Visiting Austria’s oldest village – Hallstatt and exploring the Salzkammergut region

If you have ever tried finding out about the most beautiful places in Austria or even just spent time scrolling through social media for ideas for your Austria vacation, chances are that you’ve come across the picturesque town of Hallstatt. Even though I had visited Salzburg and Vienna earlier, I was really curious to see Hallstatt for myself – the town that has been praised in history by several writers and poets, and recently, by so many of my traveller friends and acquaintances. Was it just an overhyped town run over by tourists? Was there anything to do and see beyond walking along the picture perfect Hallstatt lake? Is Hallstatt good for a day trip or should one stay overnight? Well, I decided to explore the town and the surrounding region myself and turns out there are several exciting things to do , not just in Hallstatt, but in the region of Salzkammergut overall. Hallstatt translates to ‘salt town’ and is home to the world’s oldest salt mine. Here’s what you can do while visiting Hallstatt on your short getaway, why I think you should definitely stay overnight to explore the beauty of the region and some practical tips to help you plan your weekend trip:

 

Where is Hallstatt?

Hallstatt is located in the Salzkammergut region in the northern state of Upper Austria , which borders Germany and Czech Republic. It can be reached in a few hours by rail or road from Salzburg, Vienna and Innsbruck (Scroll down for details).

What to do in and around Hallstatt

• Start your trip with a spectacular ferry ride across Hallstatt Lake to reach the village of Hallstatt

  If you travel by train to Hallstatt, you will need to buy a ticket and take a ferry ride across the Hallstatt Lake to reach the village from the railway station. This is a great way to be introduced to the beautiful surroundings of Lake Hallstatt and let it all soak in! The tickets cost 2.50 Eur one way and can be bought (in cash only) while boarding the ferry. Brace yourself for some breathtaking views.

   

  https://www.instagram.com/p/BZtbiL1gjxX/?taken-by=menorca_c

• Walk around the old town and explore painted skulls in the Charnel House or Bone House.

  Once you get off the ferry, you can easily walk around the town of Hallstatt. The parish church and St.Michael’s chapel are two of the points of interest. But, an interesting and unique thing to do in Hallstatt would be visiting the Bone House in a cemetry near St.Michael’s chapel and marvel at the display of about 600 painted skulls. Skull painting, apparently, used to be a popular activity in the 19th century.This would mainly be done while reusing old graves and transferring bones and skulls from the old graves to the Bone house as a second funeral. Often, people painted specific symbols or patterns on skulls to identify and remember the deceased.

• Take a funicular up to the world’s oldest salt mine in Hallstatt (Salzwelten) and set off on an exciting journey through history

  I was very excited to find out how easy it is to visit the Salzwelten, or the Hallstatt Salt Mine and learn all about the 7000 year old mine as well as the people who worked and lived in the region.The salt mine is said to have been active since at least 5000 B.C. I’d definitely recommend joining the guided tour, for which you’d need to put on a salt suit (a pair of loose shirt and pants) over your clothes and get to hear a lot of information from the guide, see an exhibition and a few multimedia shows and then also rush down via two slides, eventually taking a small train to exit the mines. There is so much I learnt during the tour that I was really happy to have gone there. One interesting story was about the ‘Man of Salt’ , a body of a miner that was discovered in the mines in the 1734 and turned out that it dated back to the Early Iron Age ; just that it was preserved so well in salt.Though you can see a few objects belonging to the salt miners that were discovered there, you can also learn more about these discoveries in the Natural History Museum of Vienna. During good weather, you can walk down to the Rudolfsturm and get a view over Hallstatt from the SkyWalk (viewing terrace). After taking the funicular down, you also have the option of browsing through the store and buying different kinds of salts from the region, apart from some oils and souvenirs. It is also possible to hike on the mountain.

