Hallstatt is a fairy tale like, picturesque small town that is both charming and idyllic, located in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. It is situated on the banks of the Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt) and is surrounded by majestic mountains, making it a stunningly picturesque destination. It’s walkable distance from Salzwelten Hallstatt (oldest salt mine, click here to read post) and offers a visual of skies and water that looks so clear it seems untouched, ever, by human industrial actions. What’s the most impressive was that the swans seem unfazed and unafraid of human beings; in fact, they kind of embrace it and seem to notice when you want to take photos of them. And if you feed them, they will definitely come nearby as well.
The town is renowned for its natural beauty and is a popular tourist spot. Hallstatt has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. It is known for its salt mining industry, which began as early as the Bronze Age and has continued till the present day. The town’s name has even been given to the Hallstatt culture, a prehistoric culture that existed in Central Europe during the early Iron Age. The charm of Hallstatt lies in its well-preserved historic buildings and traditional Alpine architecture. The narrow cobblestone streets are lined with charming wooden houses, some dating back to the 16th century.
You should definitely come visit it for how beautiful it is. There have been protests by the locals that there are too many tourists, so who knows if there may be regulations in the future to prevent too many tourists from coming. I was also lucky because I was very very low on phone battery by the time I arrived in Hallstatt, I think less than 10%, but I still managed to take a couple of beautiful photos and videos there.
Pastel coloured houses all around
Visitors come to experience the serene beauty of the town and to soak in the tranquil atmosphere. It is a perfect destination for nature lovers, history enthusiasts, and those looking to relax and enjoy the Alpine ambience. In recent years, Hallstatt has gained even more international recognition, as a replica of the town was built in the province of Guangdong, China. The Chinese version of Hallstatt, called “Hallstatt Austrian Cultural Village,” was designed to resemble the original town and has become a popular tourist destination in China.
Hotel Scherer (website) and McDonald’s in Salzburg
Our driver was working overtime, past two hours already (he was only supposed to work 10 hours per day from the time he pick us up) so we didn’t want to stop by a restaurant and have him wait (his car still had our luggages so he can’t just drop us off and we Uber ourselves) so we just stopped by a McDonald’s nearby our hotel and grabbed something to go.
While the interior of the McDonald’s in Salzburg was clean and bright, the food was very very mediocre, like I’d say pretty bad too
Four star hotel, but honestly not bad! Much better than a previous night we had at ibis
Our tour agency, goEUgo (website) OR the hotel messed our booking up. They originally had us one person in one room, but it was supposed to be two people in one room, so us and the staff there and the tour agency and our driver all had to figure out what to do because their hotel was also fully booked. We were supposed to stay two nights there, which we did. However, in the first night we had a bigger room including a long desk next to the wall and a bigger bedroom space. In the second night, they forced us out to move to a different room, also for two people, two twin beds (I think the beds were smaller than the one we had the first night), and a much smaller room (not as small as the ones in Japan but still pretty small).
At the corner, top right of the photo, is a piano
This bedroom is from the first night
All of these photos of the room were from the first night
I was a tad frustrated because it was inconvenient to move from one room to another day after day, understandable if we have to move to different towns, but a bit tiring and unnecessary when we were staying in the same location
Overall, Hallstatt is a captivating destination that offers a blend of history, natural beauty, and Alpine traditions. Whether you are exploring the town’s salt mining heritage, taking in the breathtaking scenery, or simply strolling through its charming streets, Hallstatt promises a memorable experience. If you ever go to Austria, Hallstatt should definitely be on your list as well. Be sure to come here before 6pm if you can because I feel like that’s when the shops start closing.
