Burghausen is the Bavarian border town with the absurdly long castle. The Burghausen Castle ridge runs for more than a kilometre above the Salzach river, all towers, walls, courtyards and small houses, with Austria staring back from the opposite bank. It is one of those places that looks theatrical from a distance and becomes stranger the closer you get.
The old town lies squeezed between the river and the cliff, its long Stadtplatz lined with pastel facades and arcaded shopfronts. Above it, stairways and lanes climb to the castle; below it, the Salzach promenade is good for a slow walk. On the inland side of the castle ridge, the Woehrsee gives the town a softer face, with swimming lawns and views back up to the walls.
Burghausen is not a big-city stop, and that is part of its appeal. Come for the castle, stay for the way the town hangs together: river, ridge, lake, and a compact old centre that still feels lived in. It combines easily with Marktl am Inn and Altoetting if you are exploring southeastern Bavaria by car or bike.