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Dry facts and figures that usually characterize this or that locality are for some reason completely impossible to apply to describe a small town, lost in the mountains of Austria, which bears the name Hallstatt (Hallstatt) and rightfully leads the best attractions in Austria.
The landscape that surrounds this earthly miracle, it’s hard to call this town another name, is a unique combination of the Dachstein mountains, the Hallstatt river and Lake Hallstattersee. After the first glance at this harmony and splendor, it becomes clear why this region was included in the World Heritage List in 1997 UNESCO.
Whether you choose summer tours or holidays for the New Year, you will still have something to do and see here, but first things first. The name of the city comes from the word hall, which means salt in ancient Celtic. It was salt that was a real treasure for the residents of the town, since its reserves are so large that to this day “white gold” brings profit to Hallstatt, even in the form of excursion tours to the salt mines, deep in the mountains.
Sights of Austria: Hallstatt
In Hallstatt, of course, it is best to relax for 10 days, but if you don’t have time at all, then you can combine the trip with a visit to Salzburg, the distance between the cities is about 100 km, but you will fully cover the sights of Austria. The first thing that strikes visiting tourists is the location of the houses and cottages, which literally hang over each other and local residents can calmly move from one house to another, like on a ladder, walking along the tiers.
The lack of space in this charming town does not end with architectural delights, but goes where would you think? - straight to the cemetery! Due to the lack of territory, enterprising residents bury their fellow countrymen in the cemetery only for 10 years. After this period, the remains of the deceased are dug up, then the bones acquire a beautiful white hue after lying in the sun and are eventually transferred to permanent storage in the Bean House Ossuary. The skull of the deceased is marked with his name, dates of birth and death, as well as a very attractive floral pattern in the form of a wreath.
In addition to this exotic, in the city and its surroundings, there are a large number of attractions of Austria: the Church of St. Michael, the market square Marktplatz, the Rudolfsturm tower and most importantly - the stunning ice caves Rieseneishohle, replete with stalactites, miraculous arches, cathedrals and even an ice chapel, which was formed only thanks to the ingenuity of nature, its incomparable architectural taste and creativity.
Sights of Austria: Hallstatt
Hallstatt - Austrian fairy tale city
Hallstatt - Austrian fairy tale city
Hallstatt - Austrian fairy tale city
Hallstatt - Austrian fairy tale city
Hallstatt - Austrian fairy tale city
As they say, snow is snow in Africa too. It’s the same everywhere, but for some it’s boring. I always miss any season. Before I have time to get enough, it’s already the next time of year.
So I didn’t have time to admire the snowfall in the Austrian Hallstatt enough, I didn’t look into many places, and I didn’t fall into all the snowdrifts.
But, of course, I collected something as a memory when, emerging from the state of New Year’s fascination with what was happening, I finally took out the camera.
It was late afternoon, there was nothing to do... More precisely, there was something to do - rest. But it’s difficult to decide which way to rest first: right, left, up, down.
