--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Hallstatt, Austria | Wimup" description: "Hallstatt in one page: the prehistoric salt mine, the painted skulls of the Beinhaus, the Skywalk above the roofs, the 5fingers on the Dachstein and the lake by boat." url: https://wimup.com/city/hallstatt type: City guide updated: 2026-10-08 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Hallstatt Hallstatt, Austria · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 11 min read Hallstatt is a village of 737 people on a ledge between Hallstätter See and the Salzberg, where salt has been mined since at least 1500 BC. It gave its name to Europe's Early Iron Age and has been UNESCO-listed since 1997. Arrive by train and ferry, not by car. ## Quick answer Stay one night, so you see the village before the day visitors and after they leave. Morning: the funicular to the salt mine and the Skywalk above the roofs. Afternoon: the Beinhaus and the parish church, then the Hallstatt Museum. On day two, take the Krippenstein cable car from Obertraun for the 5fingers platform and the ice cave, or walk the Echerntal to the Waldbachstrub falls. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** May · Jun · Sep - **Ideal length:** 2 days - **Budget per day:** $110–200 - **Language:** German - **Getting around:** Walking & lake ferry - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.hallstatt.net/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Hallstatt ### 1. Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine Salt mine · Salzberg, 4830 Hallstatt (funicular from Lahn) The oldest known salt mine in the world, worked since at least 1500 BC. The 90-minute tour rides two miners' wooden slides, one 64 metres long, and crosses a lit underground salt lake. It is 8°C inside all year, so bring a layer. - **Time:** 3 hrs - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Bring a warm layer Links: [Website](https://www.salzwelten.at/en/hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 2. Skywalk Welterbeblick Viewpoint · Salzberg, 4830 Hallstatt A steel platform 360 metres above the village, jutting 12 metres over the drop below the Rudolfsturm, a watchtower built in 1282 to guard the mine. The view takes in the spire, the roofs and the whole lake. It is two minutes from the funicular's top station. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Funicular fare - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Pair it with the mine Links: [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/sehenswertes/skywalk-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 3. The Beinhaus Ossuary · Kirchenweg 40, 4830 Hallstatt About 1,200 skulls shelved in St Michael's Chapel, 610 of them painted with names, dates and wreaths. The churchyard was too small to keep its dead, so bones were exhumed and brought here. It is one small room and ten minutes, and you will not forget it. - **Time:** 15 min - **Cost:** Small fee - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Climb the church steps Links: [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/400341/bone-house-ossuary-in-the-st-michaels-chapel.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 4. Catholic parish church Church · Kirchenweg, 4830 Hallstatt Maria am Berg stands above the roofs beside the Beinhaus. Inside is a double-winged late Gothic altar carved between 1510 and 1520, attributed to the Astl workshop. Its painted wings open for Advent and close for Lent, so the altar you see depends on the season. - **Time:** 20 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Visit with the Beinhaus ### 5. Marktplatz Square · Marktplatz, 4830 Hallstatt The small square at the centre of the village, ringed by painted houses, with the Protestant Christuskirche on the lake side. Walk Seestraße from here along the shore. Come early or late: by midday the lanes are full of day visitors. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Stay overnight Links: [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/sehenswertes-en-US/market-square/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 6. Hallstatt Museum Museum · Seestraße 56, 4830 Hallstatt The finds from the Iron Age cemetery that named the Hallstatt culture, with 7,000 years of salt working told in reconstructed scenes. Many objects came home here from Vienna's Natural History Museum. Read it before the mine and the tour makes more sense. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Before the mine - **Tip:** Go on a wet day Links: [Website](https://www.museum-hallstatt.at/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 7. 5fingers on the Krippenstein Viewpoint · Dachstein Krippenstein cable car, Obertraun Five platforms stick out over a 500-metre drop, an easy walk from the Krippenstein top station at 2,100 metres. The cable car leaves from Obertraun, about 5 km from Hallstatt. Sections one and two run 1 May to 1 November in 2026. - **Time:** Half day - **Cost:** Cable car fare - **Best at:** Clear mornings - **Tip:** Go on a clear day Links: [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004188/dachstein-krippenstein-cable-car.