APRIL 2023
We had the loveliest time in Berchtesgaden. Many Dutch tourists skip the German Alps for the Austrian Alps, but the Germans already knew that there is a lot to see and do surrounding Berchtesgaden. It is a little colorful town, surrounded by white mountain peaks, super picturesque with lots of nature activities in its surroundings, what’s not to love? In this blogpost I will provide you with our highlights of Berchtesgaden.
Where we stayed
For our travels in Berchtesgaden we stayed in Hotel Schwabenwirt. Even though the breakfast room is in true alpine style, the rooms were surprisingly modern and really comfortable. `A room costs € 100 per night, which included a delicious breakfast (that even had plant-based milk & yoghurt and vegan options). You can park behind the hotel, which is free for most hours a day, if you bring your blue card. The hotel is located near the train station of Berchtesgaden and a 10 minute walk outside of the historical city center. I would definitely recommend this hotel.
What to do in Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden itself is a lovely, colorful town, it is surrounded by the Bavarian Alps, providing the perfect background for your pictures. From the Soleleitungssteg & Lockstein you get beautiful views of the village below. We spent about half an hour hiking around Berchtesgaden from these viewpoints. Besides the beautiful views, I loved the route to the Soleleitungssteg, to get to the start of the wooden pathway you almost have to walk through people’s backyard, which was such a fun activity for a curious person like me.
The historical city center is super charming and features lots of colorful buildings. It even has a pink palace: Schloss Berchtesgaden. We visited in wintertime and the opening hours were very limited, so we didn’t get to visit. There also is a little Schloss Garden which must be beautiful in summer.
Berchtesgaden has plenty of restaurants, most serving traditional meals. We ended up having dinner at Hofbrauhaus Berchtesgaden where we had a quintessential Bavarian meal with a glass of beer for a good price. I was a bit surprised at the lack of tourists and open restaurants in winter time, I am sure this is different when the hiking season commences.
Königssee
Berchtesgaden is the gateway for a visit to the Königssee. This is an emerald green lake, where you can ride by electrical boat and visit a little church that is located at the opposite side of the lake. In summertime this boat makes several stops, from which you can do hikes. It is a stunning surrounding, definitely check out my blogpost about the Königssee.
Other activities in Berchtesgaden: You might know that Berchtesgaden is also known as the hiding spot of Hitler during WW2. If you are a history buff you can find many interesting locations related to Hitler in the Berchtesgaden area. You will find his old villa the Eagle’s nest and a history museum Documentation Obersalzberg here. If you visit Berchtesgaden in wintertime you cannot do all of these activities as they are located closely to the ski slopes and are not always accessible.
If you care more about relaxing Berchtesgaden is also home to one of Germany’s most famous spas: the Watzmann Theme. Some areas of the spa are kid friendly, so you can make a family activity out of this.
In summertime you will find many hiking trails starting near Berchtesgaden, I will explain a little bit more about this in my Königssee blogpost.
