The Perfect 7-Day Bavarian Family Adventure Part 2

​Next stop on our trip to Bavaria is Berchtesgaden a charming, postcard perfect town, located close to the Austrian border.  It  is an ideal base for a 2 day stop to experience the highlights in Southern Germany with children. You will have the change to experience the beautiful mountains, valleys, and glacier lakes in the Berchtesgaden National Park and hop across the border to Austria and visit Salzburg if you wish.

​Not to be missed is the Koenigsee (Kings Lake) one of the most majestic spots in Bavaria. The crystal-clear emerald lake is 4 miles long, but only 0.6 miles wide and lies between the steep sides of the Alpine mountains. While it is not possible to walk around the lake you can take one of the 18 environmentally friendly electric boats that makes two stops at the picture-perfect Sankt Bartholomae church and Salet. The kids will enjoy hearing the famous Echo of the lake that is demonstrated using a trumpet.

We got off in Salet to stretch our legs with a 20 walk to the Obersee and the view of the Roethbachfall (Germany highest waterfall). If you have more time you can hike to the Fischunkealm ~ 3 hr 30 min return to Salet.
​​Pro-tips:  Get to the Koenigsee as early as possible to beat the lines for the boats, especially during the summer months. Make sure you are aware of the departure time of the last return boat as there is no other way back. Bring cash for visiting the alms as they usually don’t take CC.

The Jennerbahn is another form of transport at the Koenigsee that can take you all the way up to the mountain station of the Jenner. From there are many hiking opportunities so don’t miss the hike to the breathtaking viewpoint called Koenigsblick. You can also experience gastronomic delights at the different Alms or for adventure seekers try the family via ferrata “Schuetzensteig” (for 8 years and older)

​​One experience that we both enjoyed immensely was visiting a Salt Mine. There are two different salt mines to visit in the area, one in Berchtesgaden and one in Hallein. We choose to visit the Saltzwelten in Hallein as the entrance fee included a visit to the authentic replica of a Salina Celtic Village (Kelten Erlebnis Berg) and offers a climb into the everyday life of the prehistoric miners who dug for the “white gold” more than 2500 years ago. It does have a playground as well 😊

You may ask yourself why should I visit a salt mine?  The answer is to learn the importance of salt as the essence of life and about the history of salt mining, and to have a huge amount of fun as the visit is an adventure for young and old.
First you get outfitted in white miners’ overalls then you ride on a mine train into the mountain, slither down two miners slides deeper and deeper into the mountain and ride a raft across a mystical salt lake.
​Pro-Tip: Good activity for a bad weather day. Suitable for children ages 4 and up, plan at least 2-3 hours for the whole visit, and wear warm clothing and boots, it gets cold in the mountain ~ 50°F.

If you are ready for an amazing experience for adventurous families, you need to plan a visit to the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giant World) in Werfen (Austria). It is only ~ a 40 min drive from Berchtesgaden and you will discover the world’s biggest ice cave. The dynamic cave extends ~ 25 miles deep into the mountain.  The first section of the cave ~ 0.6 miles long is open to the public and features an ice world of crystalline beauty that will make you see your breath as you owe and awe in surprise.
Getting to the cave is already an adventure as it entails a 20 min. uphill hike, a ride on Austria’s steepest gondola lifts and another 20 min. uphill hike only to get to the cave entrance. You will be rewarded with magnificent views of the Salzach Valley and beyond the peaks of the Tennen Mountains. Make sure you turn around at the cave entrance to take in the panoramic view form there.!

The guided tour takes 75 min., includes scientific and historical information and ice figures that glisten in the light of the traditional mine lamps that are handed out to the visitors. You will walk through winding passageways and galleries and get deeper and higher into the mountains after you climb a total of 750 steps.

​We highly recommend a visit to the Dr. Oedle Haus at the cable car station on your return down to the parking lot. Apfelstrudle and Topfenstrudle never tasted so good on their terrace after our adventure!
​If you arrived early and still have time to spare visit the imposing fortress Hohenwerfen that also offers a raptor demonstration down in the valley.

​Pro-Tips: To enjoy the tour, you should be in fairly good physical condition, and I would not advise the tour for children under 4 years old. The temperatures in the cave are ~ 32 Fahrenheit and you will need to bring enough warm clothing and shoes (especially hats and gloves). The cave is only open between May and October, and it is advised to purchase tickets online. Arrive early as peak times are between 10 and 13:00, the last cave tour is at 15:45. Please be aware that you need a “vignette” toll sticker to drive on Austria’s motorways (available at the border, petrol stations or online).

Our adventure will continue in Part Three of the Perfect 7-day Bavaria Itinerary for Families.

part 3