Hallstatt - Hallstätte See - Upper Austria

Hallstatt is the most famous village in Austria and his a large history. With it's superb location next to the lake the view is just stuning.

The Chinese people have build a copy of this city and it was finishes in 2011.

So a lot of them that come to Europe pass by the real version.

There is a protestant 

and a catholique Church in this small town.

All houses are build on the rocks directly at the lake and so the rocks are really the walls of the back of their houses (not even covered).  

The main square of the village is beautiful. Normally the city centre is car free except for deliveries in the morning 😀

One of the hidden secrets of this town is not mentioned largely, but you have to go down in the cellar of one of the shops where a Roman bath house was discovered. This shop is a jewelry at the corner of the Hallstatt museum and just just have to walk down.

An other highlight in this city next to the great history of the houses is the scull house which is situated at the graveyard of the catholique Church. These sculls are from the Hallstatt citizens that mentioned in their testament to have their scull and bones in this 'chappel'.

I had a great lunch in the city center directly at the water, called: 'Brauhaus'

The food is of high quality for a reasonable price for such location.

The terrace has one of the most perfect views overlooking the lake with a direct view over the castle.

HINT: you can go by train to Hallstatt, there you can take the shuttle boat that awaits you to go to Hallstadt (railway station is at the other side of the lake).

Hallstatt is named after the famous salt mine on top of the city. You can visit this mine as there is a lift to the top. Calculate 2,5h to go up, visit the mines and go down again. This as you will get special clothes as there is a slide of 60 meter to go from one space to another. 

Next to the visit of the mine and the city centre you can go by lifts to go to the top of the mountain (5-fingers called) where you have a stuning view overlooking the lake and the mountains.

Because of lack of time I was not able to go to the top neither to visit the mine, which was a pitty. But I wanted to mension there is a full day of activities to do in and around Hallstadt.