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June 2024 – Hallstatt, Austria

After years of contemplating that first puzzle we did during the pandemic, time has come for action.

This summer not only we finally visited Hallstatt, but we built an entire holiday itinerary around it! 🙂

There are several reasons why we loved our roadtrip to Austria. Changing cities (and weather) every few days, the food variety, seeing mountains all around.

No doubt, the day trip to Hallstatt remained one of our core memories. We still have the puzzle hanging on the wall, but now we can proudly say that we’ve been there.

Here is how a perfect day in Hallstatt can look like.

Top things to do in Hallstatt

• City center walk

The main attraction is the town itself. Wear comfortable shoes as there is lots of walking on tight alleys either on the main route to center, or stairs going up for an even better view.

• Boat trip to Obertraun & return

Doing a boat trip to the nearby town Obertraun is the best way to admire the lake in all its splendor. Bonus, on the way back you’ll see Hallstatt from the exact angle it’s depicted on postcards (and in our notorious puzzle).

• Funicular to Hallstatt Skywalk and Salt Mines

After checking Hallstatt from ground and water levels, what better way to wrap the day than with a trip up!

In just a few minutes, the Salzbergbahn funicular will carry you from the station to this free-floating structure 360 meters above ground, gazing out at the mountains, lake and town below.

You’ll find that around 7000 years ago, the Hallstatt high valley was a place where mining for salt started. People were digging tunnels 200 meters deep into the mountain, even building staircases to transport the “white gold” to town.

Hard to understand its importance today, but here’s the deal: with salt, it was possible to preserve food. And those who had enough food for longer were able to survive.

Today, the world knows this era of the Iron Age as the “Hallstatt Period”.

Leaving Hallstatt was not easy after such a glorious day. Luckily our holiday continued with more history lessons in Salzburg!

How to get to Hallstatt

Getting to Hallstatt is not so straightforward. But seeing one of the most beautiful lakeside towns in Europe is worth the effort.

1.By plane: nearest airports are Salzburg and Linz. From here you can rent a car, take a train or shuttle.

2.By car: this was our preferred option. We started our roadtrip from the Netherlands and eventually set base in Salzburg, Austria. The day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt took roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes one way.

3.Public transport from Salzburg includes several changes and can take up to 3 hours one way:

3.1.Train from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Attnang-Puchheim;

3.2.Train from Attnang-Puchheim to Hallstatt;

3.3.Ferry from Hallstatt train station to Hallstatt village.

Make sure to check how the train(s) schedule matches the ferry schedule, especially if you’re traveling during off-peak season.

Where to park in Hallstatt

The paid parking areas are well signposted in Hallstatt, including the number of spots left for each P1/P2/P2/P4. You can’t miss them regardless of the direction you’re coming from.

We found P1 ideally located just outside the village, close to the cable car needed to reach the salt mines and within 15 minutes walking distance to the center.

When to visit Hallstatt

Anytime. 🙂

Peak season is in summer (July-August), so expect large crowds and higher accommodation prices.

Additionally, the weeks around Christmas and New Year can also be considered peak season due to the numerous markets, festivities and ski resorts nearby. If you want to see a winter wonderland, this is the time to visit Hallstatt.

Other than that, spring and autumn have mild weather and you can enjoy a quieter atmosphere with the same picturesque backdrop.

Safe travels!