A report from the news magazine “Focus” indicates that Tegernsee is growing increasingly attractive compared to Sylt. While the North Sea island is struggling with a real estate surplus, with many homes available for sale for decades, the Bavarian lake region is attracting politicians, entrepreneurs, and celebrities, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU).
Korbinian Kohler, a hotelier on the lake, explained that Tegernsee benefits significantly from its proximity to Munich, described as Europe’s economic powerhouse. “All the great tech corporations in the world are moving to Munich, whether they come from China or California,” Kohler told “Focus”. He acknowledged his fondness for Sylt but lamented that the island is in a crisis that is driving down property prices and suffering from a lack of quality restaurants. In contrast, Kohler stressed that Tegernsee has historically been a cultural and economic hub of Europe, dating back to when Benedictines founded their monastery here in the year 700.
Supporting this view, celebrity gastronom Michael Käufer pointed out that warmer summers, despite climate change, benefit tourism around the lake. He added that Tegernsee remains far more lively in the winter months than Sylt.
Wolfram Weimer, the Minister of Cultural Affairs who lives by the lake like the Chancellor, is also a strong advocate for the area, insisting that its charm is timeless. He noted that he never tires of the views and would never leave the region. Since long before his time as Chancellor, Friedrich Merz has owned a vacation home near Tegernsee, using it for his holidays, sometimes engaging in mountain biking tours with Weimer. The Minister observed that Merz remains remarkably fit.
The perspective of established operators highlighted the difference in lifestyle. Christian Harisch, an Austrian hotelier with ventures on both Sylt and Tegernsee, said that Tegernsee provides opportunities for people to live or retire permanently. “There is custom, tradition, clubs, and genuine, established local communities. On the island, you mostly just visit for a few days or weeks,” he remarked. To summarize the difference, Harisch stated: “Tegernsee is Mozart, and Sylt is Wagner.”