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 8. Dachstein Giant Ice Cave Cave · Schönbergalm, Obertraun Guided tours lead through halls of permanent ice inside the Dachstein, reached from the cable car's first stop at Schönbergalm. Dress for winter even in August. The Mammoth Cave and a small cave museum share the same station. - **Time:** 2–3 hrs - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Summer - **Tip:** Combine with 5fingers Links: [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004188/dachstein-krippenstein-cable-car.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 9. A boat on Hallstätter See Lake · Seestraße, 4830 Hallstatt The lake is 125 metres deep, and only electric, rowing and pedal boats are allowed on it, so it stays quiet. Rent an electric boat for an hour and look back at the village from the water, the view the whole village was built to face. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Rental - **Best at:** Evening - **Tip:** Watch the storm lights Links: [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004347/schwarzmayr-boat-rental.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 10. The Echerntal to Waldbachstrub Hike · Hallstatt Lahn, 4830 Hallstatt An easy themed walk of about 2.5 to 3 hours from Lahn up the Echerntal, past the Simony memorial and the glacial potholes of the Gletschergarten. It ends at the Waldbachstrub, where the stream drops more than 50 metres. Bring a picnic. - **Time:** 3 hrs - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** After rain - **Tip:** Start from Lahn Links: [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/active-summer-holiday/wanderzeit-en-US/neue-content-holder-en-us/hiking-in-hallstatt/hiking-to-the-glacier-garden-in-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best village sights in Hallstatt Four things on the way between the ferry and the funicular. 1. **Evangelical Christuskirche** (Church · Free · Oberer Marktplatz): The lakeside Protestant church, completed in 1863 after five years of building. [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/401188/evangelical-church-of-christ-in-hallstatt.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **The postcard viewpoint** (Viewpoint · Free · North end): The classic view of spire, houses and lake, at the north end of Gosaumühlstraße. 3. **Mühlbach waterfall** (Free · Centre): The stream that falls through the middle of the village, beside the boat pier. 4. **Salzbergbahn funicular** (Funicular · Lahn): Up to the mine and the Skywalk. A new car and valley station opened in late August 2026. ## Best restaurants in Hallstatt Lake fish first, and a table by the water if you can get one. 1. **Seehotel Grüner Baum** (Fine dining · $$$ · Marktplatz): Fish and fine cooking on the lake terrace, rated by Falstaff. 2. **Seewirt Zauner** (Austrian · $$ · Marktplatz): The village's grill for lake fish: whitefish, char and smoked trout. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/restaurants-en-us/neue-contentpage-en-us/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Bräugasthof** (Austrian · $$ · Seestraße): A family-run inn in the old brewery, with tables on the water. 4. **Gasthaus zur Mühle** (Austrian · $ · Centre): Austrian standards and wood-oven pizza by the Mühlbach falls. 5. **Restaurant Rudolfsturm** (Austrian · $$ · Salzberg): Schnitzel and salmon trout in the 13th-century tower on the Salzberg. [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-gastronomie/detail/103980/restaurant-rudolfsturm.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best cafes in Hallstatt Three stops for coffee, strudel and a seat by the lake. 1. **Maislinger** (Bakery · $ · Seestraße 156): The village bakery on the promenade. Take the apple strudel to the shore. [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-gastronomie/detail/430010512/maislinger-bakery-and-cafe.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Gemischtwarenhandlung am See** (Cafe · $ · Ferry landing): A coffeehouse right where the ferry docks. 3. **Café Derbl** (Cafe · $$ · Centre): A café-restaurant in the centre for coffee or a light lunch. ## Best things to do on the lake in Hallstatt Four ways onto or into the water. 1. **Ferry from the station** (Ferry · Year-round · Station to Markt): The Stephanie meets every train at Hallstatt station across the lake. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/service-eng/anreise-en-US/austria-by-rail/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Lake cruises** (Cruise · Markt): Round trips on Hallstätter See from the village piers in season. [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/400387/ship-tours-at-lake-hallstatt.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Schwarzmayr boat rental** (Rental · Lakefront): Electric, rowing and pedal boats, the only kinds the lake allows. [Website](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004347/schwarzmayr-boat-rental.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 4. **Strandbad Obertraun** (Swimming · Free · Obertraun): The best-kept bathing spot on the lake, with a jetty and free entry. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/aktiv-urlaub-im-salzkammergut/baden-im-salzkammergut/strandbad-obertraun/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best hikes in Hallstatt Four walks, from the lakeshore to the Dachstein. 1. **Soleweg** (Long-distance · Easy · Steeg to Bad Ischl): Follows the brine pipeline laid by 1607. The Hallstatt to Steeg leg has been shut by rockfall. