Can anyone recommend any good english language sources (websites, guidebooks) for sights/hikes/scenic drives/etc in the Berchtesgaden area? I'm not finding much info in guidebooks and I like to know details-restaurants, opening and closing hours of attractions, etc.
I've read a number of threads where people suggest their favorite sights in the area, but if anyone else would like to list their "don't miss" sights in the area, that would be great.
Also, can anyone tell me whether the salt mine tour is strenuous, or if you simply sit the whole time (I am wondering if our 72 year old mother would enjoy it).
Thanks!

http://www.berchtesgadener-land.info...1A71EAC9BC5CAF

Use the Search Box here for feedback from Fodorites on the "don't miss" sights...

First of all, the best website is the one listed by the previous poster. You can just go to berchtesgadener-land.info and click on English. In the past, we have used the "Dollar Wise Guide to Germany" as our best resource. However, we have travelled to this area many times and we don't really use books anymore. Hiking is the most popular sport in the summer time in this area, but unless you are out into the hiking areas it would be easy to miss this fact. You can find good, English hiking maps in town. German trails are very well marked.In the town of B'Gaden itself, there is a castle to tour, a small brewery that occasionally has tours and lots of great shops and restaurants. The town is very picturesque. In the summer, the Kur and Kongress Haus in the center of town has afternoon concerts that are free to everyone for their enjoyment. Inside the Kongress Haus, you will find lots of info for tourists and hikers. Most importantly for hikers, the official weather forecast is posted here. The salt mine is located outside of town and is fun for young and old - you sit on a little rail car that brings you around the mine. There are tours in English. Mom will enjoy this easy tour - no walking. There is a slide if folks want to use it but you don't need to. The Enzian Brennerie, also located just outside of town, is a free, fun look at the production of the local schnapps - Enzian, made from the gentian flower. This ubiquitous schnapps is everywhere - we have even seen it tucked into water filled mountain logs on hiking trails!Generally, restaurants are open for dinner from around 5-6 until closing. Many of the most popular restaurants are open all day because this is a very seasonal area. Some of our favorite restaurants include outside at the Hotel Post when it's hot, Bier Adam, and the second floor cafe shop across from the Hotel Post - this is a great stop for afternoon cake and coffee. Try Esterhazy Torte, a local favorite. It's hard to find a bad restaurant in this area.

Emily, Great B'Gaden report... I just printed it out for future reference.

We just returned from this area last week. We spent a week in an apartment in Schonau, very close to Berchtesgaden. We too used the website listed above, and also brought a few different guide books that had some info, although none of them were that great. We used an Insight Guide on Bavaria that was probably the most useful. The best thing to do would probably be to just wait until you get there and visit the Tourist Information office, where they have brochures on hikes, etc.

The area is absolutely stunning. We took the Jennerbahn to the middle station and hiked down one afternoon. A somewhat difficult hike for us (we don't get to do much hiking here in Southern Illinois!) but we had a great experience. Taking the boat to St. Bartholemew on the Konigssee is also a much.

Berchtesgaden is a great town, and we had several really good meals there. As EmilyC mentioned, I don't think you can go wrong. We did eat at a wonderful restaurant in Ramsau, the Gasthof Nutkaser. The drive was gorgeous and the restaurant had a gorgeous view. Here is the website if your interested:

http://www.hotel-nutzkaser.de/engl/index.html

Good luck!

Tracy

Thanks "Aisle" but I actually had to stop for a caller.....

Outside of town, some of the great spots to visit include the Konigsee - a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by high mountain cliffs. Electric touring boats take you to several stops along the lake, including a monastery, and several hiking stops.There are restaurants at most of the stops. You can actually hike down the Jenner ( and from other alpine areas as well) and end up at any one of these spots and take the boat back into the town of Konigsee.Konigsee town is very touristy but the boat tours are beautiful and not to be missed. The best time to get here is early because the lines get long on nice summer days. Don't go if it's cold and foggy...the boats don't run. There are some decent shops in the Konigsee area and quite a few restaurants, most of which we avoid because they are so touristy and frankly not so good! The hiking from any of the stops on the Konigsee is fabulous - our favorite is the trek to the Eiskappelle from the stop at St. Bartholoma.
On the opposite side of the parking lot for the Konigsee is the chair lift for the Jenner. There are some nice hotels in this spot and this area is a great vantage point for the gliders that descend from the Jenner peak on warm days - with luck, they all land here...! You can take this lift to the top or to the middle station for a great hike or just to hang out at either stop. the bakery located near the chair lift has great homw made breads and kuchen, in case you work up a big appetite on the way in from the parking lot. There is a decent restaurant at the top of the Jenner and this is a good starting point for many different hikes as well. The views from this vantage point are fabulous. If you get a "Kur Carte" from your hotel at the beginning of your stay, it entitles you to discounts on parking and many of the sites.

