Hallstatt-Dachstein - Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape
Hallstatt-Dachstein - Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape
Hallstatt-Dachstein - Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
621 reviews
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7
Jay S
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Family
Very nice village, picture perfect, and here it ends. All the shops shut down at 6 pm, very few restaurants at 8-9 pm (they mention 10 pm but starting from 8 pm they tell you the kitchen is closed). You can starve to death here. So visit it for a picture or two or come to stay if on diet. Doesn't worth more than that.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tinabell15
Vienna20 contributions
May 2013 • Couples
We arrived yesterday extremely early by train from Vienna. Although we had to wake up to catch the train a bit before 6am, it was definitely worth it.
Hallstatt is absolutely beautiful. If you arrive by train, you have to cross the lake by boat. Thankfully, it being so early (9am) the boat wasn't so crowded. It was dreamlike to get closer and closer to the town. Everything was so peaceful.
Hallstatt is really small. I think we experienced the whole town and the Beinhaus (the place where they keep the painted skulls of loved ones in the past) in about an hour. I recommend that if you want to eat with a scenic view of the lake and mountains, that you go rather early-like around 11am/11:30 as the best tables are were filled around 12. We ate at the Braugasthof on Seestrasse. Our meals were delicious and the waiter was extremely friendly.
We then went to Dachstein by bus to see five fingers. It was expensive-around 29 euros per person, but seriously it's WORTH it. My breath was taken away. The views are incredible and you are on part of a glacier that is sadly melting away. It was so peaceful and different from Hallstatt.Seriously, it's worth it. I was thinking that it wouldn't be that great. DO IT! If you're in the area for longer than one day, it may be worth the 10 extra euros to see the ice cave and the mammoth cave. Unfortunately we didn't have time as the last bus down the mountain came around 5:10 and the cable cars took time to go down, so we couldn't do that. The info center will tell you doing the caves and five fingers in 2 hours is doable. In fact they said the caves last one hour each and five fingers around 20 minutes. It took us two hours JUST for five fingers. So if you do want to see another type of beauty at your time during Hallstatt, be aware that you may stay longer than expected.
We had a quick dinner at the Heritage Hotel in Hallstatt where I had the Spargel soup (Asparagus). Again, I was impressed with the waiter and the soup itself.
The last boat back to the train is around 6/6:15pm.
Overall, I would say out of my whole 2 and a half years living in Austria, this was by far the best thing I've done here in Austria. I wish I was here longer because I would go again and do more.
Hallstatt is absolutely beautiful. If you arrive by train, you have to cross the lake by boat. Thankfully, it being so early (9am) the boat wasn't so crowded. It was dreamlike to get closer and closer to the town. Everything was so peaceful.
Hallstatt is really small. I think we experienced the whole town and the Beinhaus (the place where they keep the painted skulls of loved ones in the past) in about an hour. I recommend that if you want to eat with a scenic view of the lake and mountains, that you go rather early-like around 11am/11:30 as the best tables are were filled around 12. We ate at the Braugasthof on Seestrasse. Our meals were delicious and the waiter was extremely friendly.
We then went to Dachstein by bus to see five fingers. It was expensive-around 29 euros per person, but seriously it's WORTH it. My breath was taken away. The views are incredible and you are on part of a glacier that is sadly melting away. It was so peaceful and different from Hallstatt.Seriously, it's worth it. I was thinking that it wouldn't be that great. DO IT! If you're in the area for longer than one day, it may be worth the 10 extra euros to see the ice cave and the mammoth cave. Unfortunately we didn't have time as the last bus down the mountain came around 5:10 and the cable cars took time to go down, so we couldn't do that. The info center will tell you doing the caves and five fingers in 2 hours is doable. In fact they said the caves last one hour each and five fingers around 20 minutes. It took us two hours JUST for five fingers. So if you do want to see another type of beauty at your time during Hallstatt, be aware that you may stay longer than expected.
We had a quick dinner at the Heritage Hotel in Hallstatt where I had the Spargel soup (Asparagus). Again, I was impressed with the waiter and the soup itself.
The last boat back to the train is around 6/6:15pm.
Overall, I would say out of my whole 2 and a half years living in Austria, this was by far the best thing I've done here in Austria. I wish I was here longer because I would go again and do more.
