located only 5 minutes away.

The 7.66 square km Staffelsee with its seven islands is one of the most beautiful lakes in Bavaria. The Staffelsee is one of the warmest lakes in our region due to its marshy water. Its maximum water depth is 39 meters and its average depth is 9.8 meters. Its shore length measures 18 km and even 25 km when including the islands.

The Murnauer Moos covers an area of about 4,200 hectares, making it the largest alpine region marshland in Central Europe. Marshes, wetland, and small forests offer a unique experience of nature, while the fauna and flora and the beautiful landscape are simply unique in their entirety.

For those seeking relaxation, the marked circular trails are a wonderful escape from everyday life. The Bohlenweg (junction Murnau/Westried) trail is particularly interesting. Here you can cross the moor landscape on wooden planks while enjoying the view of the surrounding mountains, the heather as well as birches and pine trees.

In spring, summer and autumn, the Blue Land offers countless leisure activities. Aficionados of fresh air, fantastic views and untouched nature are sure to get more than their money’s worth here.
Water sports enthusiasts and cyclists will find endless opportunities to explore the beauties of the region.