21 Jan Visiting Hallstatt – Austria
Hallstatt was truly one of the most romantic, picturesque and beautiful towns we have visited.
Whenever planning a long weekend getaway, we look for destinations that are smaller and easily accessible so we get the most out of our brief time: we don’t need to commute and the number of highlights is not too many in number.
We had our mind set on Hallstatt for quite some time, so we put aside our general approach, and finally accepted the challenge. We started our trip with a flight to Salzburg, and after an overnight stay we took a bus from Salzburg to Bad Ischl train station; it is always interesting to see people in their skiing outfits, with their back bags and skis in their hands riding a bus, and getting off at the ski resorts scattered all across the country, which can interestingly be a common sight in Europe.
We got off the bus at Bad Ischl train station, basically in the middle of nowhere, and started waiting for our train. It is always a good idea to have some snacks with you, coffee bar at the station might not be open. There was snow everywhere, and the train slowly arriving at the station was exquisite.
We were lucky that there was a very nice snow fall the night before, so we got to enjoy amazing views and white -cotton like- snow piles all throughout our journey. There was snow everywhere, and the train slowly arriving at the station was exquisite. Finally, we got on our train and continued to admire the steep and snowy mountains. We got off the train at Hallstatt Bahnhof on the Northern part of Hallstätter See. This train station only links to a path and a series of stairs taking you down to a deck where you get on a boat to cross the lake to reach the Hallstatt town center.
Oh, and we can truly say that the journey was definitely worth it. As amazing as Hallstatt is, it is definitely a very enjoyable ride getting there, too.
The entire town was covered with snow and it was quite cold outside, nevertheless the beauty and cuteness of the town fills your heart with joy and warmth.
We walked up to our hotel, left our bags, and started walking across town. We would not be exaggerating it if we said you can walk from one side of the town to the other in no more than 20 minutes. Of course, you can take a bus tour and visit the town in only a few hours and enjoy the view, but we were looking forward to something even more than that and it was perfect!
Hallstatt was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 and its beauty is spread throughout seasons.
As we walked up and down the town, we found different spots to admire the view and take pictures, and we could not stop taking more and more pictures because from each angle you get a different perspective and it is just so beautiful, with steep snowy mountains across reflecting onto the lake.
There are many souvenir shops in the town, so many wood carved items, toys, ornaments, and of course natural salt from the area as well as many wool clothing items 😊
Hallstatt at night is so dreamy! The lightings, the decoration, snow everywhere… It also gets quiet after the tourist buses leave, it is only the locals and some tourists who are accommodating overnight. Restaurants close down quite early, so its best to get a warm meal before 7 pm.
Waking up to a snowy view, it feels like you are in a fairy-tale setting. The icicles hanging from the rooftops, the cotton-like snow piles on the roofs and the bright colors and reflection of trees over the lake are just breath-taking.
We started strolling through the town again, this time heading towards the northern part to reach one of the most instagrammable spots, overlooking the neo-gothic Evangelical Church and Hallstätter See. We had read about it before but it was even more shocking to see in person, so many people standing at the same spot taking turns to take pictures. No wonder when you search for Hallstatt, this is the main picture that comes up.
The SalzWelten was closed at the time of our visit in January unfortunately so we did not have a chance to go up the mountain to visit the world’s oldest saltmine – Salzwelten. The salt mining in the area dates back 7,000 years, and you can find salt in different forms, sizes and colors in the souvenir shops in Hallstatt. In this top attraction you can find a subterranean Salt Lake, and an exciting mining railroad, suitable also for children above the age of 4. You can to take the Salzberg funicular to reach the salt mine. Once you are up on the hills, you should not miss the Hallstatt Skywalk which offers a breathtaking view. The salt mine offers entertainment as well, you can slide down a 64-meter-long wooden slide – once used by the miners.
We were sorry to have missed this great spot during our visit, but it is a great excuse to go back to Hallstatt during spring time; it is mentioned that it is really crowded during the summer.