Written May 19, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WayAndBack
46 contributions
Sep 2014
We spent 2 1/2 days in the Hallstatt Dachsteinhöhlen area and loved it. We stayed in Obertraun which costs much less than staying in Hallstatt itself, and it's much quieter. On our first morning we caught the bus to the Dachsteinhöhlen cable car (bus cost 2 euro per adult). We toured the ice cave and the mammutcave. We preferred the mammutcave your but that's probably because we were the only two people on the tour! Normally the mammutcave tour is only done in German but our guide spoke English and since we were the only 2 people on the tour, we got basically a private tour in English! The ice cave tour is done in English and German. For both tours you need to get a tour group number from the desk where you arrive by cable car. Then you have to hike to the cave sites. The mammutcave is about a 10 minutes walk. The ice cave is about a 20 min hike up some steep inclines.
Our second day we spent the morning in the town of Hallstatt & the afternoon was the salt mine tour. It's a hike from the cable car to the mine, about 15 min or so. The mine tour is ok, but not anything special. The town of Hallstatt is beautiful. Every view is a postcard. Take the ferry trip on the lake if you get a chance.
Our second day we spent the morning in the town of Hallstatt & the afternoon was the salt mine tour. It's a hike from the cable car to the mine, about 15 min or so. The mine tour is ok, but not anything special. The town of Hallstatt is beautiful. Every view is a postcard. Take the ferry trip on the lake if you get a chance.
Written September 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tripurari_Prasad
New Delhi, Delhi, India76 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
Ok So after going through numerous articles.. Landed up here . this thread did give me a nice headsup. Though there are small subtle points which I would like to cover for better coverage of the topic that can be more helpful for fellow visitors
Decided to directly go to Daschstein instead of doing first Hallstat and then Daschstein to save from unnecessary loss of time and fatigue.
We started in the morning and took the bus from Mirabell Platz. Now there are many alphabetical stops for Mirabell Platz. Hence check bus #150 . We took from G stop .
Now most of the places its not mentioned that you can take a day ticket which covers all buses and train till obertraun region. For two person it cost us around 29 Euro/pax which was quite good deal (This included cost of bus till Daschstein). We took bus 150 to Bad Ischl which was followed by train journey after half hr to obertraun-Dachstein junction. The bust stop is right across.
Now from the station you need to take another postbus which is just right across where there is circular bend. It is the same point where 542 and 543 goes. there is no other stop.. the bus stop might not mention that . so we took a moment to figure that out
Now once we reached Dachstein, the ticket for five fingers with ice caves cost us 42 euro per person, which I found tad expensive. Nevertheless they give you an option to do either ice caves or mammoth cave.
Mind you they assign you specific group so the tour started after half an hr. To reach the caves starting point you need to take a small trek of 15 mins
We opted for ice caves and it was really an amazing experience. Our guide Mike was just amazing and provided good information. the overall ice cave tour takes around 45 mins.
For five fingers from there you need to take cable car again to go to second stop and there is 30 mins trek from there. So overall this whole experience took us around 4 hrs minus the bus-train-bus journey.
It was already 3 when we came back to Hallstat which is quite beautiful. we decided to take ferry (2.5 euro) back to Hallstat station as it allowed us some more time to explore Hallstat. Finally we took train back to Bad Ischl to catch bus 150 . Here we needed to wait a bit. Station is boring with not much of food option so better keep fill urself at Hallstat or go to old town in Bad Ischl
Since we had the day ticket there was no rush for buying train tickets or bus tickets like others. and overall it was one of the best day in whole of our stay at Salzburg
Decided to directly go to Daschstein instead of doing first Hallstat and then Daschstein to save from unnecessary loss of time and fatigue.
We started in the morning and took the bus from Mirabell Platz. Now there are many alphabetical stops for Mirabell Platz. Hence check bus #150 . We took from G stop .
Now most of the places its not mentioned that you can take a day ticket which covers all buses and train till obertraun region. For two person it cost us around 29 Euro/pax which was quite good deal (This included cost of bus till Daschstein). We took bus 150 to Bad Ischl which was followed by train journey after half hr to obertraun-Dachstein junction. The bust stop is right across.
Now from the station you need to take another postbus which is just right across where there is circular bend. It is the same point where 542 and 543 goes. there is no other stop.. the bus stop might not mention that . so we took a moment to figure that out
Now once we reached Dachstein, the ticket for five fingers with ice caves cost us 42 euro per person, which I found tad expensive. Nevertheless they give you an option to do either ice caves or mammoth cave.
