Hallstatt is one of Austria’s mountain resorts and the oldest still inhabited city in Europe. Located on the shores of the lake of the same name and 70 km from Salzburg, Hallstatt earned its mountain town title from a village where the Celts dug galleries and extracted salt 7000 years ago.
According to Condé Nast Traveler magazine, Hallstatt is one of the most beautiful places in Europe, and you can see that from our pictures, especially since we captured the winter atmosphere outlined by a fairy-tale snowfall.
As I wrote above, the area is famous for the extraction of salt, and here is the second oldest salt mine in the world and can be visited, the access is made with the help of the funicular. Unfortunately we arrived too late and couldn’t get in, so double check the timetable before visiting a tourist attraction, especially on public holidays.
Hallstatt is a small town that you can cross from one side to the other in just half an hour. Exploring the city is the best thing to do when you get there.
The streets are lined with colorful houses, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops, and with the gorgeous setting of the Hallstättersee it’s hard to believe it’s a real place. In 1997, the resort was included in the UNESCO Heritage.
Because it is such a beautiful scenic spot, Hallstatt has a copy on another continent. The Chinese fell in love with the unmistakable image of the area so much that they created their own Hallstatt in their country, the clone being inaugurated in 2012. Their passion for this place is also supported by the wave of Chinese tourists that you will meet in the narrow streets of Hallstatt. If you want to read more about the Hallstatt clone, here is the website from Wikipedia.
In conclusion, if you are planning a city break in Vienna or Salzburg, do your best to include Hallstatt in your itinerary. You won’t regret.
If you liked our article, read about the last destinations we visited by clicking here .
(Hallstatt – January 2019)
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