Hallstatt: The perfect postcard destination
December 2022 – All right this was a last minute getaway and it definitely exceeded my expectations. Hallstatt is a beautiful small town in Austria, right by the Hallstätter lake. As soon as you get there you will feel like you’ve walked into a fairytale. We visited this breathtaking town during Christmas time and it was worth it but surely this place is just as magical any time of the year. Usually people prefer to do a day trip to Hallstatt from Vienna. If that’s the case since the train ride is minimum 3.5 hrs they will get to Hallstatt at around 12.00. If you are planning to spend the night like we did, then definitely aim for a morning walk to avoid the crowds. It’s worth it, you will have the time to take it all in and enjoy this beautiful town. Two days are more than enough to explore.
Where to stay
There are beautiful hotels in the Hallstatt town itself, with easy access. Since we booked everything last minute we had to book a hotel at a nearby town ( Obertraun ) which wasn’t that convenient (even though it was beautiful) as we had to use the ferry two days in a row.
What to do
The postcard shot taken at the Hallstatt viewpoint. Go there early in the morning to avoid the crowds and take your beautiful shot.
The waterfall is just a short walk away from the centre of the town so it is worth it to pay a visit. It is an uphill walk but still you will the chance se it right next two one of the parking places.
This is an observation deck where you can view the entire town from the top. You can get there by taking the cable car. A round trip costs €20. Be sure to get there well in before the last ride which is at 16:30. By the time we got there we had 30 minutes to spare but there was a humongous queue of people waiting to decent. In the end we queued for around 45 minutes and managed to descend at around 17:00. Get there early in order to have a chance to explore and also visit the world’s oldest salt mine as well.
Enjoy yourself
This is a beautiful place be sure to have some time to relax, visit local coffee shops and souvenir shops, eat well and of course enjoy the company of the many swans that live near by. Tourists tend to feed them a lot so they seem to be quite friendly. Now I would advice against feeding the swans as it seems that the bread and other food we give them is not good for them after all. Taking a nice picture is not worth risking the life of a wild animal.
How to get there
Well there are a few ways with which you can get to Hallstatt.
By train & ferry
We took the train from Vienna Central Train station. It was a 3,5 hr ride. To book your tickets you can visit Trainline. Tip: choose the ride that will not include any train changes. The cost of the train is around €50 each way.
As soon as you get to the Hallstatt train station you will need to take the ferry to cross the lake and get to the city. A return ticket costs €7 (if you are there just for the day you can store your luggage as soon as you get off from the ferry for €3).
By car
If you are on a roadtrip which you definitely know by now I strongly recommend you will get straight to the town and access the free parking available. There are a few parking spots available. Generally note that there are no cars allowed within the town itself other than the ones locals use.