It soon became clear that it would not be possible to rest down - it was deep and, I suspect, cold. The birds are happy though. On our mountain lakes they wouldn’t even get their paws wet, because the ice is very thick, but in Austria, please - both a table and a house:
Must be sniffing white flies:
And some of the inhabitants of these flies don’t even want to smell, hiding from the snow swarm in a booth, or rather, making a nest over a woodpile:
The most pampered ones even prefer to watch the ongoing bacchanalia through a glass shield:
The snow falls and falls... A tiny town of only a thousand inhabitants, already located far from decent centers of civilization, under the cover of a blizzard becomes a completely lost world, in which, however, the spirit of the holiday wanders along every street:
To prevent the spirit of the holiday from stumbling in the darkness, townspeople light candles. Living fire dances even in a snowdrift:
You can also light a bunch of Chinese lanterns. By the way, the Chinese were so fascinated by Hallstatt that they built an exact life-size copy of the town. However, the density of tourist crowds in the authentic Austrian village has only increased since then:
Fearless alpine houses climb up the ledges:
Or they fit neatly into a narrow strip of land between rocks and water:
The central square is cleared of snow indecently often; I had to get up at dawn before the wipers in order to have time to gallop around the Christmas tree in the lush snowdrifts. On the right is our hotel, I once again got an attic room, which, however, did not disappoint. The views from his window were in all directions - to the lake, mountains and white-capped roofs:
In such places fairy tales should be born:
The night passed, but the fairy tale continued... It seems that a mountain gnome could easily jump out of such a small house. However, the dimensions are deceptive; you need to enter such a dwelling from the attic level, and a couple more floors go down to the lake itself:
Still, snow is a great delight:
It’s already fairly dawn, local residents are starting to appear, out for morning exercises with shovels, and romantically minded tourists are slowly floating through the streets:
For me it’s breakfast time, but the camera continues to create a chronicle of snow:
December 31... On the eve of the New Year, I wander among colorful houses covered in white confetti:
I look into random windows, admire, admire, admire:
And here is a window among the branches overlooking the lake:
A little color in monochrome:
It seems that the city has frozen under the onslaught of snow, but this is not so: the festive streets, cafes, benches are bustling, there are sleds, snowmen, snowballs, laughter all around, and a pleasure boat continuously takes people on the lake:
Townspeople:
If anyone is tired of the holiday bustle, welcome into the silence of laconicism. Quiet corners along the lake are visible and invisible:
The swans decorated the empty water space, balancing the frame narratively and compositionally:
Birds swam towards me, there were a lot of pictures and very close, but I chose a wider view, because here I’m also crazy about the background - there are such white-winged winters...
Dusk is already falling, it’s time for us to leave, the New Year’s melody of Salzburg awaits ahead.
Moving away, Hallstatt is still covered in snow, looking more and more like the shore of some magical island of Buyan from children's books:
Are you frozen? I advise you to warm up with Tatiana, in
January 20th, 2014Austrian Hallstatt (German: Hallstatt) is a fabulous old town located on the steep shore of the lake of the same name. The Chinese liked it so much that they made a copy of it. Today we will take a walk around Hallstatt before Christmas.
Afterwards we drove through Bad Ischl (German: Bad Ischl) to Hallstatt (German: Hallstatt). The journey takes about 40 km. We made a short stop along the way when we noticed.
A few shots of the surrounding area along the way.
Road along Lake Hallstatt.
It is worth mentioning that the Traun River flows through Lake Hallstatt, as well as through Lake Traunsee, and then flows into the Danube. All this time we were moving upstream of this river.
Getting to Hallstatt by public transport is not very convenient. The journey from Salzburg will take about three hours. In one case you will have to change three different buses, and in the other you will have to travel by bus, train and ship, which runs from the railway station on the opposite shore of Lake Hallstatt. For Austria, the use of water transport is not uncommon. For example, you will also have to take a ferry to get to St. Wolfgang on neighboring Lake Wolfgangsee.
At the beginning of Lake Hallstatt (northern part), near the bus stop, there is such a place with open access to the water, benches and a toilet.
This time we are traveling by car. When approaching Hallstatt, we cannot turn into the town, there is a brick hanging there. Although last time I saw that local residents park their cars there on a small sloping lot. The main road goes around Hallstatt through a tunnel, with separate tunnels for each lane. Somewhere in the middle there is a parking lot where we will begin our walk.
The parking lot is located above the embankment level and offers a postcard view of the entire Hallstatt. On the shore of the lake is the 19th-century evangelical church Christuskirche. Hallstatt is the center of the ancient Hallstatt culture and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history of the town goes back thousands of years, during which salt was mined here until the end of the 20th century. The population of Hallstatt is very small and numbers about nine hundred people.
Main square and the Green Tree Hotel.
Doors decorated for Christmas.
There is a waterfall above the parking lot where we arrived; below, water flows through all levels of the town.
Protective shields are visible at the top right. The entire town is perched on a steep slope in front of the lake. Some areas in front of the water are reinforced with piles. Land is in great short supply here.
But this nook looks quite normal, if you don’t know that the back wall of the houses is much shorter and abuts the mountain :)
Veranda of one of the hotels along the way.
