Holiday in Berchtesgaden

About Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden is a market town in the far southeast of Bavaria, nestled in the spectacular alpine landscape of the Berchtesgaden region. The area is dominated by the Watzmann (2,713 m), the third highest mountain in Germany, whose distinctive eastern face at 1,800 meters is the highest rock face in the Eastern Alps. The Königssee is the jewel of the region: a fjord-like mountain lake, enclosed by steep rock walls, with crystal-clear, emerald-green water. The electric boats, which have been gliding silently across the lake since 1909, take visitors to the baroque pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomew on a peninsula — and further to the even more untouched Obersee with its Röthbach Waterfall, Germany's highest waterfall (470 m). The Berchtesgaden National Park is the only alpine national park in Germany and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Golden eagles, chamois, marmots, and rare orchids find refuge here. The Wimbach Gorge and the Almbach Gorge offer spectacular gorge hikes. The Berchtesgaden Salt Mine has been in operation since 1517, making it one of the oldest active mines in the world. Visitors slide down wooden slides into the depths, cross an underground salt lake on a raft, and learn about the 500-year history of white gold. The Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) at 1,834 meters is accessible via a spectacular road carved into the rock and a brass elevator. From Hitler's former representative building, there is a 360-degree panorama over the Berchtesgaden Alps to Salzburg.