Bavaria: Home and place of retreat
People love and adore her: Empress Sisi. Born in Bavaria into the House of Wittelsbach, she married the Emperor Franz Joseph I at the age of 16 and became Empress of Austria and later Queen of Hungary. The life of this passionate traveller is full of joy and sadness and is also linked closely to some very special places. You will experience these along the route of Sisi’s Road. Over a stretch of more than 2,000 kilometres you will visit the most important stations in the life of Empress Sisi in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Hungary and Greece.
But it is in Bavaria in particular where Sisi spent the happiest times in her unconventional life. This is where she enjoyed her carefree childhood. In later life she was constantly drawn back to Lake Starnberg near Munich to seek consolation and some time for herself. Follow the footsteps of the Empress and discover her favourite places in Bavaria along the route of Sisi’s Road.
Set forth from where life began for our young Empress
The route in honour of the Empress Sisi begins in Augsburg in Bavaria, where her brother Duke Ludwig sometimes stayed with his wife and daughter. Sisi had a particularly close relationship with her niece.
Then Sisi’s Road continues towards the district of Unterwittelsbach in Aichach – to the famous moated castle. This was bought by Duke Maximilian in Bavaria, Sisi’s father, in 1838. You can still sense the magic of this remarkable woman here, which permeates the whole area to this day. Make sure to visit the Sisi Exhibition, which is held annually from May to November in “Sisi’s Castle”, as the moated castle is also known.
Sisi’s Road: happy times on Lake Starnberg
As well as her time in Unterwittelsbach, this icon also enjoyed her stays near Munich, the city of her birth. Sisi’s Road takes you here too: to Possenhofen in the municipality of Pöcking. Although it is only possible to view Possenhofen Castle, where Sisi grew up, from a ship, a visit to the Kaiserin Elisabeth Museum should not be missed. On a tour of the museum, numerous photographs shed light on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria – from her youth in Bavaria until her death on Lake Geneva.
From Possenhofen on the banks of Lake Starnberg you travel out to Rose Island in the centre of this magnificent lake – the only island far and wide. Once owned by King Maximilian II, this romantic isle is where Empress Sisi came to find peace in the heart of its magnificent rose garden. You too can enjoy time out from the hustle and bustle of life at this station on Sisi’s Road, where the Empress came to dream and relax.
Around 100 kilometres from Munich you will find the impressive Neuschwanstein Castle. This whimsical yet stately palace was built by Ludwig II, Empress Sisi’s cousin. Or visit Schloss St. Emmeram, the famous castle in Regensburg. This is where Sisi’s older sister Helene lived.
Numerous stations on Sisi’s Road bring the magical and unforgettable Empress to life – making your journey to her favourite places in Bavaria magical and unforgettable too.