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/active-summer-holiday/wanderzeit-en-US/neue-content-holder-en-us/long-distance-hiking-trails-in-the-salzkammergut/themenweg-salzkammergut-soleweg-en-us/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **East bank trail** (Lakeshore · Easy · East shore): The lakeside alternative north to Steeg, about three hours on foot. 3. **Gletschergarten** (Short · Steep steps · Echerntal): Potholes cut by meltwater as the glacier retreated about 12,000 years ago. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/active-summer-holiday/wanderzeit-en-US/neue-content-holder-en-us/hiking-in-hallstatt/hiking-to-the-glacier-garden-in-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 4. **Gosausee circuit** (Lake loop · Easy · Gosau): An easy lap of the lake under the Dachstein, about 1.5 hours. [Website](https://www.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-tour/detail/430000685/tour-around-the-lake-gosau.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Where to stay in Hallstatt Four bases, two in the village and two along the lake. 1. **Markt** (Old village · Centre): The old village between square and church, and the dearest rooms. 2. **Lahn** (Arrival · South): The southern end, by the funicular, the bus stop and the car parks. 3. **Obertraun** (Village · South shore): Quieter, 5 km south, beside the Krippenstein cable car and the beach. 4. **Bad Goisern** (Town · North): The market town north of the lake, on the train line to Bad Ischl. ## Best day trips from Hallstatt Four trips into the rest of the Salzkammergut. 1. **Bad Ischl** (Spa town · 20 km north): Franz Joseph's summer town, with the Kaiservilla and Zauner. About 37 minutes by train. 2. **St. Wolfgang and the Schafberg** (Lake and mountain · Wolfgangsee): A steam rack railway since 1893, to a summit with views over 14 lakes. 3. **Bad Aussee** (Spa town · Ausseerland): The Styrian side of the Salzkammergut, home of the Narzissenfest. 4. **Salzburg** (City · West): The nearest city, about 75 km by road, via a change at Attnang-Puchheim. ## Festivals & annual events in Hallstatt (2026) - **Glöcklerlauf** (Jan): Runners in lit headdresses on the eve of Epiphany in Obertraun. - **Narzissenfest** (May): Austria's largest flower festival, in the Ausseerland since 1960. - **Corpus Christi lake procession** (Jun): Flower-decked boats on the lake after mass. Late May or June. - **Lehár Festival** (Jul): Operetta in Bad Ischl, the composer's summer town, through August. - **Summer concerts** (Jul): Open-air brass and lakeside concerts on the Marktplatz and Seestraße. - **Assumption Day** (Aug): 15 August: a mountain mass, brass bands and a folk festival. - **Krampus runs** (Dec): Early December, on the Marktplatz: a children's run, then the adults'. - **Christmas market** (Dec): One day only, 8 December, on the Marktplatz, with a nativity scene. ## Must-try dishes in Hallstatt, Austria - **Reinanke**: Whitefish from the Salzkammergut lakes, grilled or smoked. - **Saibling**: Arctic char from the cold lakes, usually pan-fried in butter. - **Steckerlfisch**: Salted whole fish grilled on a stick over an open fire. - **Kasnocken**: Cheese dumplings with fried onions, the mountain-hut standard. - **Brettljause**: A wooden board of cured meats, cheese, bread and pickles. - **Kaiserschmarrn**: Torn, sugared pancake with fruit compote. - **Apfelstrudel**: Thin-pastry apple strudel, best warm from the bakery. - **Zaunerstollen**: Bad Ischl's chocolate-coated nougat and wafer bar, since 1905. ## Hallstatt transport & airports - **Salzburg Airport** (SZG): The nearest airport. Take the bus to Salzburg Hbf, then the train via Attnang-Puchheim. [Website](https://www.salzburg-airport.com/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Train and ferry** (Rail): Hallstatt station is across the lake. Change at Attnang-Puchheim; the ferry meets every train. [Website](https://www.oebb.at/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) · [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/service-eng/anreise-en-US/austria-by-rail/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Postbus** (Bus): Buses 542 and 543 from Bad Ischl stop at Hallstatt Lahn, at the south end of the village. - **Car** (Car): The village is car-free for visitors. Park at P1 or P2 in Lahn; spaces cannot be booked, so arrive early. [Website](https://www.hallstatt.net/service-eng/parking-in-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Hallstatt at a glance - **Country:** Austria - **Region:** Upper Austria, Salzkammergut (Gmunden district) - **Population:** 737 (1 January 2025) - **Founded:** Salt mined here since at least 1500 BC - **Nickname:** Namesake of the Hallstatt culture - **Language:** German - **Currency:** Euro (EUR) - **Time zone:** CET (UTC+1), CEST in summer - **Calling code:** +43 6134 - **Airports:** Salzburg (SZG), Linz (LNZ) - **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, type C and F plugs - **Emergency:** 112 general, 133 police, 122 fire, 144 ambulance ## Interesting facts - Europe's Early Iron Age is called the Hallstatt culture, after the cemetery above the village. - Johann Georg Ramsauer, the mine's official, began digging that cemetery in 1846. - Brine has flowed by pipeline from Hallstatt to Ebensee since 1607, first through hollowed logs. - A full-scale copy of Hallstatt opened in Boluo, in China's Guangdong province, in June 2012. - An eight-metre wooden staircase found in the