Kneifelspitze Hiking and other Berchtesgaden, Germany Things to Do Tips

I climbed up the Kneifelspitze which is 1189meters high one day after I hiked 4 miles to find the Maria Gern Kirche.
The climb was fairly easy and the views going up were well worth it. There are a few pastures to it in on the way and further on the path there are benches at regular intervals.
I climbed up in late March and there was still snow on the path which hindered my progress a little bit but not too bad.
There is a restaurant (Paulshuette) on the top with an outdoor patio where you can grab a well deserved beer and sit and enjoy the view.

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Directions: Head out of Berchtesgaden and follow the hiking signs towards the Kniefelspitze.
Maps of the area are available in the train station.

I hiked to the Maria Gern church from Berchtesgaden within 1 1/2 hours (with getting slightly lost twice).
The experience walking through the woods to get to the church was worth the time getting lost.
The church is small but a visit to it is almost a requirement it is so beautiful.
A steep paved road/path next to the church leads up to the path for the Kniefelspitze (1189 meters high).

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Directions: Walk out of town and follow the signs for Maria Gern

I took a boat to the St. Bartholomew chapel on the boating service on the lake. You can buy a ticket to go further down the lake but the general ticket will only get you to St. Bartholowmew.
The boating service has been using electric boats since 1909, perserving the pristine quality of the lake.
The Konigsee is supposedly so clean, you can drink from it.
There is a restaurant with an outdoor patio area next to the St. Bartholomew chapel where you can grab a Mass (1 litre beer) and a nice bit to eat.
There are hiking paths leading off behind the restaurant to explore the area.
The boat service runs every 30 min.

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Directions: From Berchtesgaden, take a bus to Konigsee. You are dropped off next to the McDonalds and the Jennerbahn station. Walk down the road (slightly downhill) past the station and turn at the 1st left and walk down the street until you get to the water.

Take a bus to the Documentation center or you can walk up a steep hill for 1 hour, the bus takes 10-14 min from town.
The documentation center is in the compound where Hitler had his Berghoff and the 2nd center of Nazi power was located.
The center has a wealth of historical information on the Nazi period and the history of Nazi's in the Berchtesgaden area.

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Phone: ++49(0)8652/947960
Address: Salzbergstrasse 41 D-83471 Berchtesgaden
Directions: Take a bus to the Obersalzburg Documentation Center or follow the signs up the hill out of town. Maps of the area are available in the train station.
Website: http://www.obersalzberg.de/cms_e/content/home/

Operating since 1517, the salt mines are a fun side trip acitivity for everyone.
Ride the miners' train 1/2 mile into the mine and go down two miner slides deep into the mountain.
See the chapel dedicated to King Ludwig II and cross the lake of brine.

You can take a taste test of the brine lake after you get off the boat. It is probably the first and last time I shall partake in the testing the taste of a brine lake.
You can lick the walls of the mines as well if you'd like. They don't taste any better than the brine lake water unfortunatly.

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Phone: +49 (0) 86 52 / 60 02-20
Address: Bergwerkstraße 83 D-83471 Berchtesgaden
Website: http://www.salzwelt.de/salzbergwerk-berchtesgaden/en/default.asp

The town of Ramsau is about 10-13km outside of Berchtesgaden. Take a bus (#9546 "Hintersee") to Ramsau for a 10 min. ride.
See the small church that s a poster child for the Southern Bavarian Alps.
Across the stream there is a path leading to the Zauberwald "Magical Forest" and the Hintersee.
From the church, cross the foot bridge and turn right and follow the stream through the forest.

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The Magical Forest between Ramsau and the Hintersee.
The Brothers Grimm were inspired by the forest while writing thier fairy tales.

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Popular with artists and painters in the 1840's, the Hintersee is at the end of the Zauberwald. There are paddleboat and rowboat rentals available and good hiking paths along the lake edge.
There are a couple restaurants along one edge of the lake near the bus stop.

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A small little chapel tucked into a small crevice in the side of a mountain overlooking the Hintersee and the Zauberwald.

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I caught the 9am Easter Sunday Mass in the Castle Church next to the castle residence.
I had fun watching all of the people in the traditional Bavarian costumes and I was given an egg by the priest as I exited the church after the service.
The church (also known as the Abby Church) was built in 1122 and is mainly Romanesque but has some Gothic adornments that were added on later.
The interior has a few artistic gems that should really be seen such as a small silver in the vestry that was donated by Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

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Address: Next to the Königliches Schloss Berchtesgaden