May 3rd - May 4th, 2019
A few days into my trip with my Mom, we made it to Munich. It was actually just an afternoon trip following our time in Salzburg and on the way back to Salzburg that night, we stopped in Berchtesgaden National Park. I’ve been to Munich before and find it to be a bit overrated, but Berchtesgaden is amazing. It’s wedged in the most Southeast corner of Germany, right surrounded by Austrian Alps and directly next to Salzburg. On top of one of the highest mountains in outside of Berchtesgaden is the Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s mountaintop retreat where he spent a considerable amount of time during World War II. I planned for us to go there, but forgot that it is closed for snow until mid-May (however, I went in Summer 2018 and the views and historical significance were remarkable).
The next day, we made our way across the Bavarians, making stops along the way for views. My Mom knew I had been to Neuschwanstein Castle a year before a thought it was remarkable from photos, so we worked our way there. The hike up was great and I got better photos of the castle than the last time I was there, which was great!
After that, we headed South back into Austria and got into Innsbruck in the late afternoon. It was raining and foggy, but we explored the beautiful streets of Innsbruck the best we could.
My recommendations? In Berchtesgaden, definitely go up to the Eagle’s Nest and make plenty of time for it to enjoy the views. Head on down further to the national park and rent a row boat to take out on Königseee (lake), marveling at the towering mountains all around you. In Munich, definitely visit Hofbräuhaus Beer Hall, which is probably the more popular of the Munich Beer Halls. Get a beer, snack on a pretzel, and enjoy the traditional Bavarian music played live. Of course, roam the city center and soak up the history, too. Neuschwanstein is worth the visit, so make a stop for it! However, I wouldn’t waste your time paying to go inside, since the castle isn’t actually that old and the inside is pretty bare. Innsbruck is pretty easy to get around in the city center, but make sure to find the popular row of colored homes along the river. The best part of this area is the Bavarians and Austrian Alps, so build in time to pull over frequently and enjoy the remarkable views.
