Hallstatt Austria: A Charming Lakeside Village

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Enjoy Alpine Beauty in Hallstatt Austria

Hallstatt Austria is a charming alpine village located between mountains on Lake Hallstatt and is considered to be the oldest still-inhabited village in all of Europe. Less than 1,000 local residents call Hallstatt, Austria home.

Hallstatt Austria

A Quick Look at the Beauty of Hallstatt

 

How to Get to Hallstatt, Austria

By Car

To get from Salzburg to Hallstatt takes about an hour. Guests arriving by car will need to park in one of three parking lots outside of the village, as the village itself is virtually car-free. Guests with rooms booked in the village centre should head to parking area P1. A shuttle bus will transport you and your luggage to and from the hotel and your car can remain in the lot for the duration of your stay.

If you prefer not to drive to Hallstatt, there are multiple ways to get into the center of town.

By Bus or Shuttle

Several companies run bus/shuttle service between Hallstatt and Salzburg, Vienna, Linz and Český Krumlov. For a one-day guided bus tour to Hallstatt from Salzburg, check out this tour. Or if you’re coming from Vienna and want to explore the highlights of Melk, Hallstatt, and Salzburg in a day on a flexible itinerary, you might want to consider this tour. For private transfer services to Hallstatt, we personally recommend CK Shuttle, which offers private and small group car and van transfers to and from Hallstatt from Prague and Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic.

By Train

In between Salzburg and Vienna is the Attnang-Puchheim train station. From here, take the train toward Bad Ischl and Obertraun. The Hallstatt stop is south of Bad Ischl and one stop north of Obertraun. The Hallstatt train station is literally a boat dock next to the train tracks. Here a ferry will meet every arriving train and take visitors to Hallstatt village across the lake for a small fee.

For additional information, this article has a lot of super helpful information regarding getting to to Hallstatt by bus or train from Vienna and Salzburg.

By Private Tour

Venture into Austria’s Lake District on a private tour from Salzburg. Journey along the emerald-green Fuschlsee, see the emperor’s summer palace in Bad Ischl, and more.

Hallstatt Austria Hotels

Because of its small size, there are only a handful of Hallstatt hotel located in the center of the village, several of which are located along the lakefront. They don’t come cheap, but it’s worth spending a little extra cash to stay in the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful villages.

Hallstatt Hotels

Many visitors just stop by for a few hours as part of a day trip, but we wanted more than just a few hours to explore this charming mountainside retreat, so we booked a night at Hotel Grüner Baum (read our review here).  Check current prices for Hotel Grüner Baum.

Hotel Grüner Baum

Hallstatt Weather

We visited Hallstatt Austria in the summertime and were fortunate to have experienced great weather. We only had a brief afternoon shower during one of our 2 days in Hallstatt. Rain is frequent throughout the year in this alpine lakeside village. July is the wettest month and October is the driest. August is the warmest month (average high of 77 degrees Fahrenheit) and January is the coolest (average high of 36 degrees Fahrenheit). Snowfall is quite common in the winter months and can make this beautiful village appear even more dreamlike with a blanket of snow.

Hallstatt Weather

Things to Do in Hallstatt Austria

Walk Hallstatt Village

Walking from one end of the village to the other only takes about an hour round-trip. Unless, of course, you stop to take pictures and peruse the shops!

Hallstatt Austria

With its charming buildings, cafes, and fountains, the village center is one of the most popular photography spots in Hallstatt. Our hotel, mentioned above, was located in the village center, allowing us to walk right out the front door into this adorable square!

Hallstatt, Austria

For yet another perspective of this quaint alpine town, we headed for the rooftops! (Click here to see Hallstatt from another vantage point!)

Hallstatt

Go For a Boat Ride on Hallstatt Lake

We highly recommend you go for a boat ride on Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt), it offers a beautiful new perspective of the village.  We rented a boat and spent two hours admiring the village, mountains, and swans! Be your own captain and explore the lake on your own time or join on a guided boat tour. You can’t miss the passenger boats located at the main pier. Note: boat tours do not operate in the winter months.

Hallstatt Boat Rental

Hallstatt Austria

Shopping and Dining in Hallstatt

Just walk the main street in Hallstatt Austria and you’ll find plenty of shops filled with sweet treats, souvenirs, and handmade goods.

Hallstatt Austria

In addition to the handful of restaurants located throughout the village of Hallstatt, most of the hotels have restaurants located inside. Our favorite meal in Hallstatt was definitely eating lakeside at Hotel Grüner Baum‘s restaurant. For a list of other Hallstatt restaurants to consider, check out this article.

Hallstatt Austria

Visit the Hallstatt Church

 The Hallstatt Evangelical Church sits in the village center. It was originally built as a house of prayer in 1785 and rebuilt in 1863 as the church you now see today.

Hallstatt Evangelical Church

Hike Throughout the Salzkammergut Region in Austria

During a return visit to Austria, we embarked on an adventurous 3-day Hiking Holiday through the Salzkammergut region, which included a stop in the village of Hallstatt. 

Lake Hallstatt

It was much more challenging than we were anticipating, as us Americans weren’t quite prepared for the rigor of the trails in the Alps. It was an adventure we won’t soon forget, so if you’re looking for a different kind of holiday, consider a village-to-village hike in Austria.

