I remember this being a huge hit with my young siblings and it was a similar hit with my own kids. After we spent all morning and early afternoon in Salzberg, we drove back to Berchtesgaden to visit the Salt Mines before closing time. I have no idea how they originally discovered salt under the mountain hundreds of years ago, but they have been mining it since before King Ludwig's time and are still working on it today. It was interesting seeing the advancements they have made from then to now. The tour is great and has lots of ancient tools and plenty of stuff they currently use. Water plays the main role today. Of course, they can pull a lot more salt out with far fewer people.
The kids liked the slides best of all, of course. Your group sits together, holding on to the person in front. Once everyone is in place, you lift your feet, lean back, and zoooom, down you go. Jess was very worried about the first one, but loved it once we landed. Makenna was very brave and sat in front both times. We all just wished there were more than two. Makenna made up a fabulous joke on the inner tram ride: "Some people take salt for granite." Clever.
I had Matt pull off the road on the way to snap this picture. It was such a picturesque spot, but to do it justice, I needed a panoramic lens. In person the grass is so green, it looks fake. And of course there are well loved cows, happily grazing. You can tell it was a gorgeous warm day. It felt odd to put on sweatshirts before heading into the mine, but we were glad to have them. It's cold inside.
No photography was allowed at anytime during the tour. I tried to snap a quick one on the train before we started driving and almost got my camera confiscated. It's not for their security, but the guests' safety. I guess they have had camera happy people fall off the train in the past and just outlawed all pictures, period.
The kids liked the slides best of all, of course. Your group sits together, holding on to the person in front. Once everyone is in place, you lift your feet, lean back, and zoooom, down you go. Jess was very worried about the first one, but loved it once we landed. Makenna was very brave and sat in front both times. We all just wished there were more than two. Makenna made up a fabulous joke on the inner tram ride: "Some people take salt for granite." Clever.
I had Matt pull off the road on the way to snap this picture. It was such a picturesque spot, but to do it justice, I needed a panoramic lens. In person the grass is so green, it looks fake. And of course there are well loved cows, happily grazing. You can tell it was a gorgeous warm day. It felt odd to put on sweatshirts before heading into the mine, but we were glad to have them. It's cold inside.
This is just outside the salt mines. The kids were amazed at the clarity of the water. You could see the rocks at the bottom all the way across.
Here we are getting outfitted in our mining overalls.
No photography was allowed at anytime during the tour. I tried to snap a quick one on the train before we started driving and almost got my camera confiscated. It's not for their security, but the guests' safety. I guess they have had camera happy people fall off the train in the past and just outlawed all pictures, period.
This is us after it's all over. "No, don't take off your suits yet. Let me just get one picture!"
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