Stoll's Hotel Alpina / Surrounding & Active-Holiday / Place of Excursions

Places of Excursion & Landmarks

National Park Berchtesgaden
The National Park Berchtesgaden is one of the oldest nature reserves in the Alps. It offers visitors the opportunity to experience an enchanting part of the Berchtesgaden Alps where nature has developed freely, mostly without human influence. The breathtaking Alpine landscape is formed mainly of limestone sediments.

Guided or independent walks in the national park are excellent ways to discover this idyllic landscape with its rocky peaks, scree slopes, Alpine meadows and forests of mountain pines and green alders. One real "must" is a tour to Lake Königssee, which cuts like a fjord between Watzmann, the "sea of rocks" area and the Hagen mountains. The lake water is of excellent quality and fit for drinking, a sign of how unspoilt the national park area is.

The national park offers a wide range of tours. The Jenner cable car, which travels to an altitude of 1,800 metres to the edge of the national park, is especially popular. On the Alpine paths and mountain climbs at this height, visitors can really relax, enjoy the peace and quiet and admire the beauty of the scenery.

A Paradise for men and animal
The diversity of the Berchtesgadener Land region is reflected by its wildlife. Alpine species such as the ibex, the marmot, the eagle, the blue hare and the Alpine salamander all live here in the wild. The golden eagle, however, is now a very rare sight indeed. The flora in the national park is equally varied and includes the Pyrenean dead-nettle, Hausmann's rock jasmine and the dwarf Alpine rose. After a long day walking, climbing or skiing, visitors can head for a mountain inn or a hut offering regional cooking.


Lake Königssee and St. Bartholomä
Lying within the Berchtesgaden Alps in the municipality of Schönau am Königsee, just south of Berchtesgaden and the Austrian City of Salzburg, the Königssee is Germany's third deepest lake. Located at a Jurassic rift it was formed by glaciers during the last ice age. It stretches about 7.7 kilometers (4.8 mi) in the north-south direction and is about 1.7 kilometers (1.1 mi) across at its widest point. Except at its outlet, the Königsseer Ache at the village of Königssee, the lake similar to a fjord is surrounded by steeply rising flanks of mountains up to 2700 m (8900 ft), including the fabled Watzmann massif in the west.

The lake is noted for its clear water and is advertised as the cleanest lake in Germany. For this reason, only electric driven passenger ships, rowing and pedal boats have been permitted on the lake since 1909. Passenger services along the length of the lake, calling at various points, are operated by the Bayerische Seenschifffahrt company.

Due to its picturesque setting, the lake and surrounding parklands are very popular with tourists and hikers. In addition, the lake's position surrounded by sheer rock walls creates an echo, which is known for its clarity. On boat tours, it has become traditional to stop and play a flugelhorn or trumpet to display the echo; formerly demonstrated by shooting a cannon, it could be heard reflected up to seven times.

St. Bartholomä, a famous pilgrimage church with a small inn nearby, is located on a peninsula about halfway down the western lakeshore. The small Christlieger island is located near its northern end. South of the Königssee, separated by the Salet moraine, is the smaller Obersee lake with the 470 meters (1,540 ft) high Röthbach waterfall. As there is no lakeside path on the steep shore of the Königssee, St. Bartholomä and the southern edge can only be reached by boat or via hiking trails up the surrounding mountains - except for harsh winters, when the lake freezes over. Stepping on the ice however can be fatal, as for a motorist in the winter of 1964, who on his way back from St. Bartholomä drowned in his VW Beetle. The car was not detected until 1997 at a depth of about 100 m (300 ft).


The Saltmine Berchtesgaden
One of the world’s most innovative salt mining adventure centers was opened in Berchtesgaden in 2007. Through a complete reconstruction, the visitor discovers a completely new, modern underground experience on the Salt Time Journey, combined with the venerable tradition of mining.
The visitor’s train, the Salt Cathedral and the Mirror Lake are the hearts of the multimedia installation on a subterranean surface of approximately 6000m². The Salt Laboratory and the Treasure Vault make you familiar with the nature of salt, its history and its abundance of functions, which are essential to people and life.

After dressing in specially made and newly created overalls, the tour leads the visitor into the depths of the mountain. In the “Kaiser-Franz” sink works, the secretive stage setting of light, color and salt creates a Salt Cathedral, in which the universe is reflected. The 40 meter long miner’s slide leads from here down into the depths. It continues in the tunnel, past a salt grotto in mystic lighting, past memorials of earlier salt mining. In the Treasure Vault and the Salt Laboratory, questions about the whole salt range are answered playfully and in an abundance of languages. The 150 meter deep Mirror Lake leads back to the reflective area: the ferry crosses the water in a fascinating composition of sound and light – with the music of the world-famous composer Peter Wolf - taking the visitors to the other bank of the brine, under the canopy of salt crystals, which are growing and reflected in the lake.


Kehlsteinhaus - Eagle´s Nest
The Kehlsteinhaus (in English-speaking countries also known as the Eagle's Nest) is a chalet-style structure erected on a subpeak of the Hoher Göll known as the Kehlstein. It was built as an extension of the Obersalzberg complex erected by the Nazis in the mountains above Berchtesgaden. The Kehlsteinhaus was intended as a 50th birthday present for Adolf Hitler to serve as a retreat for Hitler and place for him to entertain visiting dignitaries.

The last 124 m up to the Kehlsteinhaus are reached by an elevator bored straight down through the mountain and linked via a tunnel through the granite below that is 124 m long. The inside of the large elevator car is surfaced with polished brass, Venetian mirrors and green leather (the elevator is still used daily). Construction of the mountain elevator system cost the lives of 12 construction workers. The main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble, presented by Mussolini. Note the damage caused by Allied soldiers chipping off pieces of the fireplace to take home as souvenirs. Much of the furniture was designed by Paul László.

Today the building is owned by a charitable trust, and serves as a restaurant. The restaurant features an indoor dining area and an outdoor beer garden. It is a popular tourist attraction, particularly for Britons, Canadians and Americans attracted by the historical significance of the "Eagle's Nest". The house can be reached on foot (two hours of walking) or by bus from Obersalzberg, the road having been closed to normal traffic since 1952.


Salzburg (Austria)
Apart from its architectural highlights, an abundance of concerts and world class cultural events are offered - not only during the famed Salzburg Summer Festival - but throughout the year as well. The city and its surroundings were also the stage for the 1964 filming of the 'Sound of Music', probably still the most popular and well-loved musical film ever made.



Salzburg's airport is also a practical way for travelers to reach Berchtesgaden.



Transportation to Salzburg from Berchtesgaden: local bus from Berchtesgaden "Bahnhof" (station) to Mirabellplatz throughout the day (1 way about 45 min)