Day Trip to Hallstatt: The town that started becoming popular in 2006 as the shooting location of a Korean Drama named Spring Waltz, is now said to be the most Instagrammable town in the world. It’s not possible for you to have a perfect day unless you are on a day trip to this town- enjoying one perfect day in Hallstatt, the most memorable day of your life!
Hallstatt’s popularity has been primarily focused on its beautiful nature in the past few decades. This incredible tiny town, snuggled between a reservoir and mountains, quickly became a popular tourist attraction and, therefore, a World Heritage Site.
Most tourists to Hallstatt usually spend one day as a separate trip from Salzburg, Vienna or Munich, which leaves little time to see everything.
You may explore many things to do in Hallstatt with just a little preparation and an early jump through your day. Nevertheless, let’s look forward to some extraordinary places that will be worth your One Perfect Day in Hallstatt, Austria trip.
When you say Hallstatt, I hear perfect. And you will also know how perfect Hallstatt is after you have spent one perfect day in Hallstatt, in other words, the most dreamy day of your life.
Day Trip to Hallstatt Top 5 Places to Visit in Hallstatt are
1. Exploring The Beauty of The Lake Hallstatt
A stroll down Hallstatt’s central lakeshore avenue is gorgeous, soothing, and fresh out of such an Alpine fairy tale. Though this trek from the south to the north through the tranquil city is almost a kilometre long, it will be imprinted in your mind for a long time of your life.
With a maximum depth of 125 metres, Lake Hallstatt is a popular destination for scuba divers. But it doesn’t mean that only the scuba divers get to enjoy the beauty of the lake. You can explore the surroundings on land by renting a bicycle or water by taking a boat ride. The dark green shimmering lake lined by wooded mountains, lush meadows, and a hiking and bicycle path on the lake’s east shore makes it a scenic adventurous destination.
You won’t want the trip to stop, with also during views, thousands of stunning ducks on the edge of the lake, and thousands of years old half-timber buildings densely populated along the lakeshore. Give it your best shot, enjoy everything, as well as fall madly in love with Hallstatt. Even if it is just for one night, you’ll hardly forget hiking throughout Hallstatt.
2. Exploring the Spectacular Cave System Behind The Hallstatt Salt Mine
The salt mine at Hallstatt is primarily considered the world’s oldest, dating back roughly 7,000 years. These salt mines assisted an early-day Hallstatt to develop when there was the Romans. Salt, commonly known as white gold, had been so expensive at the times that it has been named Hallstatt Time initially for an entire segment in the early Medieval Era (800-400 BC).
Archaeologists at the existing mine, which begun in 1719, reportedly discovered some astonishing items, varying from a fully intact salt man recovered in 1734 to marble from 1500 BC and Iron Age equipment. The nicest finding appeared in 1838 when laborers recovered an Ancient tool made of honey locust bringing the salt mine approximately 5,000 BC.
If you ever head to Hallstatt and come back without hanging out in the salt mine, it would be way much unfortunate for you, and I don’t think you can regret more than this.
Address: Salzbergstraße 21, 4830 Hallstatt
Opening Hours: Daily 9:30 am to 4:30 pm but the time may change during winter
Entry Fee: Adults € 36.00 full list of tickets and reservation
3. Breathtaking Photos From the Skywalk of Hallstatt
The Hallstatt Skywalk is indeed great to visit as it hovers 350 meters above the roofs of Hallstatt. From there, you can get a unique picturesque view of Lake Hallstatt and the impressive mountain scenery.
It requires around 1 and a half hours of hiking to reach that height. Hiking to that point is easy and possible, but you can get on a funicular if you don’t have the energy to hike.
The historical Rudolf’s Tower, known as Rudolfsturm to the local people, offers much more fantastic panoramas. This medieval castle, which was built between 1282 to 1284, could only be accessible using footbridges. It was designed as a defence tower to protect the salt mines from intruders and used as a bar and watchtower. But today Rudolf’s Tower houses a restaurant/cafe (more on that below) which serves local delicacies.
Address: Salzbergstraße 21, 4830 Hallstatt
Opening Hours: Daily 9:00 am to 4:30 pm but the time may change during winter
Entry Fee: Adults € 25.00 full list of tickets and reservation
4. Exploring Austria’s Historic Hallstatt Museum
The Hallstatt Museum is a must-visit for those wishing to learn about the proud culture of Hallstatt and its surrounding area. From its history as a salt mine, to gaining UNESCO World Heritage Site accreditation, the museum has remarkable exhibitions from the last seven decades. Make sure to plan a visit if you want to learn more about Hallstatt’s fascinating past!
Other museums emphasize succeeding migrants like the Romans. In contrast, the Studio of Epochs demonstrates crafts and objects from Hallstatt’s origin.
Address: Seestraße 56, 4830 Hallstatt
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm but the time may change during winter
Entry Fee: Adults € 10.00 full list of tickets and reservation
5. Journey On “Treppe ins Nichts”: A Magical Adventure
Journey On “Treppe ins Nichts“: A Magical Adventure, On the Dachstein, a true highlight awaits you – 14 narrow steps descend to a dizzyingly high glass platform. Whoever ascends these stairs stands directly in front of the rock face 400m above the wall’s base.
Completed in July 2013, the “Stairway to Nowhere” is directly connected to the suspension bridge. The stairs weigh a total of 5 tonnes.
