Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Commune with nature in the Salzkammergut, Austria's Lake District. “The hills are alive,”
and you're surrounded by the loveliness that has turned on everyone from Emperor Franz
Josef to Julie Andrews. This is Sound of Music country. Idyllic and majestic, but not rugged,
it's a gentle land of lakes, forested mountains, and storybook villages, rich in hiking oppor-
tunities and inexpensive lodging. Settle down in the postcard-pretty, lake-cuddling town of
Hallstatt. While there are plenty of lakes and charming villages in the Salzkammergut, Hall-
statt is really the only one that matters.
Planning Your Time
HallstattservesasarelaxingbreakbetweenViennaandSalzburg.Onenightandafewhours
to browse are all you'll need to fall in love. To relax or take a hike in the surroundings, give
it two nights and a day.
Orientation to Hallstatt
LovableHallstatt(HAHL-shtaht)isatinytownbulliedontoaledgebetweenaselfishmoun-
tain and a swan-ruled lake, with a waterfall ripping furiously through its middle. It can be
toured on foot in about 15 minutes. Salt veins in the mountain rock drew people here cen-
turies before Christ. The symbol of Hallstatt, which you'll see all over town, consists of two
adjacent spirals—a design based on jewelry found in Bronze Age Celtic graves high in the
nearby mountains.
Hallstatt has two parts: the tightly packed medieval town center (which locals call the
Markt) and the newer, more car-friendly Lahn, a few minutes' walk to the south. A lakeside
promenade connects the old center to the Lahn. The tiny “main” boat dock (a.k.a. Market
Dock), where boats from the train station arrive, is in the old center of town. Another boat
dock is in the Lahn, next to Hallstatt's bus stop and grocery store.
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