   

  Practical tips for visiting the Hallstatt Salt Mine:   

1. Make sure you go to the funicular station by 3:30 or 3:45 pm latest as the last tours start at 4 pm.
2. The timings differ in the winter, so check out the official website to be informed in advance.
3. Dress in warm clothes. Have a jacket with you, even under the attire you get during the tour, as temperatures inside the caves can be around 8 degrees Celcius.
4. You will have to leave your bags outside while taking the tour. If you would like to carry your camera, put it around your neck so it is safe, especially while going down the slides.
5. The ticket costs 30 Euros for adults, 27 Euros for students, 15 Euros for kids below 15 years of age and 63 Euros for a family of 2 adults with a kid.
6. Wear comfortable and strong shoes as you would have to walk quite a bit.
7. The funicular station can be easily reached on foot if you are staying in Hallstatt.

             

• Enjoy Austrian beer and cuisine at a family-owned brewery : a former salt manufacturing house dating back to 1400’s.

  By the time you are done with visiting the Salt Mine , you might want to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in one of the cafes along the Lake or walk around and get ready for dinner. For sampling some local beer and food and also for staying overnight, I can suggest the Bräu-Gasthof which has a very interesting history. Back in the 1400’s and possibly even earlier, it was used as a salt manufacturing house. in 1504, they got the permission to brew and sell beer from Emperor Maximilian 1 and also served food to the miners. Currently, the Lobisser family owns the house and maintains it as a guesthouse plus brewery. The rooms are very traditional with all wooden furniture and the balconies give a fabulous view of the Lake Hallstatt.

  Check for current rates and availability of Hallstatt accomodations and hotels here.
  
  
  Booking.com
  
  

   

  

   

  https://www.instagram.com/p/BZB0cImAC41/?taken-by=menorca_c

• Visit the Dachstein Ice Caves and indulge in adventure in the UNESCO World Heritage region

  Dachstein in Salzkammergut is a region full of adventure and fun activities. The three        main attractions are the Dachstein Ice Caves, Mammoth Caves and the 5 Finger Lookout. Depending on the season, you can go hiking and also try out some adventure sports in the region like paragliding, glacier walking, etc.  What I was most excited to see the next morning were the Ice Caves. There are very few natural ice caves that are easily accessible to the public and this is one of the biggest ones in the world. At some points, it seemed like entering the ‘Frozen’ World , especially with the blue-coloured frozen cascades of ice and the Music chapel which turns into a concert hall every Friday in August! The caves offer a special acoustic and visual experience for the musical concerts. Unfortunately, you can only visit the caves through the summer, from April to October. I also intended to go up and hike to the 5 fingers view point, but the weather conditions were not favourable at all.

  To get to the Ice caves, you would have to take a bus from Hallstatt Lahn towards Obertraun and get off at Dachstein Krippenstein, which would take about 30 minutes. You can buy the tickets for the  funicular ride , Ice Caves and also for the Mammoth Caves or 5 fingers lookout, if you’d like, and then wait for the next funicular up. Once you find out the timing for the next guided tour of the Ice Cave, which is mandatory by the way if you’d like to enter the caves, you would still need to hike up a bit for about 15-20 minutes. On the way though, you can stop to see some interactive displays.

  

  Cloudy view from Dachstein Ice Caves

   

  Practical Tips for visiting the Dachstein Ice Caves

• Take note of the bus timings from Hallstatt to Dachstein. On Sundays, there is only bus that goes every hour. Currently, it leaves at 8:57 am for instance.
• Wear warm clothes and also take gloves if possible. It gets really cold in the caves, with temperatures dropping to 0 to 4 degrees Celcius.
• Wear strong sport shoes so you don’t slip and are comfortable while walking for atleast 1 hour if not more.
• The tour takes about 1 hour and for the cable car up and down, as well as for the walk to the caves for the tour, you need about 3 hours. Of course, you need more time if you want to go the other cave and also up to the 5 fingers lookout. In that case, keep 4-6 hours in hand.
• You can leave your luggage in the lockers near the ticket office at Dachstein Krippenstein.
• During the summer, some additional tours such as sunrise hikes, etc are offered by some of the tour operators. Depending on when you are going and how the weather is, you can check in advance for the different tours and activities possible.
• The caves are accessible only from April to October and you can take the funicular up latest by 3 pm to see the Dachstein Ice Caves.
• A UNESCO World heritage ticket , costing 35 euros, gives one access to the Dachstein  caves and cable car, a boat trip on Lake Hallstatt and a return bus trip.
• A regular ticket for an adult costs between 30 and 44 Euros, depending on the attractions you choose. Check the official website for current prices.