Shop on the main street. As I remember from our last visit to Hallstatt, there was a huge selection of soaps in various shapes - from ordinary green cucumbers to complex shapes.
The local post office is located in this building. In front of the entrance is the coat of arms of Hallstatt. Opposite on the right is the museum.
In winter there is less greenery and the paths to the houses above are clearly visible. Even higher, an observation deck overlooking Hallstatt and the lake was opened last year. On the right is the same waterfall.
The first Hallstatt lantern :)
Mountain above the village of Obertraun (German: Obertraun). To the right is the observation deck “Five Fingers” (German: 5 Fingers) at an altitude of 2108 meters.
On the opposite bank is the 16th-century Schloss Grub palace.
On the main street of Hallstatt it is difficult to pass a car. The remaining lanes are mostly pedestrian only.
Hallstatt's main square.
Christmas installation.
A pier from where you can go to the train station or the town of Obertraun.
The hotel has a good location and offers a terrace on the lake shore.
Ozernaya Street :)
There is only enough space in front of the entrance for a bicycle and umbrellas.
In front of the restaurant.
Let's go have a snack.
In the summer, everything under this tree is filled with tables, and curious swans swim up from the water. Several photos can be viewed.
We continue our walk along the embankment.
From here you should be able to see the Five Fingers observation deck on the right at the top of the mountain. 
A pipeline has been laid along the entire embankment near the water.
You can see old wooden piles in the water.
Monument to the victims of two world wars
All the lanterns on the embankment are decorated for Christmas. 
In some villages, trees are planted right along the wall. Convenient to harvest from the window :)
On the embankment there is a shop with all kinds of crafts, some of which are displayed on the street. 
We'll put off visiting this pastry shop for next time.
In the haze on the opposite shore of the lake is another Austrian town, Obertraun. It can be reached along the road that goes around the lake on the right or directly from here on a cruising boat.
We return to the parking lot and head back. 
One of the shots when we wanted to drive through Obertraun towards Vienna. The road behind this town is quite narrow, begins to wind and rises sharply up the mountain to the pass. At dusk and at sub-zero temperatures, we decided not to risk it and returned to the autobahn back through Hallstatt.
By the way, Hallstatt is an outdated transcription of the name Hallstatt. Now Hallstatt is used.
Next time we still have a visit to the Hallstatt caves and the observation deck on the mountain.
Christmas trip to the Alps:
Foggy Gmunden
Hallstatt (Austria) - the most detailed information about the city with photos. The main attractions of Hallstatt with descriptions, guides and maps.
City of Hallstatt (Austria)
Hallstatt or Hallstatt is a small charming town (community) in Western Austria. Located in a picturesque area on the western shore of the lake of the same name, surrounded by the Alps. Hallstatt is actually a tiny village, lost among the mountains and forests. These are beautiful gingerbread houses that are reflected in the clear water of a mountain lake, narrow streets, several small ancient churches and fantastic natural landscapes.
Hallstatt was practically inaccessible to the general public until the 19th century. The village could only be reached by boat or along a narrow mountain path. Currently, a mountain road leads here, and this place has become one of the calling cards of Austria. The community is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Geography and climate
Hallstatt is located in the Upper Austria region on the shores of Lake Hallstatt. The community is located between the southwestern coast of Holstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif in the geographical region of Salzkammergut, on the national road connecting Salzburg and Graz.
The climate is temperate mountainous with fairly warm summers and cool winters. More than 1,000 mm of precipitation falls per year, most of which occurs during the warm period. In winter there are usually slight frosts. In cold weather, fog is possible.
Practical information
Story
A settlement on the site of modern Hallstatt existed back in the Neolithic era. In the mid-19th century, archaeologists discovered a prehistoric cemetery with more than a thousand burials. Many researchers consider Hallstatt to be one of the oldest settlements north of the Alps.
Since the 8th century BC, salt mines have been operating here, which are the oldest of their kind in the world. Many Bronze Age artifacts were also found here.
There is practically no information about the settlement in the era of ancient Rome and the early Middle Ages. The first mentions of Hallstatt date back to the 14th century. At the end of the 16th century, a salt pipeline was built to Ebensee. At the end of the 19th century, the first road was built here.
