Watch my video here: Hallstatt | One Day in Hallstatt, Austria – A beautiful impression
Is it worth visiting Hallstatt for a day? Absolutely! In this video I show you an impression of my one-day visit to Hallstatt.
LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN.
During my stay in Vienna, I went for a day to Hallstatt. It takes about three hours and twenty minutes by train from Vienna to Hallstatt. When you leave the train station, the ferry will bring you to Hallstatt on the other side of the lake. A two way ticket costs seven euros in cash. If you need to catch your train back, it’s wise to look at the departure times from Hallstatt. The ferry departs every half an hour, with the last one at 06:15 pm. The boat ride takes about fifteen minutes.
Hallstatt is an idyllic picturesque village in Austria in the heart of the Salzkammergut region. Hallstatt is located on the lake Hallstätter See, at the foot of the Dachstein Mountains. The Hallstatt-Dachstein-Salzkammergut region has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since December 1997. Partly due to its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Hallstatt became world famous. Hallstatt, a dreamlike town in the mountains with beautiful houses on the water, is considered by many to be the most beautiful village in Austria.
Until the 1960s Hallstatt was only accessible via the lake. After the construction of a highway, tourism started. Tourists from all over the world came to Hallstatt to take a picture of the village. Hallstatt has about nine hundred inhabitants, but more than half a million people visit Hallstatt each year. Buses full of tourists drive back and forth. Most people take a day trip to Hallstatt, as there are not many accommodations.
Hallstatt has always been popular with tourists, but the Chinese were so enamored with Hallstatt, that the village was completely recreated by Chinese developers. An exact copy of Hallstatt has been built in the Chinese province of Guangdong, with exactly the same name and appearance. It contains a replica of
the church’s bell tower, European-style wooden cabins and other properties. China’s Hallstatt was built in 2012, but looks almost as old as Austria’s Hallstatt.
The center of Hallstatt is small and traffic free, making it perfect for a stroll through. Right in the center you will find Hallstatt’s historical Market Square, also known as Marktplatz, one of Hallstatt’s most popular spots. In the centre of the square stands the mighty Statue of the Holy Trinity. This charming romantic heart of the village is surrounded by colourful, centuries-old houses, lots of nice cafes, restaurants and shops, and traditional Austrian architecture. The market square dates back to the 14th century.
If you go to Hallstatt, bring cash. Many shops, restaurants and attractions in Hallstatt only accept cash, not cards. I ate a delicious vegetarian tortellini with salad at a local restaurant. For desert I had a sweet ice cream with a beautiful view of the lake.
For fun activities on the lake you can rent rowing boats, a small motor boat, a swan-shaped pedal boat or a pedal boat. You can also enjoy an organized boat trip on Lake Hallstatt. The larger boats offer guided tours that introduce visitors to Hallstatt’s diverse wildlife and unique history. You can admire the beautiful swans on the lake. Swans have been in the lake since the 1860s, when Emperor Franz Josef and his wife Empress Sisi vacationed in this region.
Seven thousand years ago people already lived in Hallstatt, because there was salt here. The mountains here were mined for their extensive salt deposits. Hallstatt is home to the oldest salt mine in the world.
The Salzbergbahn cable car takes you in about three minutes to the famous Hallstatt Salt Mine about three hundred fifty meters above the village, and to the Hallstatt Skywalk viewing point.
There is no entrance fee to enter the Skywalk. This floating platform offers you a spectacular panoramic view of the environment and a bird’s eye view of Hallstatt. You can buy combi tickets for the Cable Car & Salt Mine for forty euros. A return ticket for the cable car costs twenty two euros. A one way ticket costs twelve euros.
Along the lakeshore towards the north of the old town is Hallstatt’s well-known photo spot where you can get the perfect shot of Hallstatt, with the colorful little houses lining the lake and the giant mountains towering beyond. You can find this spot under the name Viewpoint Hallstatt | Ausichtspunkt. There’s also a viewpoint along the southern lakeshore that provides better views of the lake itself. This viewpoint is called the Lake Hallstatt Viewpoint.
Did you know that Hallstatt was the inspiration for the Kingdom of Arendelle, a fictional village from the Disney movie Frozen? Hallstatt indeed has something fairytale like, with ancient houses and cobbled streets. I would love to see the frozen lake in winter with the wooden roofs of the cottages covered in snow.
Hallstatt is a beautiful poetic village and I would go back in a heart beat. ( Just be aware that Hallstatt is overrun with tourists.) Next time would be in the winter. I also think it would be great to spend the night somewhere nearby and cycle in the mountainous area.
I hope you enjoyed my journey and see you on my next trip.
Bye bye! ?
