With a surface area of approximately 47 square kilometres (18 sq mi), it is the sixth largest lake in Germany.

Like neighbouring Lake Starnberg - deeper, bigger in surface area, similar in shape - it is a popular location for watersports.

Ammersee and the Amper are part of the ancient Celtic amber trading route leading to the Brenner Pass.

The word Ammer is a 13th-century form of Amper, the Celtic *ambra, deriving from the Indo-European *ombh-, *mbh- "wet, Water".

With the nature reserves Vogelfreistätte Ammersee-Südufer (in which the Schwedeninsel is also located), Seeholz and Seewiese as well as Ampermoos, the Ammersee is one of the seven internationally important wetlands in Bavaria according to the so-called Ramsar Convention.