How to get there
Getting to Hallstatt is quite difficult. From Salzburg and Vienna you need to take a train to Attnang-Puchheim, then a train to Bad Ischl or Obertraun, get off at Hallstatt station, which is more like a stop in the forest, walk to the lake and take the ferry. Return train tickets can be purchased from a special machine. The nearest airports are located in Vienna and Salzburg. You can get to Hallstatt from Prague by going to the town of Cesky Krumlov and then by bus. There are also direct buses from Salzburg to Bad Ischl.
Hallstatt can be reached by car along a picturesque mountain road. There are several parking lots at the entrance to the village.
Attractions
Hallstatt is an attraction in itself. A fantastically beautiful place with wonderful nature and cute houses, which is a little crowded with tourists.
The salt mine is one of the main attractions of the village. It is considered the oldest in the world and has been operating since the 15th century. The mine was active until the mid-20th century. Now it is more of a tourist attraction.
The museum is one of the most interesting places in the town. It was opened at the end of the 19th century. Includes exhibits from the Bronze Age.
Christ Church is a small Protestant church from the late 18th century. It is one of the symbols of Hallstatt. If you walk further from the church you can go to the observation deck. It is from here that all the most beautiful and famous photos of the town are taken.
In the southwestern part of the town there is a charming little Market Square.
The Church of the Assumption of Our Lady is a Roman Catholic church with a Romanesque tower, three fine winged altars, late Gothic frescoes from around the 16th century.
The cable car can take you to the Dachstein caves and the top of the mountain. The journey will take about fifteen minutes.
You can also visit the Bone House with a collection of skulls.
Winter in Hallstatt How to get to Hallstatt
Hallstatt is a small but very picturesque town in Austria, located on the shores of the lake of the same name and closed by rocks from the outside world. Tourists and travelers have chosen Hallstatt for its unusual attractions, for example, here you can take a cable car down to the salt mines or, on the contrary, climb the mountains and see Lake Hallstatt in all its splendor. Until recently, Hallstatt was difficult to visit due to its location, but today tourists can get to Hallstatt both by public transport and by car.
Most often, Hallstatt is visited from Salzburg, because... the distance between the cities is only 70 km. It is also possible to get to Hallstatt from Vienna (290 km), and from Munich (208 km), and from Innsbruck (250 km), but such a trip will take longer. The Hallstatt train station is located on the opposite shore of the lake, so when you get to the station, you will also need to take a ferry to get to Hallstatt itself (the crossing takes, on average, no more than 5 minutes, the one-way fare is 2.5 euros) . Ferry schedules can be found at website Hallstattschifffahrt.at (in German or English).
If you arrived in Hallstatt by car, then you should keep in mind that parking is located right in the tunnels at the entrance to Hallstatt due to limited space in the town itself. Travelers ascend from the tunnels in special elevators and exit onto pedestrian paths. Hallstatt is a small town and can only be explored on foot.
Max Dawncat/Hallstatt How to get from Salzburg to Hallstatt
Despite the fact that Salzburg is located only 70 km from Hallstatt, if you decide to travel by public transport, you will have to change trains along the way. There may be several options. The first is to get to Hallstatt by train with a transfer in the town of Attnang-Puchheim. In this case, the travel time will take a little more than 2 hours (the transfer itself is short - no more than 5-7 minutes). The second option is to take a bus from Salzburg to the resort town of Bad Ischl (bus number 150), and then take the train to Hallstatt. Here the travel time will take about 2 hours 20 minutes. You can check the public transport schedule on the Salzburg-Hallstatt routeOnline .
If you plan to get to Hallstatt by car, then the shortest route from Salzburg is highway No. B158. The route passes through the resort town of Bad Ischl. Travel time by car will take a little over an hour. You can rent a car for traveling around Austria at Salzburg Airport or at rental offices in the city center. You can book a car in advance using specialized services. , and others. To rent a car you will need a passport, an international driving license and a bank card to pay for services.
