Has anyone done this? I read somewhere, that if it's crowded it's better not to get off the boat--because it will take a long time to get back on.

What is the chapel like inside? Is it worth the stop--or is the outside the best part anyway?

You may have to wait on a second boat. They keep them fairly well adjusted to the number of folks visiting. The chapel nice, and the smoked fish you can get at the food place is awesome. If you get off at the second stop you may have to wait for awhile.

When my wife and I were there five years ago, we stopped at St. Bartholomew Chapel and then went on up the lake to Salat and hiked over the morraine to the Obersee.

I think we both felt that the chapel was overrated. The Obersee, however, was a spectacular, scenic site, well worth seeing.

When we left St. Barts, there was a huge line of poeple waiting to go back to Königssee, but we were happy to find the line for the boat going on to Salat was quite short. When we left Salat to go back to Königssee, there was no line, but when the boat stopped at St. Bartholomew, there was still a long line, and only some of them got on our boat to go back the rest of the way.

So, if you haven't already seen enough Baroque Bavarian churches, stop at St. Barts, but definitely go on the Obersee.

Thank you both.

I know my husband would really like to sample the smoked fish--but if we go first thing in the morning, I wonder if the restaurant will be open yet?

And Larry, what time of the day did you go? (also--was it a busy time of year?)

Does anyone know if it is possible to visit Salat first--them St. Bartholomew on the way back?

That way, if we were on the 8:30 boat, we could hike to the Obersee first--then stop for smoked fish around lunchtime.

I agree with larryincolorado (not that we guys in Colorado have to stick together), but as baroque churches go, there are many that are at least as well worth seeing as St. Bartholomae, without the risk of having to wait to get back on the boat. For eaxmple, try the church in the Ramsau.

I definitelly would avoid trying to get onto the boat when it returns from the Obersee to Koenigsee. The last time, my niece and I had to wait for nearly an hour to get back onto the boat. It was in the afternoon, but it's just as bad around noon. I have been there!

Having said this, the boat ride is fun; the trumpet echo is impressive and the photo op from the boat of the church and the Watzmann mountain behind it is worth the round trip to the Obersee.

As for the smoked fish? In my book, not worth the wait. Besides, try the little restaurant to the right of the Koenigsee boat landing; they sometimes serve smokied fish, or at least they used to.

It was Thursday, August 22, 2002. We arrived at St. Barts around 3 PM.

Was it a busy time of year? It was for people going directly back to Königssee from St. Barts, but apparently not for those going all the way back from Salat.

You can get off the boat at both St. Barts and at Salat, but you don't have to get off at either place. So, I don't see any reason why you can't get off first at Salat, then come back and get off at St. Barts, but I wouldn't want to do it that way.

I've been in Sept and June. I've not done the trip to Obersee, but I know I should have. The cafe is open at 11. From web site: "Here Rudolf Amort serves freshly smoked Königsseefische - depending upon catch and season - to you starting from 11.00 o'clock still warmly from the smoking furnace on a holzbrett. In addition there is furnace-fresh Brez'n as well as brown bread. The Stueberl is opened of in the middle of April to at the end of October." My first trip they fired a pistol, but the last time it was a trumpet and it was more impressive.

Thanks so much to everyone, you have all been a HUGE help!!

Another question: first boat is at 8:30 a.m.--does it tend to be so foggy in the morning so that the views are obstructed? If so, when does the fog usually lift?

As I remember (as confirmed by my pictures) it was overcast the day we were on Königssee. The Watzmann was in clouds, but we could clearly see St. Barts from quite a ways away. It also rained a little on the way back from Obersee. But it was afternoon and there was no fog.

I've talken that first boat..in July; no fog at all that day but LOTS of people traveling.

If I were to do it again I would go earlier rather than later but then again that may be the rationale everyone else uses, too!