Adventure in Bavaria and Austria

Alberta's Icefields Parkway Photos: Side Trip to Lake Louise

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Berchtesgaden

Pick a nice day, pack your camera, and hop a train to Berchtesgaden. Just an hour from Salzburg and surrounded by Austria on three sides, the village actually lies in Germany. A quick bus ride to Obersalzburg takes you to the base of Mount Kehlstein, where Hitler's infamous mountaintop teahouse, the Eagle's Nest, is perched. It's a 30-minute trek to the top—but the views from 1,720 meters are worth the effort. You can always ride down on the bus, which is another kind of adventure—the winding road is narrow and the drop would be a doozy.

For more information:
Visitors' Center Berchtesgadener Land
Kvnigsseer Str. 2, 83471
Berchtesgaden, Germany
011-49-86-52-96-7-0
info@berchtesgaden.de
www.berchtesgaden.com/e/cities/berchtesgaden/bgd.htm

St. Gilgen

This unassuming little village is the birthplace of Mozart's mother and sister, and the area was used to shoot scenes for The Sound of Music. St. Gilgen is worth a trip for the scenic hiking alone. Follow the gentle path that parallels the eastern shore of Lake Wolfgang, then head higher and deeper into the hills and forest. The trail pops out of the trees, offering an excellent view of the lake and neighboring hamlets.

If you don't have the time or energy to loop around the lake entirely, stop at one of the shore-side villages, quaff a Gasthaus beer, and wait for the next water taxi. The Zwvlferhorn cable car on the western side of the lake offers hikers a bail-out from 1,522 meters—or a quick way to access the high-country trails.

For more information:
St. Gilgen Tourist Office
Mozartplatz 1, A-5340
St. Gilgen, Austria
011-43-6227-7267 and 2348
stgilgen@ping.at
www.salzburgerland.com/stgilgen/english/s_index.html