Mind you they assign you specific group so the tour started after half an hr. To reach the caves starting point you need to take a small trek of 15 mins
We opted for ice caves and it was really an amazing experience. Our guide Mike was just amazing and provided good information. the overall ice cave tour takes around 45 mins.
For five fingers from there you need to take cable car again to go to second stop and there is 30 mins trek from there. So overall this whole experience took us around 4 hrs minus the bus-train-bus journey.
It was already 3 when we came back to Hallstat which is quite beautiful. we decided to take ferry (2.5 euro) back to Hallstat station as it allowed us some more time to explore Hallstat. Finally we took train back to Bad Ischl to catch bus 150 . Here we needed to wait a bit. Station is boring with not much of food option so better keep fill urself at Hallstat or go to old town in Bad Ischl
Since we had the day ticket there was no rush for buying train tickets or bus tickets like others. and overall it was one of the best day in whole of our stay at Salzburg
Written August 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
terrimue
Merrick, NY22 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
We where there in Sept. 2013. First we went up Dachstein to the Ice Caves. Don't miss it. Challenging walk to get to the cave but well worth it. Then it was up the mountain again on cable car to the Five Fingers. Breathtaking. We sent 3 hours on the mountain then went to lunch in town. The photo of the lake and the mountains with the beautiful houses actually exist. I didn't believe that I would really see what I saw on the interest but it was by far the best day for me during our 10 trip to Austria and Prague.
Written June 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clgoh30
Johor Bahru, Malaysia384 contributions
Oct 2019 • Friends
Amazing postcard view of Hallstatt. Beautiful lake and beautiful old town. Having a nice weather with a great lunch at the lake side cafe with my wonderful bestie❤️❤️❤️
Written October 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luz2Travel
Tunis, Tunisia120 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
Beautiful town on an alpine lake but there were TONS of tour buses, and on a weekday. Hordes of tourists.
Written May 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Venus Fan
Munich264 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
The success of Hallstatt as a tourist destination only highlights the failure of Germany's tourism marketing. Hallstatt offers a typical view around the Bavarian alps and lakes, plus various tourists traps. A side note, get informed about the weather before visit. Rainy days will more likely ruin your photo ops in Hallstatt.
For those blown away by this over-hyped town, any anonymous town in Southern Germany would suffice. For those looking for magnificent views and fun recreations, Zugspitze and Eibsee or Königssee at the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden will redefine your perception of natural wonders.
That said, Dachstein - Salzkammergut is fantastic! The official guide is not only complimentary but also informatively accommodating! Don’t miss out the ice cave (Eishöhle) for a surreal walk on the thin ice. If you come in September, there will be concerts held inside of the ice cave. Swing at the "concert hall" inside of the Eishöhle is out of this world, literally and figuratively!
A weekend trip here is highly recommended! You can take your time to explore the caves, enjoy the hikes overlooking the area and take in the spectacular views from the five fingers (free viewing platform on the Krippenstein) or from skydiving.
For those blown away by this over-hyped town, any anonymous town in Southern Germany would suffice. For those looking for magnificent views and fun recreations, Zugspitze and Eibsee or Königssee at the Nationalpark Berchtesgaden will redefine your perception of natural wonders.
That said, Dachstein - Salzkammergut is fantastic! The official guide is not only complimentary but also informatively accommodating! Don’t miss out the ice cave (Eishöhle) for a surreal walk on the thin ice. If you come in September, there will be concerts held inside of the ice cave. Swing at the "concert hall" inside of the Eishöhle is out of this world, literally and figuratively!
A weekend trip here is highly recommended! You can take your time to explore the caves, enjoy the hikes overlooking the area and take in the spectacular views from the five fingers (free viewing platform on the Krippenstein) or from skydiving.
Written September 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
laura74Chicago
chicago69 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
This was one of the highlights of our trip to Austria. My husband and I visited the ice cave and went up to the five fingers lookout. The ice caves were impressive. I have been to other caves, but this was the first ice cave. The formations were magnificent. Our tour guide was well educated in the formations of the cave and its history. He did a wonderful job taking us for a tour. The tour is done primarily in German, but the guide did ask if anyone spoke only English, and myself, my husband, and a friend raised our hands. Since we were the only three people looking for an English interpretation out of about 35 people, he asked us to come to the front of the group and he told us everything we wanted to know first before the German interpretation. This was a bonus, since we basically went from the back of the group and moved straight to the front of the line. Thanks!
