Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany
In the south of the Berchtesgaden region of Germany, bordering Austria, the landscape begins to carve out the Bavarian Alps, revealing great mountain ranges. Once the main economic activity was agriculture, but nowadays tourism has become one of its main sources of income, due to its enormous natural beauty.
The towns of Berchtesgaden, Ramsau and Schönau am Königsse, are all outstanding for their scenic beauty. They are all located in the Berchtesgaden National Park, one of the oldest nature reserves in the Alps with majestic mountains, numerous marked hiking trails, beautiful lakes and dense forests. The variety of landscapes is complemented by the diversity of the local flora and fauna, including alpine species such as mountain goats, marmots, eagles, mountain hares and Alpine salamanders.
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Berchtesgaden National Park in Bavaria
One of the must-visits in the Berchtesgaden National Park is a visit to Lake Königssee, situated between the Watzmann Peak and the Hagen Mountains. With excellent water quality, it is an example of unspoilt nature, where you can enjoy a picture-postcard view from the Feuerpalven, Archenkanzel and Malerwinkel points, the latter chosen by numerous landscape painters to immortalise the lake.Berchtesgaden National ParkFrom the lake itself, electric boats set sail with stops at St Bartholomä and Salet, at the southern end of the lake. St Bartholomä is a picturesque Catholic pilgrimage chapel located on the shores of the lake. Erected amidst impressive hills in 1134 and later rebuilt, its two domes and red vaulted roof are striking. Near the chapel is the former hunting lodge, now converted into an inn. The Berchtesgaden National Park area offers the visitor meditation, sporting activities and a beautiful landscape.
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Festivals and traditions in Bavaria
An annual pilgrimage approaches the Berchtesgaden National Park in August, starts in the Austrian municipality of Maria Alm, and crosses the Alps through the well-known 'sea of stone' since 1688, to reach St Bartholomä. More than 3,000 Tyrolean and local musicians take part in the approximately 9-hour crossing.
Excursions and visits to the Berchtesgaden National Park
Other interesting activities in the Berchtesgaden National Park area include the Jenner cable car, which takes visitors to the edge of the Berchtesgaden National Park at an altitude of 1800m, a visit to the Berchtesgaden salt mine and the Berchtesgaden Palace, the Watzmann thermal baths, the Marktschellenberg ice cave, or the Obersalzberg Documentation Centre.
The region of Berchtesgaden offers numerous rural lodgings where you can enjoy a few relaxing days and the good gastronomy of the area. The closest airport to the region with cheap flights from Spain is Munich, from where 150km separate us from the town of Berchtesgaden.
