Berchtesgaden

About

Surrounded by soaring peaks, vast parks, and Germany’s deepest lake, this alpine village is undeniably beautiful. When the region was annexed by Bavaria in the early 19th century, Berchtesgadener became instantly popular with the royal family. The castle is an architectural timeline, where rather than renovating, multiple extensions were added in the style of the day. Today, Duke Franz of Bavaria uses the castle as summer residence. Hitler had been vacationing in Berchtesgadener since the 1920s, and was so smitten with the area that he purchased a home overlooking the village, and received the nearby Eagle’s Nest as a birthday present. Walking the town’s narrow, winding streets, lined with pastel houses, is an experience in itself, but in a region famous for its salt deposits since the 12th century, the Salt Mine Tour, with its unique underground slide, should be on every adventurer’s to-do-list.