Visiting Burgruine Karlstein in Bad Reichenhall, Germany

jana meerman burgruine karlstein castle bad reichenhall germany-28

While living in Salzburg for more than three years now, I've been making it my mission to explore as much of Europe as I can. This includes both far-flung adventures to countries across the continent, but it also means a lot of time exploring the immediate regions around me in Austria, my home, and southern Germany. My favourite way to spend a day off is always to discover something new - this desire is what has fuelled all the content for my blog for more than a decade now.

So, a cold Saturday in December rolled around and I pulled up my Google Maps with its thousands of pins of things I want to see around the world and had a little look through some cool things to see within driving distance of my little mountain flat in Salzburg.

How to Get to Burgruine Karlstein

By flight: The closest international airport is across the border in Salzburg, Austria or a little further north within Germany in Munich.

By car: The easiest way to travel to Burgruine Karlstein is with your own wheels, just outside Bad Reichenhall. You can park just below the Brugruine Karlstein and then hike about 15 minutes up a small trail and some metal steps to reach the ruins. It's also the same parking lot used to access the Wallfahrtskirche St. Pankraz nearby. Burgruine Karlstein is about half an hour from Salzburg by car.

→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Salzburg.

By bus: You can visit Burgruine Karlstein by bus as well. Take bus 180 from Salzburg Hbf to Bad Reichenhall, which takes just under an hour. Transfer to bus 9526 which takes an additional 7 minutes and will drop you at Thumsee-Seemösl from where you walk about 1km to the ruins. Local bus times can be researched and tickets purchased on Deutsche Bahn.

How to Visit Burgruine Karlstein

I've visited Bad Reichenhall briefly before, earlier in the spring, to visit Thumsee for a picnic. This time, we went to visit the ruins of Karlstein Castle, which dates back to 1150 built by the Pelsteiners, and first mentioned in 1208. In its heyday, a bustling Bavarian palace under the Tauersteins, these ruins have been in disrepair since the 17th century.

Archaeological digs from this area have found evidence of Bronze and Urnfield dwellings, but nothing since the Middle Ages. Now, there are some distinct outer walls remaining and two towers, as well as what would have been the water collector in the centre of a courtyard. The view from the top over Bad Reichenhall is incredible. Renovations in 2012 ensured the castle ruins could be safely reopened fo the public to explore.

Entry is completely free.

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Jana Meerman

Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.

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