To enable the construction of the suspension bridge and the “stairs to nowhere,” 58 mm thick steel cables and 63 tonnes of steel and concrete were used, which were transported via snow groomers.
If you brave the “stairs to nowhere,” you will be rewarded with an incredible 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. It has a maximum capacity of 4 people.
Address: Schildlehen 79, 8972 Obertraun (Take a train or bus no.543 to reach there)
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm but the time may change during winter
Entry Fee: Adults € 45.00 full list of tickets and reservation
Where to Stay: Accommodation Recommendations?
Booking.comWhen you arrive in Hallstatt, you’ll notice that it’s a small village, with almost every hotel within a five- to ten-minute walk of the main town. Where you stay in Hallstatt is less about location and more about expenses, as the area has few budget-friendly accommodations.
Here are some hotels according to their price range
The budget-friendly
Mid-range Hotels
Family Friendly
Affordable Luxury Hotels
Note: Any of the hotels illustrated above have not sponsored this post in any manner, all transmitted from the writer’s personal experience and recommendation.
How to Get to Hallstatt
Public Transport: The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hallstatt on Austria’s Hallstätter Lake is easily accessible via train or bus from Vienna or as a day trip from Salzburg. Hallstatt is a popular day-trip destination from Salzburg, and half-day tours by minibus are also popular.
Trains departing from Vienna’s Hauptbahnhof take approximately four hours. Train travel to Hallstatt is typically accompanied by at least one transfer – most frequently at Attnang-Puchheim. Couples and groups of up to five from Salzburg can usually save money by taking local trains and purchasing the cheap Einfach Raus bargain savings ticket. Numerous guided day tours departing from Salzburg and Vienna are also available.
Driving: The most straightforward way to reach Hallstatt is by car. It’s an enjoyable drive along safe and well-maintained country roads that occasionally feels as if you’re driving through a postcard. Public transportation is slow but not particularly inconvenient, taking approximately two hours from Salzburg and about four hours from Vienna (Wien).
How to Get around Hallstatt
Hallstatt is so tiny that you can roam around the area and go from one attraction to another on foot. The five attractions that I mentioned are within walking distance. So, if you are driving to Hallstatt, you can park your car somewhere nearby.
And even if you would want to drive your car from one tourist attraction to another, you can’t as the Hallstatt town centre is a car-free zone. No matter how lazy of a person you are, I don’t think that you will have many problems walking throughout Hallstatt as the picturesque scenery will catch all your attention.
You will be so much awed by the beauty of the place that you won’t even want to complain about your legs hurting. You obviously don’t need to keep walking for 24 hours straight; you can take boat rides on the lake or enjoy the scenic beauty of the city sitting at the terrace restaurants (more on that below).
Some tourist attractions in Hallstatt require hiking. But if you are not a fan of hiking, you can take the funicular that will transport you to the top within minutes.
What to eat in Halstatt
Being home to numerous fishes like whitefish, pike, trout, eel, char, carp, and Zander, Lake Hallstatt demands tourists to have a fulfilling fish meal at nearby restaurants. From a wide variety of renowned fish speciality dishes like fish soup, smoked fillet or a whole fish meal, you can choose anything to satiate your hunger with the highest quality fish.
The iconic Sacher torte is a must-to-taste dessert when you are in Hallstatt. However, the region is not limited to one single dessert. Apple cakes, plum cakes, cream cakes, apple strudel, and pancakes served with traditional Austrian apricot jam make Hallstatt a place unsuitable for dieting.
Must-Visit Restaurants in Hallstatt
Rudolfstrum
Standing near the Hallstatt Skywalk, Rudolfstrum offers scenic views of the lake and mountains. You can enjoy the hearty local delicacies along with the picturesque view of Hallstatt.
- Location: Salzberg 1, 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
- Opening Hours: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Restaurant am See
Another restaurant with a lakeside terrace is Restaurant am See, which provides enchanting panoramic views while you eat. The menu consists of some familiar Austrian dishes, freshly caught fish, and a hearty mix of beers and wines.
- Location: Wolfengasse 105, 4830 Hallstatt, Austria
There are many other restaurants and street food stalls in Hallstatt. But as Hallstatt is a place to enjoy the scenic beauty, you should always have your meal in terrace restaurants to enjoy the best of your trip.
Best Time to Visit Hallstatt
Although Hallstatt is a year-round destination, the best time to plan your one perfect day in Hallstatt depends on your personal preferences. The town is the most crowded and buzzing with tourists during July/August. It’s the summer season in Hallstatt during these months, and the temperature remains around 25°C.
The town experiences snow during the winter months, November-February. The temperature is most like to drop to 0°C making Hallstatt a perfect tourist destination for winter sports enthusiasts.
During the late spring and autumn months, temperatures remain around 15-19°C, and the town’s scenery is the most alive. So, I think that these months are the best option to plan a day trip to Hallstatt. During these months, you will also feel a lot more comfortable doing some hiking.
I think this is what one perfect day in Hallstatt looks like. So, did you have a perfect day in Hallstatt? Does your one perfect day in Hallstatt differ from this one? I would be glad to know how perfect your day trip was in Hallstatt. If you have already had your one perfect day in Hallstatt, tell me how it went in the comments. And if you are planning to go there in the future, I hope you will have a marvellous time.
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