mine dates to around 1100 BC. ## Hallstatt travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Hallstatt? Two days, with one night in the village. That covers the salt mine, the Skywalk, the Beinhaus and the museum on the first day and the Krippenstein or the Echerntal on the second, and it lets you see the lanes before and after the day visitors. ### How do you get to Hallstatt without a car? By train to Hallstatt station, changing at Attnang-Puchheim if you come from Vienna or Salzburg. The station is on the far shore, and the ferry Stephanie is timed to meet every train. Postbus 542 and 543 also run from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt Lahn. ### Can you drive into Hallstatt? Not as a day visitor. Park at P1 or P2 in Lahn, at the south end of the village, and walk. Neither car park takes reservations, so arrive early in summer. Coaches must book an entry slot in advance. ### Is the Hallstatt salt mine worth it? Yes. It is the oldest known salt mine in the world, and the tour rides two miners' slides and crosses an underground salt lake. Allow at least three hours with the funicular and the Skywalk, and bring a layer: it is 8°C inside. ### When is the best time to visit Hallstatt? May, June and September, when the cable cars and the mine are open and the crowds thin. The Krippenstein runs from May to early November. In winter the village is quiet, and December brings the Krampus runs and a one-day Christmas market. ## Nearby guides - [Graz](https://wimup.com/city/graz.md): Austria · 10 picks - [Český Krumlov](https://wimup.com/city/cesky-krumlov.md): Czechia · 10 picks - [Ljubljana](https://wimup.com/city/ljubljana.md): Slovenia · 10 picks - [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 110 cities Part of the [Austria guide](https://wimup.com/country/austria.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md) ## Sources - [Hallstatt tourism board](https://www.hallstatt.net/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine (official site)](https://www.salzwelten.at/en/hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Skywalk Welterbeblick (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/sehenswertes/skywalk-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [The Beinhaus (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/400341/bone-house-ossuary-in-the-st-michaels-chapel.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Marktplatz (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/sehenswertes-en-US/market-square/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Hallstatt Museum (official site)](https://www.museum-hallstatt.at/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [5fingers on the Krippenstein (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004188/dachstein-krippenstein-cable-car.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [A boat on Hallstätter See (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/430004347/schwarzmayr-boat-rental.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [The Echerntal to Waldbachstrub (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/active-summer-holiday/wanderzeit-en-US/neue-content-holder-en-us/hiking-in-hallstatt/hiking-to-the-glacier-garden-in-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Evangelical Christuskirche (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/401188/evangelical-church-of-christ-in-hallstatt.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Seewirt Zauner (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/restaurants-en-us/neue-contentpage-en-us/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Restaurant Rudolfsturm (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-gastronomie/detail/103980/restaurant-rudolfsturm.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Maislinger (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-gastronomie/detail/430010512/maislinger-bakery-and-cafe.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Ferry from the station (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/service-eng/anreise-en-US/austria-by-rail/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Lake cruises (official site)](https://dachstein.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-poi/detail/400387/ship-tours-at-lake-hallstatt.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Strandbad Obertraun (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/ueber-hallstatt/aktiv-urlaub-im-salzkammergut/baden-im-salzkammergut/strandbad-obertraun/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Soleweg (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/about-hallstatt/active-summer-holiday/wanderzeit-en-US/neue-content-holder-en-us/long-distance-hiking-trails-in-the-salzkammergut/themenweg-salzkammergut-soleweg-en-us/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Gosausee circuit (official site)](https://www.salzkammergut.at/en/oesterreich-tour/detail/430000685/tour-around-the-lake-gosau.html?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Salzburg Airport (official site)](https://www.salzburg-airport.com/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Train and ferry (official site)](https://www.oebb.at/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Car (official site)](https://www.hallstatt.net/service-eng/parking-in-hallstatt/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.