It is a bit of a trek up the mountain to enter the ice cave, even after taking the cable car up. After the ice caves, we took the second cable car up to the Five Fingers. Unfortunately for us, it had been a rainy morning and we were stuck up in the thick of it in the clouds. We still took the walk to the Five Fingers and we were able to see a bit below, but we were not able to see the views we had hoped for if the day had been clear. Nonetheless, it was still worth the trip. You can see some glaciers, and they have an area where there is a hill and you can walk up the compacted snow, grab a mat, and slide down. We saw it done, but didn't try it ourselves.
It is cold in the ice caves and on the top of the mountain. We packed appropriate clothing anticipating this. You will be warm if you layer in a shirt, sweatshirt and a windbreaker type jacket. A hat and gloves also goes a long way.
Don't pass this up. It was truly awesome. If you take the time to enjoy yourself, it will take most of your day. We left Hallstatt at 10 a.m. took the bus to Obertraun and returned to Hallstatt at 4 p.m.
It is a bit of a trek up the mountain to enter the ice cave, even after taking the cable car up. After the ice caves, we took the second cable car up to the Five Fingers. Unfortunately for us, it had been a rainy morning and we were stuck up in the thick of it in the clouds. We still took the walk to the Five Fingers and we were able to see a bit below, but we were not able to see the views we had hoped for if the day had been clear. Nonetheless, it was still worth the trip. You can see some glaciers, and they have an area where there is a hill and you can walk up the compacted snow, grab a mat, and slide down. We saw it done, but didn't try it ourselves.
It is cold in the ice caves and on the top of the mountain. We packed appropriate clothing anticipating this. You will be warm if you layer in a shirt, sweatshirt and a windbreaker type jacket. A hat and gloves also goes a long way.
Don't pass this up. It was truly awesome. If you take the time to enjoy yourself, it will take most of your day. We left Hallstatt at 10 a.m. took the bus to Obertraun and returned to Hallstatt at 4 p.m.
Written August 8, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chonja
New England77 contributions
Jun 2013 • Couples
We wanted to stay in the Austrian Alps and had read about the salt mines in Hallstatt, so it went into our itinerary. This very picturesque village is literally plastered against the side of a very steep mountain that seems to rise straight from Lake Hallstatt. As the mountain climbs, so do the houses, so that they appear to be on risers one above the other. Absolutely beautiful scenes whether in the morning sun or late afternoon! The mountains obscure the sun quickly before sunset, so pictures are best taken during the height of the day.
The highway on the Hallstatt side goes through the mountain in a tunnel high above the lake. Visitor's cars are not allowed in town - particularly during the summer but there is parking available on the outskirts of the village when you stay there. Bus service to other parts of the Alps is available – again from the outskirts – just a short walk from anywhere in the village. We arrived by train from Vienna, and since there is no room on the Hallstatt side of the lake for a railway, we took the ferry across the lake to the village.
Just strolling through the streets of the Hallstatt – the main street runs along the lake – the rest are pathways that snake up the mountain with the help of stairs – is like going on a treasure hunt. We walked from one end of the village to the other, browsing the shops along the way and enjoying the flowers always in abundance on each and every structure. The museum is an interesting place tracing the history of the Hallstatt area for the past 7000 years. We stopped at the Evangelical Church which was built in 1683 and this year is celebrating 150 years as Christ Church. We walked up the stairs to visit the Catholic Church with its ossuary of painted skulls. The Catholic Church of the Ascension of Our Lady as it is today was built back in 1505, and the skull tradition began in 1720. Looking down from that vantage point, the lake was glass-calm with the town being reflected on its surface. The market square is very picturesque and a great place to sit a bit and enjoy an ice-cream as we did and watch the people go by.
A trip up the mountain on the funicular brought us to the salt mine entrance way at the top. After donning an outer suit with an extended leather patch on the seat of the pants for sliding down a highly polished and long slide into the depths of the mine, we set off to explore the tunnels still used today. The delights of childhood came rushing back as I sailed down the slide…and there were not one, but two slides to enjoy on the tour. Our guide was terrific in reviewing the history of the salt mines which have been a necessary part of life – back way before the Romans came to mine the salt. It took us almost 3 hours for the trip up + the mine tour + the trip down. You can just take the funicular up and down for the view – but the mine tour is very interesting and deserves consideration.
