There is so much to see and do in Bavaria, and since we may be running out of time here, we’ve started working on our Bavarian bucket list, which includes the Kehlsteinhaus, more commonly known to English speakers as the Eagle’s Nest.
In case you haven’t heard of it, Kehlsteinhaus (aka, the house built on top of the Kehlstein mountain) was commissioned as a 50th birthday present to Hitler, with the intention of using it as a place to relax and host dignitaries. It’s obvious why this location was chosen. The views are stunning.
Ironically, Hitler rarely visited the Eagle’s Nest since he was afraid of heights and rarefied air. In fact, it’s estimated he was only there between 14 and 17 times. As such, the structure was deemed of secondary importance and wasn’t destroyed, like most other primary Nazi-specific structures from WWII in Germany. The building officially opened to the public as a tourist spot/restaurant in 1952.
Visiting the Eagle’s Nest isn’t as straightforward as driving up to it. In fact, you’re not allowed to drive up the mountain at all; you have to take their bus. So, the trip requires a bit of planning. Shuttle buses run up and down the mountain every ~15 min throughout the day, but you’ll need a ticket for a specific time. The tickets can be purchased online, or you can buy them when you arrive. However, space on the buses is limited, and they do scan your ticket as you get on. So, I would recommend purchasing tickets online to make sure you get your preferred time. Otherwise, you may be waiting hours for the next available bus.
The ride up was quite beautiful, as was the view from the drop-off location.
Alternatively, you can hike up from the main parking lots to the drop-off location (or vice versa). Round-trip, the hike is ~15 km (~9 miles), which would mean the trip is free, since the Eagle’s Nest is technically free to visit (you’re paying for transportation). You could also hike up and buy a one-way bus ticket back.
Either way, bus or hike, you’ll end up at the entrance to a tunnel that takes you to the famous brass elevator for the final 124 m (~405 ft) ascent straight into the Kehlsteinhaus. You could also hike the final bit up to the Eagle’s Nest, if you don’t care about the elevator (or opt to see it on the way down).
Tip: Either 1) be the first off the bus and head straight for the elevator or 2) take your time and enjoy the view for a bit after you get off the bus. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting in an elevator queue in a semi-dark and chilly tunnel.
Now that you’re at the top, just enjoy the views! 😍
As I mentioned, the Eagle’s Nest is now a restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. We had about 2.5 hours before we needed to catch our return bus (also at a specific time, booked online). So, we had a leisurely chaotic lunch and walked around the top. Naturally, our littlest hiker, who is generally chill, decided a casual lunch wasn’t in the cards for us that day. 😆 He was, at least, happy as long as we kept moving. 🤦♀️
There’s not much to the inside of the Eagle’s Nest. The views are stunning, of course, but the house itself isn’t ornately designed. However, two things stuck out to us: the sun terrace and the fireplace. The sun terrace on the back side of the house is now a small history museum, but one thing that struck us was a photo of Hitler sitting on a lounge chair in the sun terrace. You could easily put yourself in the exact spot where the photo was taken, and the rarity of that was striking. Second was the fireplace, which is quite famous as it was a gift from Mussolini and is still generally intact. (Some pieces are missing as soldiers took “souvenirs” when the war ended.) Both stood out as tangible pieces of history, similar to the beaches of Normandy.
The area isn’t huge, so 2–2.5 hours was plenty of time to eat and explore, after which we started our reverse journey to the parking lots and, eventually, back to Munich.
Practical Info
How to get there: The easiest and most practical way is by car. Otherwise, it’s a series of buses and trains, doubling your travel time. If a car isn’t an option, I’d recommend looking into a tour company.
Distance from Munich: ~2.5 hours by car. Alternatively, if you’re visiting Salzburg, the trip is only 50 min by car.
Cost: The bus is €34.70 round-trip per adult (kids under 6 are free; reduced fees for kids 6–14).
Time: I’d recommend 2–2.5 hours for a leisurely visit with time to eat.
Tip: Bring cash! Luckily, we had some, but it caught us off guard. You can expect typical Bavarian food and drinks at the restaurant.
Rating: 🧡 If there’s time. Munich and the surrounding area have a lot to offer, and this is certainly one of the longer day trips. So, if you have time or you’re interested in a different piece of WWII history, then I’d recommend it. Otherwise, there are equally beautiful yet shorter day trips into the Bavarian Alps.
We have no big summer plans other than riding out Europe’s heat waves at the river or the local pool, and hopefully, a hike sooner than later. So, until our next adventure…
Tschüss,
The Shwits 