Hallstatt - A Unesco World Heritage Gem

Where do I even start!? Hallstatt has been on my bucket list from the first time I ever saw a picture of it (I think I was 15!) Whats not to love though - the incredible mountains, the alpine architecture, the glistening Hallstättersee? From every angle this little town is so picturesque and beautiful, and we were lucky enough to stay right in the heart of it all at the Heritage Hotel Hallstatt.

Hallstatt is one of a few towns along the Hallstättersee and only really gained a spot on the modern map due to its salt mining that dates back over 700 years! The salt mine that sits in the mountains above the town is believed to be the oldest known salt mine in the world. It has now become a UNESCO World Heritage Site- not just the salt mine BUT the whole town! Walking through the narrow twisty streets of this incredible little town, in the middle of the Austrian mountains makes you feel like you’re in a movie set.

as if this isnt the cutest town square you have ever seen

Paying a visit to this dreamy little town will take some planning though, especially if you’re coming by car! Because the village is nestled between high mountains and the Hallstättersee, theres not much space making parking quite the problem - it’s not even permitted for hotel or guest house visitors to drive through or park in the village. We parked our car in P1 and caught the shuttle bus to Heritage Hotel Hallstatt. This car park was specifically built for guests who booked rooms in any of the hotels in the village centre.

A quick rundown of where we stayed - The Heritage Hotel Hallstatt is a unique hotel with three different buildings. We stayed in building 3 (House Seethaler) which is perched on the hillside with an unbelievable view of the lake. The balcony was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet above all the hustle and bustle of the busy streets below.

Heritage Hotel Hallstatt views

I knew this little fairytale village was going to be busy and touristy, but I had no idea to what extent, it is actually crazy! So many people in such a small area, all trying to see the same thing and take the same photos = chaos! Makes sense though, this town gets up to a million tourists every year! To escape the crowds, we hired ourselves one of the electric rowing boats and spent our afternoon out on the lake! (20€/hour) It was so peaceful out there admiring the views and seeing the town from a different perspective. By the time we made it back to land, the tour busses had all departed for the day and it was a lot more bearable. Tour busses come daily, loaded with eager tourists, arriving from 8:45am and then in 5-10 minute intervals from there on out!! The only way to enjoy the unique atmosphere of this town is by getting up and strolling around super early- but trust me, it’s worth it!

Hallstatt seen from the lake

There’s so much more to this cozy village than just the petty buildings. There are also multiple hiking trails in and around the area of Hallstatt. We only spent two nights, and got unlucky with the weather one of the days, so unfortunately didn’t get to do any hikes- we did however catch the cable car to the top of the Skywalk (this costs €22 for a return journey) and the views at the top are spectacular! Alternatively, if you did have more time the hike up there would take roughly 1 hour and doesn’t look too difficult.

Top of Hallstatt

For anyone passing through Austria, I can’t recommend it enough! It’s perfect for a long weekend or just a day trip for the pristine mountain air and European charm. It is almost too consistent in its alpine style architecture for it to seem like it wasn’t built to be a tourist attraction! It truly is one of the most charming places I’ve been in Europe!

Balcony views of the Hallstatt town