We enjoyed the vista from the funicular going up and before entering the salt mine. The sun was bright and the temperatures hot – especially for the Alps. The lake was shimmering below as the village faded from view. When we exited the salt mine, it was starting to sprinkle. And from there on, our trip took on a totally different hue. Arriving at the bottom we found there was no rain, but as we walked along to get to a restaurant for dinner, the skies clouded over and before we reached our target, the heavens opened up and rain came down in buckets along with ¾ inch hail. We ducked into a convenience store but it was closing time so we ran kitty-corner to the Evangelical Church getting drenched and pelted on the way. Twenty minutes later, the rain and hail were still falling, renewed with each clap of thunder, and the church roof was beginning to leak and the rising water outside was running under the doors and flooding the floor. When there was finally a slight break in the downpour, we ran to the Heritage House restaurant which had been our initial destination. On the way we realized the storm drains were erupting into 5 foot geysers and the water was gushing into the lake. Thoughts that we were safe inside the restaurant were shattered when water began pouring in under the doors. Quick action by the Heritage House staff was amazing to watch. Heritage House is also a resort with accommodations on the upper floors, and the staff instructed all in the restaurant to go up the stairs to safety as the water continued to rise quickly on the 1st floor of the restaurant. From the upstairs windows we watched as outdoor dining tables and chairs were tumbled along by the swift current, and dumped into the lake along with branches and other debris, while the ducks and swans swam along inspecting the results.
We had never been caught in a flash flood in the mountains before, and were impressed by the response by the townspeople. Hallstatt’s First Responders were immediately on the scene, and soon they were joined by others from surrounding towns – everybody pitched in to help. That night, 100+ soldiers were brought in along with large equipment and wheelbarrows to help clear the boulders, mud, and water. They waded waist deep in the water along the main street. The next morning, water was still coming down the mountain fed by the left-over spring snow cap that let loose on being melted by heavy rains, and we chose to spend the day at another location to enjoy the Alps. By the time we were leaving Hallstatt for the Wachau, huge drain pipes were being installed, temporary walkways were in place, and the boat dock moved to a more elevated pier away from the most damaged part of town. I can bet that now, a month later, that the village is back to normal and new tourists to the area would never know what happened back in June.
Some villagers told us that they had never before seen this kind of flood during the 50+ years they had lived in Hallstatt. So, some good came of the disaster… new arrangements for water run-off and a bonding of community. We’ll never forget that beautiful and historic town, and will go back in a few years to visit again – this time hoping for no rain.
The highway on the Hallstatt side goes through the mountain in a tunnel high above the lake. Visitor's cars are not allowed in town - particularly during the summer but there is parking available on the outskirts of the village when you stay there. Bus service to other parts of the Alps is available – again from the outskirts – just a short walk from anywhere in the village. We arrived by train from Vienna, and since there is no room on the Hallstatt side of the lake for a railway, we took the ferry across the lake to the village.
Just strolling through the streets of the Hallstatt – the main street runs along the lake – the rest are pathways that snake up the mountain with the help of stairs – is like going on a treasure hunt. We walked from one end of the village to the other, browsing the shops along the way and enjoying the flowers always in abundance on each and every structure. The museum is an interesting place tracing the history of the Hallstatt area for the past 7000 years. We stopped at the Evangelical Church which was built in 1683 and this year is celebrating 150 years as Christ Church. We walked up the stairs to visit the Catholic Church with its ossuary of painted skulls. The Catholic Church of the Ascension of Our Lady as it is today was built back in 1505, and the skull tradition began in 1720. Looking down from that vantage point, the lake was glass-calm with the town being reflected on its surface. The market square is very picturesque and a great place to sit a bit and enjoy an ice-cream as we did and watch the people go by.
A trip up the mountain on the funicular brought us to the salt mine entrance way at the top. After donning an outer suit with an extended leather patch on the seat of the pants for sliding down a highly polished and long slide into the depths of the mine, we set off to explore the tunnels still used today. The delights of childhood came rushing back as I sailed down the slide…and there were not one, but two slides to enjoy on the tour. Our guide was terrific in reviewing the history of the salt mines which have been a necessary part of life – back way before the Romans came to mine the salt. It took us almost 3 hours for the trip up + the mine tour + the trip down. You can just take the funicular up and down for the view – but the mine tour is very interesting and deserves consideration.
