Most people have heard of Hallstatt. Some even before they heard about Austria.
Hallstadt is a village on Lake Hallstatt’s western shore in Austria’s mountainous Salzkammergut region. Its 16th-century Alpine houses and alleyways are home to cafes and shops. A funicular railway connects to Salzwelten, an ancient salt mine with a subterranean salt lake, and to a viewing platform over the lake. In Austria and in fact well beyond, Hallstatt takes primary importance for it’s salt mine, which has been producing salt literally since the age of man and all from a single salt mine now reaching deep inside the mountain. At 300km of tunnels, the mine today is only scratching the surface of what there is to be minded. to get there, take the train up the step mountain and continue to hike for a bit. Stop in between to savor the unbelievable view of Hallstadt from high above and then enter the tunnel of the mine to experience a different world deep inside the mountain.
Today of course tourism has taken the village by storm.
Owing to the beauty of Hallstatt, the Chinese liked it so much, they built a replica of the entire town. Yet, no one can copy the beauty and originality of what has taken thousands of years to evolve. Not even the Chinese. Not surprisingly, today the Chinese are the dominant crowd in town as this little village of 700 souls, welcomes several thousand visitors each day, most of whom are in fact Chinese.
In any case, Liz has been asking for well over ten years that we visit Hallstatt but as so often, what is closest to home, somehow tends to elude us. Since we were in Salzburg this time, it kind of was on the way back, the weather beautiful we decided on a day trip. I too had not been there before and no doubt, one is taken aback by the picturesque scenery that awaits.
After a short walk through the one and only road in town, we enjoyed a fantastic lunch lakeside.
Another short walk to the station of the little train that takes visitors up the mountain to the salt mine. Here we took the tour to learn a little of the fascinating history shrouding this town, so well secluded in the midst of the granite mountains surrounding it.
Cheers and if you have not been here, come and see for yourself!
If you are interested to learn a little more about this beautiful place you can read up in German here and in English here, or here.
Meanwhile here some impressions of our quick whirlwind tour:
