The eagle's nest and other Berchtesgaden, Germany Things to Do Tips

The place is on top of a mountain and the view from there is really wonderful.
It is also interesting because of its history. It was built by Martin Bormann as a present from the Nazist Party to Adolf Hitler. However, Hitler did not go there often and preferred to stay at the Berghof, a more grandiose mansion down in the valley.
The locals hated both places (in addition to many other good reasons to hate Hitler, the construction of both houses meant that land was confiscated, stables were demolished because they spoilt the view etc) so at the end of the war the Berghof was destroyed, however, the Eagle's Nest was kept, as well as the narrow road and the elevator that were built to reach it.
There is a restaurant there now, and it gives me some pleasure to think that many of those who now enjoy themselves there are the very people that the former owner of the place wanted to destroy.

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Address: Kelsteinhaus, Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
Directions: Obersalzberg road from Berchtesgaden to the Hintereck parking area. The Eagle's Nest can be reached only with the special buses departing from here, or on foot.
Website: www.eagles-nest.de

The Koenigsee has probably the cleanest water a lake may have. At least the locals are doing their best to keep it so clean. The local authorities have invested a good deal of money to build sewers that take far from the lake all the sewage of local establishments. Water activities are forbidden, and the only authorized boats are the ones with electric engines used for tourist trips.
The trips by boat are certainly nice, but I felt the charm of this lake much more when walking in the woods along its coasts. It was silent, but I could almost hear Wagner's music, and I would have not been surprised if I had met Lohengrin himself.

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Address: A few kilometres south of Berchtesgaden

A boat trip is certainly to be recommended.
The electrically powered boats leave from Schoenau am Koenigsee and make a stop at St Bartholomae (see next tip), then reach the southern end of this long lake.
At the end of the lake, at Salet, there is just a hut, and a path to the Obersee, a lake that is far smaller than the Koenigsee, but with an impressive waterfall.

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Address: Schoenau am Koenigsee
Directions: A few kilometres south of Berchtesgaden
Website: www.bayerische-seenschifffahrt.de/

The name of the lake means King's Lake and comes from the fact that for about the entire 19th century this was a holiday place for the Bavarian royal families.
At St Bartholomae the royal hunting castle still exists. The other thing to see in this small peninsula is the chapel of St Johann and Paul.

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Address: St Bartholomae on the Koenigsee
Directions: About 40 minutes of navigation from Schoenau