The area is so incredibly beautiful I almost want to take up skiing.
I didn’t read up on what else there is to do in the Tegernsee area so I left it to my trusty German-speaking partner-slash-tour guide to decide where to go. With nothing in mind we drove south from Germany towards Austria, which I had last seen only two years ago during Christmas as well, to an area called Achensee, a sliver of alpine lake surrounded by mountains. The views from the car were a sight all throughout and it didn’t take much for me to agree to stop several times along the way. A harmless stop for gas in Achenkirch for example was rewarded by a stunning sight of two distinct churches against a backdrop of the Austrian alps. It’s really not that hard to believe in a higher power with so much beauty around. We drove down the entire eastern shore, stopped for lunch in Maurach in the southern tip before turning north again.
The town of Pertisau in particular is breathtaking with its enviable location covered with pristine snow on all sides. The view of the lake from Pertisau reminded me of the jaw-dropping views I saw in Switzerland last summer but with literal icing added on the cake, and surely must have been an influence on Rorschach for its mirror-like reflections of the mountains around it. Beautiful, majestic inkblots of blue, green, and white. I’m sure summers here are just as beautiful, maybe even more, and it would definitely be worth a trip back just to find out. How this place is not a UNESCO heritage site is beyond me.