Hallstatt

A postcard you can actually walk into

People have mined salt in the mountain above Hallstatt for around 7,000 years, which makes it one of the oldest inhabited places in Europe. The village grew on the tiny strip of land between the mountain and the lake, so the houses are stacked up the slope, with the church spire right at the waterline.

It's so famous that a full-size copy of it was built in China. Nothing beats standing in the real one early in the morning, when the lake is like glass and the mountains are reflected upside down.

Don't leave without

• The postcard viewpoint: the famous view is a short walk north of the centre, along the lakeside road.
• The salt mine and Skywalk: a brand-new funicular (reopened in September 2026) takes you up to a viewing platform high above the village, then into the world's oldest salt mine.
• The Bone House: a small chapel holding hundreds of painted skulls, a local tradition from when the tiny graveyard ran out of space.
• The Five Fingers: a platform sticking out over a sheer drop on the Krippenstein, reached by cable car from nearby Obertraun.
• The lake itself: rent a small electric boat or take the ferry and see the village from the water.

Our tips for Hallstatt

• Stay overnight. By late afternoon the day-trip buses leave and the village turns quiet and beautiful.
• Arrive by train and ferry. Crossing the lake to the village is the best first view you can get, and you skip the parking chaos.
• Be at the viewpoint at sunrise. The classic photo spot gets packed by mid-morning. At dawn you might have it to yourself.
• Be a good guest. Fewer than a thousand people live here. Keep your voice down, stay out of gardens and don't fly drones.
• Come off-season. Late autumn, winter and early spring have far fewer visitors and the same mountains.