We enjoyed the vista from the funicular going up and before entering the salt mine. The sun was bright and the temperatures hot – especially for the Alps. The lake was shimmering below as the village faded from view. When we exited the salt mine, it was starting to sprinkle. And from there on, our trip took on a totally different hue. Arriving at the bottom we found there was no rain, but as we walked along to get to a restaurant for dinner, the skies clouded over and before we reached our target, the heavens opened up and rain came down in buckets along with ¾ inch hail. We ducked into a convenience store but it was closing time so we ran kitty-corner to the Evangelical Church getting drenched and pelted on the way. Twenty minutes later, the rain and hail were still falling, renewed with each clap of thunder, and the church roof was beginning to leak and the rising water outside was running under the doors and flooding the floor. When there was finally a slight break in the downpour, we ran to the Heritage House restaurant which had been our initial destination. On the way we realized the storm drains were erupting into 5 foot geysers and the water was gushing into the lake. Thoughts that we were safe inside the restaurant were shattered when water began pouring in under the doors. Quick action by the Heritage House staff was amazing to watch. Heritage House is also a resort with accommodations on the upper floors, and the staff instructed all in the restaurant to go up the stairs to safety as the water continued to rise quickly on the 1st floor of the restaurant. From the upstairs windows we watched as outdoor dining tables and chairs were tumbled along by the swift current, and dumped into the lake along with branches and other debris, while the ducks and swans swam along inspecting the results.
We had never been caught in a flash flood in the mountains before, and were impressed by the response by the townspeople. Hallstatt’s First Responders were immediately on the scene, and soon they were joined by others from surrounding towns – everybody pitched in to help. That night, 100+ soldiers were brought in along with large equipment and wheelbarrows to help clear the boulders, mud, and water. They waded waist deep in the water along the main street. The next morning, water was still coming down the mountain fed by the left-over spring snow cap that let loose on being melted by heavy rains, and we chose to spend the day at another location to enjoy the Alps. By the time we were leaving Hallstatt for the Wachau, huge drain pipes were being installed, temporary walkways were in place, and the boat dock moved to a more elevated pier away from the most damaged part of town. I can bet that now, a month later, that the village is back to normal and new tourists to the area would never know what happened back in June.
Some villagers told us that they had never before seen this kind of flood during the 50+ years they had lived in Hallstatt. So, some good came of the disaster… new arrangements for water run-off and a bonding of community. We’ll never forget that beautiful and historic town, and will go back in a few years to visit again – this time hoping for no rain.
Written July 27, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am planning to bring my adult family to Hallstatt Dec 10 and 11. I just want to be sure this beautiful small town is not all closed up with a vacant feel to it! Is there still activities and some bustle in December?
Thank you for any information you can share!
Written October 8, 2019
We arrive to hallstatt 11.30 am from salzburg.
The return ticket by train us 16.30 or 17.05.
It's possible to see the town and the ice caves?
We are going to go in july
I saw an offert in web by train I need decide soon
Thank you
Written January 27, 2018
A tight schedule! I would advise you to take a later train in the evening! In Hallstatt directly is the salt mine, the ice cave, etc. in the neighboring Obertraun! In addition, there are many tourists in July. You plan my advice for a whole day, otherwise you hardly have the possibility to really enjoy everything! Sturdy shoes and warm clothes are essential!
Written January 28, 2018
Desidero sapere qual'è il paesino più caratteristici vicino a hallstatt che poi raggiungerei in treno. Pernottare a hallstatt costa troppo. Arrivando da Salisburgo in aereo alloggeremo in un paesino bello e da lì mi sposterò ad hallstatt. È possibile? Grazie
Carla
Written January 3, 2018
Bad Mitterndorf e Grundlsee sarebbero raccomandati, ma economici, questo è negli occhi di chi guarda, anche se si tratta di un hotel 3 * o più, bed and breakfast o appartamento dovrebbe essere! Lascia che l'associazione turistica ti mandi un catalogo, quindi puoi scegliere quello che preferisci!
Written January 28, 2018
hi we are driving from Salzburg, when is the best place to park for the day in Hallstat or Obertrau? thanks
Written November 1, 2017
G'day
There are several parking lots in the village, all rather expensive. Just look for the signs and you should have no problem finding a space.
