Austria – Hallstatt

Hallstatt – which means “place of salt” – is home to the world’s first salt mine. It is Austria’s oldest and probably most scenic lakeside town and is sandwiched between the lake and mountains, on a narrow strip of land. Situated within the UNESCO World Heritage region of Hallstatt-Dachstein-Salzkammergut, it is a place of great natural beauty and awestruck scenery.

During my stay, I was able to enjoy the town in its Autumn dress though there was no sign of the sun at all.

The most photographed Spot!

A visit to Hallstatt isn’t complete without getting that perfect postcard-worthy picture: To get that famous Hallstatt picture simply type ‘Classic Village Viewpoint/Postcard Angle’ into Google maps and enjoy the view, with the colorful little cottages lining the lake and the dramatic mountains towering beyond.

The postcard-perfect location of Hallstatt @  Google maps 47.56459, 13.64997

Right at the heart of Hallstatt is the church that has become one of the landmarks of this charming village – the Evangelical Parish Church. Its tall spire is a staple in just about every picture of Hallstatt.

The scenic streets of Hallstatt

The streets are flanked by traditional pastel houses, with beautiful balconies. It’s a very tiny village spread across 23 square miles, with a population of around 800! So one can literally walk back and forth through the village multiple times in just a couple of hours. 

Hallstatt has tight streets without any cars and the houses are stacked & layered into the hillside. 

The fact that the village fits perfectly into the surrounding mountain area and was built around nature gives this place a real fairytale look. There is even a loud waterfall that can be seen from the town!

By the lake

The town makes you feel as if you’ve entered some perfect, little fairytale village.

Hallstatt’s lake is massive, stretching 8.5 km long and up to 125 meters deep. There are plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the lake- a traditional flat-bottomed boat, paddleboat (some that look like swans), or ferries!

Tranquility after sunset

At the end of the day, when all the day-trip tourists are gone, the town becomes quiet. The lights from the buildings turn on, basking the town in a warm soft glow.
There is a sense of tranquility while wandering through the almost empty streets.

The warm glow of Hallstatt at the Blue hour

The best thing to do here is to slow down

A stroll through the village

An elderly man in traditional attire, probably out to buy groceries

It looks all quaint and lovely. The cobblestone floors, the colorful buildings with their cute window panes, the hanging plants and flowers drooping over the balcony railings. 

Almost every flower-decked house along the lake is photogenic.

The market square in Hallstatt is one of the town’s most popular attractions. It is a small square surrounded by colorful houses.

The Catholic church of Hallstatt with its mountain cemetery is home to Europe’s largest collection of painted skulls.

Hallstatt from Above

Anyone visiting Hallstatt should take the funicular up the mountain. The funicular railway base station is a short walk from the town center.

The crossover point

View from above 300 meters

Once up the mountain, a breathtaking view of Hallstatt and its surroundings is guaranteed from the “Welterbeblick” Viewing Platform. The triangular platform is protruding out from the mountain, allowing you to see all the way down, down, down. This Skywalk hangs above Hallstatt at a staggering height of 360 meters.

The Skywalk extends over a sheer drop with the Hallstatt old town directly below

Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt) is extremely tranquil and the water looks pretty dark

The gondola of Lake Hallstatt

Autumn view of the lake and its surroundings

The World’s Oldest Salt Mine

It is possible to tour the world’s first known salt mine named Salzwelten which has an incredible 7000-year-old history of salt mining. A guided tour of the salt mine will take you on a long walk through underground tunnels and slides, accompanied by all the exciting stories connected to the mine.

Entrance to the Salt mine

Once inside the salt mine, how to descend to the lower depths? By going down a slide of course! There are 2 levels of miners’ slides, guaranteeing a fun descent.

The history of Hallstatt is richly entwined with the history of salt, a valuable commodity in ancient times, as traces of salt mining in the area going as far back as 2000B.C. Today, salt is still mined from the area, through the oldest pipeline in the world.

The tour ends with a fun drive on a mine train through a narrow tunnel out of the mountain.

The tunnel later becomes really narrow and small

A dreamy town worth multiple visits

Hallstatt is one of the most picturesque towns in Europe. The crisp mountain air is invigorating, while the small village vibe can make you unwind, relax, and take it easy. With its wooden houses, a beautiful lake in front of it guarded by majestic mountains, and some of the most incredible views, Hallstatt makes one want to go back again and again.