The Fraueninsel is a small thriving island in the middle of Lake Chiemsee. I imagine it’s beautiful to visit whatever the season, but for just 6 days of the year, it is also the setting of a truly unique Bavarian Christmas Market – reputed to be one of the most romantic and atmospheric too…
At this time of year, the Fraueninsel’s banks (all 300 metres width and 600 metres length of them) are lined with beautifully decorated stalls of the gift, and seasonal food and drink variety. All are interspersed with the small businesses that are permanent features here – the local fish smokeries, and potteries for instance, and the inns and restaurants that provided warmth and sustenance on this, the most bitterly cold of days that we visited (we can highly recommend the particularly good grilled lake trout at the Inselwirt by the way, a great place with friendly service!)…
Our day here started with a boat journey. One that passed magnificent mountains on the way to our destination, and provided plentiful opportunities for ornithological appreciation (many a wild guess was given by the Small People as to what variety of birds we had spotted, but I don’t believe there are flamingoes on the Chiemsee). The chance to stave off the cold with a steaming hot mug of gluhwein (of course!) probably contributed to the good cheer of almost everyone on board too!
I often miss being surrounded by the sea, as we were in Denmark, and many aspects of this island reminded me of life in that part of Scandinavia – especially the lovely quirky wooden clad houses for instance, and all the paraphernalia that comes with having deep water on your doorstep – the countless boats, fishing nets and smokeries for example…
(not another Christmas Market?!)…
There are something like 300 permanent residents here, and apart from the nuns at the Benedictine Convent (who are famed liqueur makers) and the adjacent Saint Michael’s Chapel (well worth the visit, its ancient interior is stunningly intricate… For a moment I thought the 6 Year old had discovered a new enthusiasm for historical religious buildings, as having called him (in hushed tones obviously) several times to hurry up, I then had to go and rescue him from some ornate metal lattice work, as it turned out his hood was stuck!), this community is made up mainly of craftsmen, fishermen, and artists. And I have to say that I am quite jealous of their little island – what a fantastic place to live. Imagine waking up each day to views like that, with not a single morning traffic jam to contemplate over breakfast either – there actually is no traffic on the island!
Having wandered the stalls for a couple of hours, and as the density of crowds had begun to build in anticipation of the spectacle that must be Fraueninsel Christmas market at night, we decided to call it a day and headed for the boat to take us back across the water. This post should actually end with us getting the boat successfully, it taking us back across, and us driving home again. Except that this is me, and we got on the wrong boat and had to stand at the quay shivering under the big fat feathery flakes of snow that had begun to fall, only to have to go back across the water and then starting all over again. They do say that every cloud has a silver lining though don’t they? And we wouldn’t have seen this view of the island had that not happened…
One to look out for next Christmas for the Christmas Market aficionados amongst you…
That’s sounds amazing!! Poor S getting stuck, reminded me of the head incident! Ha!xx
That still has to be the funniest thing that has ever happened to him…. xxx
Goodness me, so pretty. And it sounds like you had a lovely time :-) Other than the whole wrong boat thing! Have a wonderful Christmas when it comes xx
Thank you Ruth, it was lovely. Have a wonderful first Christmas in your new land, may 2014 be fabulous! :) xxx
Oh wow, it all looks so beautiful. I love the statue looking fed up!!
Thanks Kara. It actually reminded me of me at the thought of yet another Christmas Market! :D
LOL @ your 6 year old getting stuck. It is indeed very romantic and I love how much detail there is everywhere.
I know, poor little chap! :D Thank you…
Simply stunning. I would love to go to a real Christmas market one year it really seems magical.
Thanks Rebecca! :)
It looks really beautiful and i think it might be one place me and my family need to visit. thank you for sharing such amazing pictures x
I think you would love it Otilia, thank you! :) x
What a srunning setting
Stunning even!!
Thanks Mary! :)
It looks and sounds wonderful – definitely worth the boat incident. The story of your sons hood did make me laugh, especially your later comment *whispers* ‘Mummy, I think I’m stuck…’!!
Thank you… I know, poor little thing. I thought he was super interested in something! :D
That is a stunning view and one hell of a silver lining !!
