Discover Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden offers several specific starting points for planning a stay: salt mining, historic townscapes and nature-related topics at the Haus der Berge. If you are looking for a hotel or other accommodation, you can tailor your plans to these interests. Each of the places and routes described offers its own experience—from the underground visitor mine to a walk through the historic centre.

Salt Mining and Nature

The visitor route at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine includes an underground mining train, a miners’ slide and a boat ride across the underground salt lake. The history of mining also has a specific date marking its beginning: it started in 1517 with the opening of the Petersberg tunnel. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider an experience on the visitor route and an insight into the long history of mining as separate focal points.

The Haus der Berge in Berchtesgaden is the central point of contact for visiting Berchtesgaden National Park. In the permanent exhibition “Vertical Wilderness”, you can learn interactively about the national park’s flora and fauna, as well as its seasons and habitats. Unlike the salt mine, the focus here is on nature. The exhibition thus offers a distinct perspective on the national park, while the mining train, slide and boat ride shape the visit underground.

Historic Centre and Walking Routes

A walk through Berchtesgaden’s historic centre passes grand town house façades, numerous fountains, narrow lanes and large squares. The Berchtesgaden Panorama Circular Route takes about an hour: it passes churches and chapels in the historic centre before continuing along the Soleleitungsweg above the town. The approximate duration is a practical guide when planning the time needed for this walk.

The Soleleitungsweg is another themed hiking route. It follows the historic brine pipeline dating from 1817, from the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine to the Haus der Berge. The route runs through Nonntal and Weinfeld and over the Soleleitungssteg. While the Panorama Circular Route is described as taking about an hour, the Soleleitungsweg is distinguished by its connection to the brine pipeline and its named stops.

The townscape also includes the Berchtesgaden Spa Gardens, a historic garden in the French formal style. Reflecting pools, fountains and rows of Japanese cherry trees shape its design. The Adelsheim Castle Museum offers a different cultural focus: here you can see Berchtesgaden craftsmanship, including ivory carvings, turned wooden filigree boxes, elaborately decorated chipwood boxes and lovingly painted toys. The gardens, townscape and crafts each offer a distinct way to discover Berchtesgaden’s culture.

The Berchtesgadener Land as a Regional Setting

The wider travel destination of the Berchtesgadener Land encompasses landscapes ranging from the gently rolling Rupertiwinkel in the north to Berchtesgaden National Park on the border with Austria. In the south, the region includes high Alpine mountain landscapes and the natural scenery around Lake Königssee. The national park offers a network of 260 kilometres of hiking trails and alpine paths. These details describe the Berchtesgadener Land as a wider regional setting, not individual features of the town of Berchtesgaden.

Cultural destinations in the Berchtesgadener Land include the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä, built in 1134 on the Hirschau peninsula in the national park on Lake Königssee. The Kehlsteinhaus is situated high above Berchtesgaden and offers panoramic views of the mountains, as well as insights into history. The Obersalzberg Documentation Centre uses multimedia exhibits to explore the history of Obersalzberg and the National Socialist dictatorship; the historic bunker complex is accessible as part of its permanent exhibition.

Tailor your search to the interests you have for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Marktschellenberg, Weißbach A.D.Alpenstraße, Bayerisch Gmain, Piding, Eck, Schneizlreuth, Bischofswiesen, Bad Reichenhall.

Go to the wider travel overview: Berchtesgadener Land.