Hiking Holiday Austria Salzkammergut

Ride the Funicular to the Salt Mine

Take a journey on the Hallstatt funicular for aerial views of the village down below. From there you’ll need to walk 15 minutes uphill to reach the entrance of the Hallstatt Salt Mine. Once inside, you’ll walk just over a mile (2 kms) throughout the mine before a mine train brings you back to the entrance. Because the mine is a constant 46 degrees F (8 degrees C), regardless of the time of year you visit, you’ll want to have a jacket with you. For operating hours and current ticket prices, including a ride on the funicular and entrance fees to the salt mines, click here.

Hallstatt funicular

Use Your Salzkammergut Card for Discounts

When you stay 3 or more nights at one of numerous hotels in the Salzkammergut region of Austria you’ll get a Salzkammergut Adventure Card (valid from May 1- October 31) or a Salkammergut Winter Card (valid November 1-April 30). This card provides discounts at various local attractions. You can also purchase these cards for a small fee at one of the four local tourist offices (Bad Goisern, Gosau, Obertraun, and Hallstatt Austria) throughout the Salzkammergut region. For more information about the cards and the discounts provided, visit the Salzkammergut tourism page.


29 Comments

  1. janicempei@gmail.com

    Hallstatt was my favourite stop in Austria – we spent almost 2 full days there, and it just was not enough. I would go back in a heartbeat…..it was like a little piece of heaven.

  2. Austria is so gorgeous! I love the photo of the cat 🙂

  3. Gahhh! I can’t believe how beautiful this city is! It would be a delight to visit Hallstatt soon. Keep up the awesome job and hope to bump into you two in one of my travels!

  4. What a stunning place! You are real pros at finding those picturesque places I would love to visit! I’m pinning this page for later when I finally do an Austria tour!

  5. I’m so glad to have read you had an enjoyable trip to Halstatt. It’s been a place I’ve wanted to visit for a while, but I’ve recently read some blog posts that were more negative. The biggest complaints were the town was overrun with tourists. From your experience and (fantastic!) photos, it looks like you picked the right time and were able to avoid a lot of this.

    • Yes, a lot of people don’t like Hallstatt for that very reason. It is a small town, so when people show up by the busload, it can get rather crowded. For this reason, we recommend staying over night at least one night, and that way you can experience the town when all the day-trippers have gone!

      • We stayed in Hallstatt for 3 days this past June. After about 6pm most of the day trippers have left. Those that are left are staying the night. Also If you do spend a night or two and want to photograph the town. Get up early and catch it at first light. I did this two mornings in a row. I had the entire town to myself.

  6. Wow! Looks like a great little lake town. I’ve heard of people rave about that place and now I can’t wait to go. I also love that there aren’t many cars!

  7. Whoa this place is just magical, isn’t it!!! Annnnnddddd another place to visit.

  8. Hallstatt is one of my favorite places in the world. I love the buildings, the colors, the views, the people…. Your post reminded me of why I loved it so much. 🙂

  9. Love, love, LOVE small car-free towns like this! 1000 people, picturesque views, cozy warm atmosphere? Perfect! Hallstatt is now first on our list for places to stop in Austria!

  10. Looks like a lovely place. Never heard of it before but we never really travel to this specific area of Austria. I guess it really helped too that you guys had good weather because I know Austria can be a lot less interesting when it’s pouring and the mountains aren’t visible. I’ll see you soon guys! xx

  11. Mohammad Mahdi

    What’s the people’s job in hallstatt???

  12. We did the salt mine tour here. I remember it to be a scenic place, wonderful location. Lovely pics by you reviving my memory of the place.
    Happy travels!

  13. Alejandro Rivera

    Hi! Me and my wife are going to prague, Budapest, Viena, Salzburg and hallstatt, we booked in The same hotel you stayed! Any recomendations??

    Your website is great! Im following you on Facebook and instagram

    We are from México

    My instagram is ZEKKORIVERA

    • Oooh fun! We’ve been to all of those places! Take a look at https://forgetsomeday.com/travel/czech-republic for posts on Prague and https://forgetsomeday.com/travel/hungary for posts on Budapest. Vienna, we only visited for one day as part of a river cruise and Salzburg we only visited for a day driving through, so we don’t have any content on those two cities. I’m not really sure what you’re into to make exact recommendations, but take a look at our posts and let me know if you have any questions! Though, I do definitely recommend a sunset cruise on the Danube in Budapest… the buildings lit up at night is spectacular! In Hallstatt, rent a boat and get out on the lake. Also, ride the funicular to the salt mine. We didn’t go in the salt mine, as rather it was a starting point for a hike we were doing, but the views from the top are incredible. In Prague, check out some of the beer gardens if you’re into that, visit the castle, and go up the tower in the Old Town Hall. Again, more recommendations can be found in our posts! 🙂 Have fun! Sounds like a great itinerary!

  14. If you are visiting Hallstatt for the day or staying for a few nights.
    You must rent and electric boat and cruise around on the lake. As of June 2018 the rental was 20 Euro for one hour. I have rented boats in much less scenic areas in the US for three times that.

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