And more...
Another popular spot is the Eagles Nest, the formal teahouse used only twice by Hitler. In order to reach the Eagles Nest, you must get yourself to the bus platz(stop) for it which is located on the Kehlstein mountain - this area is Obersalzberg or "over Salzberg". You can get there by private car, town bus, or tour bus. There is also a chair lift from town, but it's still about a 30 minute hike over to the busses. This trip is for nice weather, if it's foggy or raining, don't go...! There are English tours to take you up to the Nest. At the top, there is the original house, great views, the start of some hiking trails and some souvenier shops.There is also a new WW2 museum near the bus stop. It's small but very interesting. There are bunkers to tour in the back of the zum Turken hotel just below the bus stop. Also, in the back of the Hintereck parking lot, there is a small display of live birds of the area - very interesting for those of us who hike but never see these creatures! Just above the Hintereck parking lot is the way to access one end of the Rossfeld Strasse. The Rossfeld is a high alpine road (not free) that brings you from one end of B'Gaden to the other. There are fantastic views all along this road, many areas to stop and take pix and several restaurants as well.Save this trip for a clear day as well.

And more....
The Hintersee is a very scenic shallow lake that can be reached by car from the town of B'gaden in about 30 minutes. You can hike around the lake or rent boats to tour by water. This is another popular hiking area.
The Almbachklamm is basically a canyon carved out of rocks just behind the Kuglemuhle restaurant just outside of town. This is a popular half day hike. The food at the Kuglemuhle is excellent and we always stop to eat here.
The Wimbach Canyon is another popular spot for hikers. This is a very scenic but challenging hike that brings you behind the Watzmann mountain on the "other" side of the Konigsee.
Another popular spot is the city of Salzburg, about a 40 minutes drive from B'gaden. If you are driving, your day will begin with parking in side the mountains of Salzburg. Salzburg is a beautiful city with lots of great shops and restaurants, as well as Mozart's birthplace and the castle overlooking the city. Always go to Salzburg early in the day because it gets very crowded with bus tours during the nice weather.
Finally, there are many nearby towns that you can drive to for a day - St. Johann, St. Anton, Ramsau, Chiemsee and many many more......
On rainy days we always take the train into Munich for some fun and shopping.
Finally, there are some very intriguing and different bus tours offered to tourists in this area, mostly from the Bahnhof travel agency at the main train station. They go to Venice, the Dolomites, Chiemsee, Cortina, among many other spots. This is a fun option if you would like to see something different and you don't feel like driving!

That is wonderful information! Thank you!

tcreath - Care to share the name of the place you stayed in Schonau? Looking for a reasonably priced place in the area in December.

Zeus, I would be delighted to! We stayed at a wonderful ferienwohnung (vacation apartment) that I happened on after doing endless searches. The woman who lived in the house and owns the apartment is a very sweet older woman that doesn't speak a word of English but somehow we managed to communicate non the less. Here is the website:

http://www.hinterbrandner.de/

We stayed in the "Reiteralm" apartment, which had a great small kitchen (with all appliances), a living room, bathroom, and nicely sized bedroom. Best of all, though, was the views from our balcony! We paid only 43 Euro a night.The town is a great little small town nesled in the valley, about 3 km from the Konigssee and the Jennerbahn. There are two bakeries within walking distance, and I frequented them each morning for wonderful chocolate croissants!

I hope this helps!
Tracy

By the way, the website I mentioned is only in German. I used http://babelfish.altavista.com/ to translate it into English.

Tracy