We loved the Gruttenhutte! Did the Eagle Walk stage 2 backwards, starting st Hintersteiner See and…read morehiking to the Hutte, then down to the town. Gruttenhütte provided awesome food (recommend the spinach dumpling), beer, and a respite after a long trek up. About 7 miles from where we started to the hutte, and about another two down to the nearest village.

We took bus #25 from the center of town to the cable car station. The cars start going up at…read more8:30am every half an hour until about 5pm. The view from atop is breathtaking. The Untersberg massif, which spans approximately 70 km², is located right on the border with Bavaria. The Untersberg cable car starts in St. Leonhard near Grödig and leads to the Geiereck, from where we enjoyed breathtaking panoramic views of the Alps and the Salzburg valley area....we loved the views, the fresh air and the whole cable car/gondola experience. Many people go hiking right off the station at the top. We did not, but we can see how others would enjoy the trails during any of the four seasons of the year. It is included in the Salzburg Card if you have one.

Free with the Salzburg card to take the 8.5 minute cable car to the top of Untersberg. There's a…read morecable car every 30 minutes and free WiFi. There's a huge lot if you drove or take bus 25 to the very last stop. Breath taking views of the alps. It was cold and with fresh powdery snow. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes with tracking if you plan to go further out in the snow. Takes another 30 minutes to hike to the peak which is the highest peak in Austria. Going down was more dangerous than going up.

No trip to Berchtesgaden is complete without a boat ride through the Konigssee in Berchtesgaden…read moreNational Park. The Boat rides leave from the tip of the Konigsee, and can be taken to One or Two spots for a different affordable price. Its a beautiful ride through the lake in the mountains. The entire tour is in German so if you don't speak the language you won't really know what's going on, but no need to as the ride is a reward in itself. Be sure to get to the Docking stations early so that you have time to head out to St. Bartholomew etc. and Hike around. There is also a hofbrau haus directly next to the church to have a nice meal while you wait to return to Berchtesgaden. It's a must do while in this beautiful area of Germany. Take the ride, and listen to the amazing echo's of the trumpets off the mountain side. Highly recommended, and well worth the price.

I have come for 25 years. It's beautiful. Every time. I love the lack of electricity, the shapes…read moreand shadows. ... They are currently allowing people to take pictures inside the caves and I wish they wouldn't. The light from the phones add a lot of light to the cave. It takes away some of the magic. Despite being told not to the people around me kept stopping to take pics and I kept tripping over them

This place is definitely amazing. First, short hikes to the cave entrance is already beautiful. All…read morethe way down to the town of Werfen and Austrian Alps. So pretty. Then suddenly totally different scenery inside the cave. Such an ice art! I can't describe the color or shape. One of the highlights of my European trip. I visited here at the end of May, so not busy at all.

Breathtaking lake, even more beautiful than the Konigssee, if it's possible. I highly recommend the…read moreboat trip out to the Obersee. You'll need to allot time for a short hike around the area. I truly haven't been a part of scenery as spectacular as this little corner of Germany-Austria. The sun! The shining green lake! The mountains! Holy hell, if this place doesn't do it for you, I don't know what will. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and feel it. The spirituality of the alps. Unforested, unsettled and so pristine. If you're lucky you'll catch a glimpse of the Alpine cow. Amazing!