Hallstatt is arguably one of the most photogenic lakeside towns and most visited destinations in Austria. The place is famous for its fairytale-like townscape, with its spiky bell tower and massive mountains and cliffs surrounding it.
The place does get pretty crowded at times, but don’t let that deter you from visiting Hallstatt. There’s so much more to do here than you might think. From going on a tour around an ancient salt mine to exploring an ice cave, here are all the best things you can do in Hallstatt:
10 Best Things to Do in Hallstatt
1. Ferry Ride Around Hallstatt Lake
If you are traveling by train to Hallstatt, one of the first things you will have to do is take a ferry across Hallstatt Lake to get to the town since the closest train station is located on the other side of the lake.
And if you are there on the first train from Salzburg, as I did, you will be able to witness some of the calmest and most beautiful moments of Hallstatt that you will ever experience. You will arrive there just in time for the first ferry, and you will have the whole lake to yourself.
I was there in July, the busiest time of the year, and took the train from Salzburg at around 5:12 AM, arriving at the Hallstatt train station at 7:30 AM, in time for the first ferry crossing.
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To my surprise, the lake was completely empty, and I had the opportunity to enjoy Hallstatt in peace before it becomes crowded with tourists, which I thought was impossible.
The ferry schedule runs according to the train schedule from/to Vienna and Salzburg, so you should have no trouble catching the ferry in time. They operate from 6:50 AM to 6:15 PM (leaving from Hallstatt) in the summer every day, with the ferry leaving every hour or so.
If you are not traveling by train, you can also rent a kayak in town when you arrive or ferry around the lake and visit other lakeside towns on one of the many ferries that connect the towns together.
