Tradition is anything but dusty in Berchtesgaden. There you can find lederhosen with embroidered details, selected spirits and gins and many other local products. Young producers in the Upper Bavarian region value traditional craftsmanship and give it a modern and personal touch.
Tanner Engelbert Jr. and Michael Aigner continued their father's vision in the family business, while at the same time developing a new sustainable concept. Angelika Scheid inherited a distillery license from her father-in-law and quickly trained as a spirits sommelier. Confectioner Verena Maier started offering her farm delicacies, made according to old recipes, under the Guads von Do brand.
Sustainable national costumes
In the old city center Berchtesgaden there is a workshop and a shop for traditional costumes Lederhosen Aigner. It was founded by father Engelbert the elder, and brother Engelbert Jr. took over. and Michael Aigner. Their traditional costumes are made in the traditional way, partly with patterns and embroidery from the 19th century, and the second generation of the bearers of this Upper Bavarian family business is now taking an important step towards sustainability. The Aigner brothers have a provision in their contracts with suppliers that all materials for products must be of European origin. Deer leather comes exclusively from Germany and Austria and is dyed with bark and wood. Only natural materials and glues without pollutants are used. "Consumers can co-shape the offer with their shopping behavior," points out the tanner Engelbert Aigner Jr. But at the same time he does not want to preach: "The main thing is that customers feel good when they wear our clothes."
A noble drop and first class gin
Angelica Scheid set up a small distillery next to her house in Bischofswiesen (@asdestillerie). The nurse inherited the distillery license from her father-in-law, whom she had been allowed to look over his shoulder years before. She decided to continue the tradition and trained as a spirits sommelier. The fruit is fully grown natural mode and manual processed. From local cherries, pears, apples, plums and berries - as long as the birds don't eat them - a superb brandy is made under her hands. Because Angelika Scheid likes to experiment, she also has in her offer gin, various fruit liqueurs and spirits from the strong Eisbock beer from the brewery Hofbrauhaus Berchtesgaden. Tastings for visitors are held on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, and private tastings can also be organized if desired.
Regional delicacies
The passion of a trained baker and confectioner Verena Maier are its agricultural products. Under the brand Guads von Do offers pickled cream cheese, camembert and goulash and beef soup in a jar – everything is made according to old recipes. Her aunt and her partner, both top chefs with international experience, help her cook. The young farmer wants to produce the ingredients for her products herself as much as possible. That's why she raises cows, calves and chickens, and soon she will also have a large vegetable garden. Guads von Do products are regularly available at the Hölzl butcher shop in town Schönau am Königssee, in the Gütling grocery store in the mountain village of Ramsau and directly on her farm in Maurerlehn near Salzberg. In order to support other small farmers and artisans in the region, Verena Maier together with Elisabeth Moderegger, Johanna Speigner and Theresa Streibl also presents and sells other products. On the first Friday of every month, you can stop by her mobile booth at the weekly market that takes place in the square Weihnachtsschützenplatz in Berchtesgaden.
Discovering King Watzmann's Alpine Kingdom
Alpine highlands, unspoiled nature, picturesque villages, old customs and top culture - Berchtesgaden is one of the most impressive mountain regions in Germany, impressing visitors with its unique and recognizable landscape. King's Lake (Königssee) with crystal clear water, it winds like a fjord through the only alpine national park in Germany. On peninsula of St. Bartholomä, on which stands a baroque pilgrimage church with red bulbous domes, you can hear the famous echo. There you may also meet mountain eagles, deer and marmots and discover many plant species that live undisturbed on the foothills and slopes Watzmann (2713 m), the king of the Berchtesgaden Alps.
V Berchtesgaden guests can stroll past the Royal Castle, magnificent old-town houses, charming shops and inns, or visit an underground mine. The Kehlsteinhaus, the Eagle's Nest on the Kehlstein mountain, offers a unique view of the steep mountain walls.
For more mountaineering-inspired visitors, you can also climb or climb the stunning peaks Watzmann, Untersberg and Reiteralm. An extensive network of hiking and climbing routes of all difficulty levels awaits your visit. It is also wonderful to watch the livestock returning from summer grazing. Hardly anywhere in Germany does this custom have as much validity as here. You can witness these centuries-old traditions, which are still very much alive, especially during church holidays and seasonal festivals.
Now that the day is noticeably shorter, we appreciate it even more sunny moments and the smell of dry grass. At the same time, it does not matter whether you have a strenuous climb behind you or you are just admiring the reflection of high peaks on the surface of a crystal clear mountain lake. Now is the time to gather strength for the cold and sometimes dark days that are just around the corner. V Berchtesgaden you can wonderfully spend the last breaths of the Indian summer and recharge your batteries for the cold winter days.
Zweckverband Bergerlebnis Berchtesgaden
