By rail
Hallstatt station, then a short ferry across the lake
Europe · Austria
Hallstatt, Austria
A lakeside village under the mountains
Getting there
By air
Salzburg (SZG), ~1.5 h by road
Best time to visit
May to October — mild
Don't miss
Hallstatt's market square
The Salt Mine
The Skywalk
The Bone House
Things to do
The salt mine
The skywalk
A boat on the lake
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: C.Stadler/Bwag · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Five Fingers platform on the Dachstein
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Hallstatt by train?
Take the train to Hallstatt station, then a short ferry across the lake. By road, Salzburg (SZG) is about 1.5 hours away.
What is there to do in Hallstatt?
Tour the Salt Mine, walk out on the Skywalk, take a boat on the lake, and see the Bone House and Hallstatt's market square.
When is Hallstatt best visited?
May to October, when it's mild. Bring layers.
Is there a viewing platform near Hallstatt?
Yes — the Five Fingers platform on the Dachstein. Back at the lake, try lake char (Saibling).
About Hallstatt
- Lakeside
- Mountains
Where it is
Hallstatt is a small village in the Salzkammergut region of Upper Austria, squeezed between the south-western shore of Lake Hallstatt and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif.
History
Salt has been mined in the mountain above Hallstatt since prehistoric times, and the rich finds from its ancient cemetery gave their name to the Hallstatt culture of Europe's early Iron Age. For centuries the salt works were run by the Habsburg rulers' salt administration, and until the first road was built in 1890 the village could be reached only by boat or on narrow paths. It lies at the heart of the Hallstatt-Dachstein Salzkammergut World Heritage Site.
People
Hallstatt is home to fewer than a thousand people, who speak German. The village grew up around salt mining, which still continues in the mountain above it, and tourism is now its main livelihood.
Known for
- One of the oldest salt mines in the world
- The painted skulls of the Bone House
- The Skywalk viewing platform above the village
- Views of the church spire over the lake
- The Dachstein ice caves nearby
Did you know?
The Bone House in St Michael's Chapel holds more than 1,200 skulls, about 600 of them painted with names, dates and symbols, because the tiny churchyard had no room to keep graves for long.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.