Watzmann

The Watzmann is the defining mountain of the Berchtesgaden landscape: 2,713 meters, third-highest in Germany, visible from the outskirts of Salzburg, with an east face that drops 1,800 meters to the Königssee in the longest vertical rock wall in the Eastern Alps. More than 100 climbers have died on that east face. For everyone else, the Hocheck ridge hike is a serious but non-technical day route that reaches 2,651 meters with extraordinary views over the national park and down to the Königssee. The trail starts from Wimbachbrücke, reachable by bus from Berchtesgaden. The Watzmannhaus hut at 1,930 meters is a useful overnight stop if you want to split the ascent. Go early, watch the weather, and do not underestimate the mountain. The Berchtesgaden region was part of the Salzburg archbishopric until 1803, and the Watzmann and the Königssee together form one of the most dramatic alpine landscapes within easy reach of any major city in Central Europe.