Cheers
Mike
Written November 2, 2017
ice caves and saltmines open now?? do we have any cable cars at this time?? and i love mountain ranges.. which will be the best place in austria to go in january to enjoy the scenic views of snow and mountains and snow all the way??
Written January 1, 2017
The Ice Cave is open from 29 April until 29 October 2017. I think it is closed now due to weather condition
Yes, you need cable car to get there, no matter what.
Written January 2, 2017
hi friends i would like ti visit austria next week maimly salzburg and dachstein salzkammergut holiday region.. and like to see all the snow.. and cover the lakes also.. wolfgangsee. i have 3 days.. i want the sledge riding on snow.. i cant ski anyway.. i like to cover hallstat also.. please suggest some itineraries.. and where ti start to go ti dachstein salzkammergut region.. thanks in advance
Written January 1, 2017
Hi, is it possible to visit this beautiful place by taking public transport? Any suggested route, schedule and fare information? How many day of staying would you recommend? And in which months can I get the best experience there?
Thanks!
Written October 12, 2016
yes it is very much possible.
it depends from where you want to come.Generally you can come from vienna or salzburg.If coming from salzburg i suggest to come by bus.You can take bus 150 from salzburg HBF to bad ischl and from there you take bus 542/543 to hallstatt Gosaumuhle and then to hallstatt Lahn.(543)
1. Salzburg > Bad Ischl (Bus 150):
2. Bad Ischl > Hallstatt Gosaumühle (Bus 542)
3. Hallstatt Gosaumühle > Hallstatt Lahn > Dachstein Ice Caves (Post Bus/Shuttle 543
Train Overview:
If you are coming from vienna then train is more preferable.
1. Salzburg or Vienna > Attnang-Puchheim: It is a direct national train to here from Salzburg in 50 minutes or Vienna Westbahnhof Station in 2 hours. From/to Salzburg your layover for switching trains will be about 12 minutes and from/to Vienna it will typiclly be 20-30 minutes.
2. Attnang-Puchheim > Bad Ischl > Hallstatt Bahnhof: The local train from Attnang-Puchheim to Hallstatt Bahnhof will take 90 minutes. It will drop you off across the lake from town and the Stephanie ferry will be there to meet the incoming trains and glide you into town. There are no bag lockers here. If visiting the ice caves consider riding the train another 5 minutes to Obertraun Station to catch bus 543
Two days will be ok to cover ice caves,5 fingers,Hall statt walking tour and Saltmines.
In one day you can cover caves and five fingers and on second day you can do saltmines and hallstatt village.
If you want to be do it in more relaxed state then you can extend it to three days.
If you want to visit surrounding areas then you need to extend your stay.
Best time is June to september.
Ice caves and salt mines will be closed in winter so you better check out their sites.
Written October 12, 2016
Nitin S
New Delhi, India
Hi, we are going to Austria for 9 days in November. Will it be safe to drive in snow? I have driven in Europe but only during the warm months.
Also I have read that the weather is cold, dark and dreary in Austria during this time. Your advice on how to turn that into a plus?! Perhaps some winter wonderlands to check out?
Many thanks.
Written September 17, 2015
I would not say it is the best time to visit - as I would think either summer or real winter i.e. December etc. (Christmas) would be best.
Expect that it is dark, wet and cold - plan some indoor activities as backup.
Plenty of caves / salt mines which are cold all year anyway.
Written September 17, 2015
Hello - we will be travelling through Austria in late February / March next year and would like to visit Hallstatt-Dachstein - Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape - are there many things to see as it in the winter and is there public transport (Trains / buses) to get there - Also is there accommodation during this time of the year - thank you - Peter
Written April 13, 2015
Hi Rosie,
Hallstatt look nice in winter especially the rooftops covered in snow. Plus it is much more quiet than in summer time.
There are a few things you can do nearby Hallstatt unfortunately they are only in spring and summer time. You can take a nice walk around this small village. HINT: if you want to see the town as in the photos on the internet, walk through the street after Heritage Hotel ;-) There's a small view point over there.
There are direct train or with some connections to Hallstatt, depending from where are you coming from. check out oebb.at for schedule and ticket price. Yes, accommodation is available during this time of the year.
I hope this help. Feel free to ask!
Cheers
Written September 17, 2015
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