The charming town of Hallstatt

I recommend a visit to this village to absolutely everyone at least once in their lifetime, and not only because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in the Austrian region called the Salzkammergut, so there is no problem with accessibility from the Czech Republic. After a few hours by car, you can admire the stunning old wooden houses, take a boat ride on Lake Hallstatt or take a tour of the oldest salt mines in the world. In short, there is quite a lot to see for such a small town :)

with or without sunshine? I think both are good...

On our first visit it was pouring rain and the lake was in fog. However, it had one advantage - we were almost alone here, and in the end even the photos with foggy Hallstatt were not completely out of place :). The second time (June 2020) we had better luck. The weather was as per order and there were relatively few people hanging around in the post-holiday, and at the same time pre-holiday state. Ideal. But beware! It should be noted that especially in the summer season, Hallstatt is literally overrun with tourists, so no matter how picturesque the town is, don't expect any great romance on a weekend in July/August. Anyway, I'm not going to beat around the bush for long and get straight to the practical stuff you're interested in.

Since you will probably arrive by car, I consider PARKING to be a complete essential. I'll save you googling and randomly driving around town, because quite frankly - there are no free parking spaces in Hallstatt. Because of all the zones and no parking zones, you certainly won't miss out on using the parking lot. P1 and P2 are available right in town, but you have to arrive first thing in the morning, because you won't even get a chance to park here after 10am. There's also P3 just outside the town, but from there you'll probably have to take the shuttle bus, which is not included in the parking fee (or walk?). Specific prices 2025 as follows:

• 1 h = 5,00 €
• 2 h = 9,00 €
• 3 - 4 h = 10,00 €
• 5 - 6 h = 11,00 €
• 7 - 12 h = 12,00 €
• 13 - 24 h = 18,00 €

and once again the contrasts :)

The promenade along the lake leads you straight to the historic centre, where there are plenty of souvenir shops, restaurants, bistros and cafés. Along the way, you can rent a boat or pedal boat at many places, or take part in an organised sightseeing tour. Plus around these places you will take those notorious photos with the church tower, wooden houses and as a bonus swans in the water. Well, just cheesy as hell. But those manicured houses with piles of flowers in the windows are really cool to look at, I guarantee it.

There is also an excellent view of the town from the second church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (first two photos below), which was built on an elevation as a defence against possible floods. It is much older than the one in the centre - its tower is even a remnant of the original church from 1320, the rest was added. You can also take a free peek inside, where you can see the beautifully carved folding altar (from 1515). Those interested can also visit the ossuary located in the adjacent cemetery, where a special entrance fee is charged. I guess €2 or €3, but we didn't go inside so I can't judge.

Hallstatt Skywalk Welterbeblick

The famous observation deck directly above Hallstatt. You have two ways to get there. The easiest and cheapest is to use self-propulsion, so you tune your feet and take a zig-zag walk up. There are two walking trails from Hallstatt, one starting at the aforementioned Church of the Ascension, and the other about halfway through the town at the gate where you can hear/see the waterfall. The advantage is that it is a nature trail and you can learn a lot of interesting facts about the history of the area, the salt mines, etc. from the information boards (in German and English).

on the way up - waterfall and entrance to the mines

The other, less exciting option to get to the top of the lookout is to use the cog railway, which has a station right next to the P2 car park. The ticket can be combined in various ways with entry to the salt mines. So it's up to your discretion which you use. To give you an overview, the prices for an adult as of 2025 are as follows:

• return ticket - 24 €
• return + entrance to the salt mines - 43 € (separate ticket for the tour costs 32 €)

No matter how you get to the top, you will be pleased to know that the viewpoint is free of charge. And because it's 360 metres above the ground, it offers a really great view of Lake Hallstatt and the nearby village of Obertraun. From there, by the way, you can take a cable car to another well-known viewpoint - 5 Fingers. There is also a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating at the skywalk... just in case you get hungry on the way :)

lake view

Salt mines - Salzwelten

As salt has been mined in these parts for more than 7000 years, these are the oldest salt mines in the world! That in itself is a big deal, and if you take a tour, you'll learn so much more. You'll have to do a bit of a walk from the Hallstatt Lookout, but don't worry it's only about 600m, so nothing drastic, you'll be there in no time.

You can buy tickets in advance online from the comfort of your home on the official website, or on the door. As I mentioned, the basic adult admission is €32, which isn't exactly a small price to pay, but you'll have to judge for yourself whether or not you're worth the experience. Allow about an hour and a half of pure time for the tour, and what I would especially emphasize - take some extra clothes. You will get a decent pair of overalls before you enter, but they are flimsy and definitely won't keep you warm. Even though it's a sweltering summer outside, you'll be cold in the mine in a while. Pack at least a sweatshirt in your backpack, and long trousers are fine for cold-hardy individuals.

The first part of the exposition you go through at your own pace. On the information boards you can read about the extremely difficult conditions in which the miners used to work, for example, or about the layout of the mine and shafts. Afterwards, you are joined by a guide and a guided tour begins - in German and English at the same time, if there is anyone who is not familiar with German. We :D

You will learn who the "salt man" was, how salt got to Hallstatt, how it was mined before and how it is mined now. The newly restored wooden staircase from 1344 BC, which was found in these places, is also a great pride. This is the oldest wooden staircase in Europe, and quite possibly in the world. However, the main attraction of the salt mines remains the fun of the wooden slides, You'll surely notice them before you even get here, as photos of people laughing on the slides will be popping out at you all over the wide surroundings from various flyers and billboards with Salzwelten teasers. Anyway, there are 2 in total, not extremely long, but it's an interesting twist. As the final piece, there's a ride on the classic mine train to take you back out into the daylight.

But now I can't resist comparing the Hallstatt salt mines and Wieliczka in Poland. It seems to me that Wieliczka has bet on the presentation of the mining area in all its glory. The salt chambers there are simply fascinating and breathtaking. In contrast, Salzwelten doesn't have that much to show, so the tour focuses more on effects, various digital projections and "fun for the whole family" in the form of those slides. This is my humble opinion, feel free to write me how you feel about it :)

For Hallstatt itself, a walk to the viewpoint and a tour of the salt mines, one day is just enough in my opinion. If you fancy something more time-consuming, or a romantic surprise for your sweetheart, check out the accommodation here. However, be aware that a night here will be very expensive and the accommodation is sold out long in advance.

• pension - Weisses Lamm - affordable yet very nice room with balcony and breakfast

• hotel - Seehotel Grüner Baum - a luxurious pampering stay with everything... including wellness

• apartment - Lakeview Apartment - beautiful new apartment with bath and outdoor terrace with a great view

More practical info on Austria can be found in the following articles:

• 10 tips for trips in Salzkammergut
• TOP výlety Zell am See
• 3 TOP trips in Tyrol
• TOP trips in Schladming area

If this information has helped you to save some time or money or both, you can "invite me for a coffee" and contribute to the running of Travel with Donuts :) account number / QR code: 1257951017/3030