What a lovely place to visit – love the antique horse on the merry go round :o)
Thank you… He was obviously too nice to replace with shiny white horses! :D
A very different sort of Christmas market with its beautiful backdrop of the mountains and considering the boat journey you have to take to get there it is amazing how busy it gets. The restaurant is well worth a visit ….. in fact it is definately all very well worth a visit! xx
I am glad we have seen it though. Trust us regarding the boats!!! :D xxx
What a beautiful place! And so great caption for the little angel holding his head – had me laughing for a while :)
He’s lovely isn’t he? Made me laugh too when I saw the expression on his face… :)
Haha love the caption from the statue :) lovely pics especially the carousel xx
Thank you Fritha! :) x
Urgh! I want to be you!! You go to the BEST places.
Haha… thank you! Sometimes it might seem like that, but I usually get stuck or lost or something… :D
Amazing setting! Sure it must get so busy though, and you’ve possibly had your fill of Christmas markets by now..?
I’d have been with you, on the wrong boat by the way – doing a lot of that kind of thing at the moment! Really looking forward to switching off for a few days. Hope you have a lovely Christmas xx
I am well and truly Christmas Marketed out for this year now… :D I do that kind of thing ALL of the time. Someone once asked me how I find lots of interesting places to write about, and that is actually because I usually end up somewhere unintentionally! :D You too, have a lovely lovely break! xxx
Simply beautiful! Makes me want to go on holiday!
Not too far from Austria either! ;) Thanks Maggy! :)
Ooo this looks splendid – I want to move there and be all creative for evermore. I haven’t manged one single Christmas Market this year yet – maybe next Monday I’ll squeeze one in before it’s too late. Lovely photos as ever x
Thank you Annie… Maybe next year? Hope the ankle is on the mend xx
some lovely photos here, it seems like an amazing and unique place!
Thank you Anna… Will go back sans markets I think, it is a lovely place! :)
I’ve read so much about the Christmas markets in Europe I so want to go next year.
PS – love that statue!
I think there should be one big epic trip over to Munich actually ;) Thank you xx
Wow! I can’t believe how many wonderful Christmas markets you have over there but I think this tops the lot – how lovely and romantic and safe sans traffic. Love that the nuns make really potent liquor. And what stunning views too. Have a wonderful Christmas! X
Thank you… I will go back next year without the Christmas Markets to visit it properly! Have a fabulous Christmas! :) xx
These pictures are gorgeous – it looks like a great place to be. We’re considering a European market in the near future – we’ve done Bath and Winchester but would like to try something totally different.
The Germans do them very well! Thank you! :)
Ahhhhh so pretty. I love the caption about not another Xmas Market – you poor things have all of those hoards of people there looking for the perfect bauble for their tree. Although I do hope I am one of them next year :)
Stretan Bozic {Merry Christmas} from Croatia.
I must admit, as lovely as they are, when it’s time for us to move on from here one day, I will be having a break from them for a while! :D Well worth visiting if you haven’t been before though! Thank you! :)
What a gorgeous place! Such lovely scenery, with or without the stalls. I can see why you like it. I’m having a break from blogging, from tomorrow, for the holiday so hope you have a very Merry Christmas! : )
Thank you Louisa! Have a lovely Christmas break! :) xx
This is an island I have visited many times as I lived in the area for 6 years although never visited during the Christmas market season. The church is particularly interesting as you read the many notes attached to the walls from parents thankful for the lives of sick and cured children and relatives. It’s a beautiful area to visit with Herrenchiemsee being one of my fav places.
Thank you Jan… I have yet to make it to the Herreninsel, but I shall look forward to it. The church is so beautiful, but on the day we visited packed to the rafters, which is probably just as well as I would have been a sobbing wreck had I seen that wall! xx
Is it bad that I am ha ha ha-ing at yet another of your family adventures. Not sure what is my highlight, the poor child stuck by his hood or you on the wrong boat!
I am also left wondering why do nuns and monks brew alcohol? I really have never understood it seem opposite to the type of stuff they are generally into.
The island looks lovely, there is something wonderful about little islands, not sure if it’s the water or the community. Fascinating.
Honestly. We can’t just do things normally! The hood did make me laugh, poor little thing… He was stuck at an angle which made him look like he was studying something closely, and was actually whispering loudly “Mummy, I think I am stuck” which I couldn’t hear until I got very close to him. :D I know what you mean about the Nuns and Monks, I had wondered that myself! :)
This looks magnificent, love the boat journey beginning..
Thanks Sarah! :)