• Explore the culture and cuisine of the small town of Bad Goisern.

  After Dachstein and Obertraun, you can go explore another small town in the Salzkammergut region – Bad Goisern. This charming town of less than 10,000 inhabitants, has its own traditions, festivals like the Violin Festival and is also preferred by some for a relaxing wellness break through the year and also as a winter getaway town for sports like skiing, etc. I was surprised to find many stores in Hallstatt as well as Bad Goisern offering rentals for Drindl – the traditional dress for women. Many people also make different types of ‘Kirsch’ , an alcoholic drink, which you can try if you get the chance. Or you can always enjoy some typical Austrian desserts, coffee and food. Bad Goisern has its own railway station though you can also take a taxi if that might be more convenient.One option is Taxi Rastl which you could take from Obertraun if you are pressed on time. Otherwise, you will have to wait for the bus connection to Hallstatt possibly and then take the train.

• Have a relaxing time in the wellness towns of Gosau, Bad Aussee or Bad Ischl.

  Apart from Bad Goisern, you could also choose to visit some other small towns like Gosau, Bad Aussee or Bad Ischl. All of these places have options for wellness resorts which offer spa, sauna and indoor pool facilities. The natural salt water makes this region popular for wellness and relaxation. In fact, I found one hotel in Bad Aussee offering an outdoor pool overlooking the Dachstein glaciers, and they also organize events like candle-light swimming, if that catches your fancy.

• Visit a family adventure park in Gosau or spend time in St.Wolfsgang , especially if travelling with kids.

  If you are travelling with kids and wondering where you could stay and what you could do, two additional suggestions are staying in St.Wolfsgang and also visiting a family adventure park in Gossau. Dachstein has some hiking trails and walks that can be enjoyed by kids too. Just remember to dress your kids very warmly if you take them to the Ice Caves.

 

How to get to Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt does not have an airport, but can be reached by train or road , depending on your starting point.

• Salzburg to Hallstatt – The popular ‘Sound of Music’ city of Salzburg is about 70 kms away from Hallstatt. While driving might be the fastest way to get to Hallstatt, you can take a bus from Salzburg to Bad Ischl (bus 150 for instance) and then switch to a train. it could take you almost 3 hours to travel one way.
• Vienna to Hallstatt – There are a few direct trains to Hallstatt from Vienna, which is about 287 kms away. Whether via connecting trains or a direct one, expect to take around 4 hours each way.The best way to check for connections is through the Austrian railway website- ÖBB.
• Innsbruck to Hallstatt- Driving from Innsbruck to Hallstatt can take 3-3.5 hours and public transport connectons would take at least 4 hours.
• Munich to Hallstatt – Munich is a bit more than 200 kms away from Hallstatt but with 2 connecting trains, it will also take you almost 4 hours to reach Hallstatt.

Airports in Austria

If you are travelling from Switzerland to Austria , you can either fly to Vienna and then take a train or take overnight train connections to reach Hallstatt. Here is a list of airports in Austria.

Find out the best flight connections here.

How is the weather in Hallstatt?

Average temperatures can range from 17 to 19 degrees in the summer from June to August, go down to 15 degrees Celcius(down to 8 if it rains) in September and 5 degrees in October.Winters can often have temperatures below 0 and it starts becoming better again by May.

Fun fact

Hallstatt caught the fancy of so many people that China made a whole town as a replica of Hallstatt, Austria! Isn’t that fascinating?

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYyaMB8gqmU/?taken-by=menorca_c

 

So, if you have a weekend to spare or you are looking for ideas for a short getaway , Hallstatt in Salzkammergut can be a great choice for you. And if you have two or three extra days in hand, you can combine this with a trip to Vienna for your dose of culture , coffee and cake!

What did you think about Hallstatt? Share this post with your travel loving friends and let me know your travel plans in the comments below!

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