The Berchtesgaden salt mines have been in operation since 1517, making them one of the oldest continuously working mines in Germany. The underground tour is theatrical and popular with families: visitors dress in miner's overalls, slide down wooden chutes into the lower levels, ride a small train through the tunnels, and cross an underground salt lake on a wooden raft. The guided tour takes about an hour.
Salt here is not mined by drilling but by dissolving — water is pumped in, dissolves the salt, and the brine is pumped out to be evaporated. The mine is directly below the town centre and visits year-round. Tickets cost around 23 EUR; book in advance in high season as the mine frequently sells out. The National Park visitor centre (Haus der Berge) nearby is free and worth an hour for its ecological displays.