Reisender1701/Hallstatt, top view Hotels in Hallstatt, Austria
Hallstatt is a great place to stay in Austria, surrounded by beautiful nature. However, you need to take into account that the town is very small, which means there are few accommodation places here. These are mainly apartments or vacation homes, there are only a few hotels, and the prices for accommodation here are sometimes overpriced. If you are looking for a budget option for accommodation, then it is worth considering the offers of the town of Obertraun, which is located on the opposite shore of the lake, where trains arrive at the railway station.
Holiday homes are popular in Hallstatt itself W&S Executive Apartments Hallstatt II, apartments W&S Executive Apartments Hallstatt I, hotel Seehotel Gruner Baum 4*, apartments Apartment Wallner and others. There are more budget accommodation options in Obertraun, for example, apartments are in stable demand among tourists Apartmenthaus Simmer or Haus Alpenrose, hotels Haus am See or Apartment Haus Seeroseand others. Most accommodations in Hallstatt and Obertraun have direct access to the lake.
You can also view the available accommodation options in Hallstatt and Obertraun for the dates you are interested in using specialized services, where you can also book your favorite option in advance. Such services, in particular, include Booking, Hotellook and others.
Reisender1701/Views of Hallstatt Sights of Hallstatt
The main attractions of Hallstatt, in addition to the colorful houses and narrow streets of the town itself, are the picturesque nature and unique alpine landscapes. There are several tourist attractions in Hallstatt that are a must-see if you finally get to this remote but beautiful town. Firstly, it’s a funicular ride down to the salt cave, secondly, a cable car ride up to the “5 Fingers” observation deck in the Dachstein Mountains, and thirdly, it’s walking around Lake Hallstatt, which is very picturesquely “fitted” into the overall alpine concept of place.
Salt cave in Hallstatt- this is an unforgettable adventure, because salt has been mined in the mines of the town since time immemorial. You can go down into the illuminated mines and view the existing exhibitions on a special underground funicular, which in itself is an exciting adventure. The mines are available for inspection from March to November, from 09.30 am daily. Audio guides available, incl. and in Russian. The entrance fee is 30 euros for an adult and 15 euros for a child (children over 4 years old are allowed). The salt cave is located at Salzbergstrasse 21, a 15-minute walk from the ferry pier.
Reisender1701/Halstatt houses Observation deck “5 fingers” in the Dachstein mountains is an absolutely amazing experience, since the climb will allow you to see all the beauty of the alpine nature from a bird's eye view, as well as visit ancient caves, some of which are completely icy and represent an unforgettable sight. You can climb the mountain using a special cable car; in reality, these are ultra-modern and equipped with view cabins that take you to a height of 2000 meters.
There are two viewing platforms at the top - "Spiral" And "5 fingers". The second is famous for having five platforms extended forward, which creates a very special impression for everyone who finds themselves here. You should definitely visit the ice caves, which are incredibly beautiful labyrinths with ice sculptures inside. The site is open for inspection from the end of April until the end of October every day. The cost of visiting is 30 euros for an adult and 16.5 euros for children (family and group rates exist). Please note that the ascent to Mount Dachstein is from the town of Obertraun, which is on the opposite side of the lake from Hallstatt.
Reisender1701/Observation deck in Hallstatt In general, the picturesqueness of Hallstatt is difficult to overestimate. The most beautiful and clean alpine lake, inaccessible mountains, caves, salt mines, bright alpine houses and elegant chapels - all this forms the basis of the attractions of Hallstatt and creates the unique atmosphere of the place. Hallstatt is perfect for a one-day trip from the nearest major cities, as well as a place for a complete outdoor recreation for several days or even weeks. There are many hiking routes around Hallstatt that will allow you to appreciate the beauty of the local alpine landscapes.
Reisender1701/Lake Hallstatt We will be happy to answer your questions in the comments!
On a note :
When going on a trip to Austria, do not forget to take out a travel insurance policy, which is mandatory already at the stage of obtaining a tourist visa. You can take out insurance yourself without leaving your home. There are special services for this, such as , and others. You can purchase a policy online and then print it on a regular printer.
Photo at the beginning of the article: ErWin
