My Visual Travel Experience: Hallstatt (Austria)

I lived in Austria for 4 years from 1985 too 1989, from the ages of 12 to 16. My father was the Indian Ambassador in Vienna back then. We travelled extensively around Austria, but somehow I never made it to the town of Hallstatt, supposedly one of the prettiest small towns not just in Austria, but across the world! My parents and I did make a plan once, but we had to cancel just the day before because I got high fever!

Decades later, in the summer of 2025, I finally made it to Hallstatt. I visited for a couple of days with my wife Kamalini and my 10 year old son Rehaan. To put it mildly, all three of us were mesmerized by its beauty! We stayed at a lovely, well-equipped, spacious apartment called Apartments Marie A, walking distance from the heart of town.

Hallstatt is a small town in the Gmunden District of the Austrian state of Upper Austria. The town lies in the scenic Salzkammergut region and is situated along the Hallstaetter See. It has a population of just over 700 residents. It draws numerous tourists to it because of its breathtaking beauty. In fact the town has suffered from reports of over-tourism, with an active drive to actually limit the number of tourists who visit. The town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

A View of Hallstatt, with Lake Hallstatt
and the Evangelische Pfarrkirche
Hallstatt

Besides its picturesque lake and lovely architecture, Hallstatt is also famous for its salt mine, which is the world’s oldest operational salt mine. Hallstatt was known way back in the Bronze Age for its salt production, and salt mining was a major occupation of the population in the 8th to the 5th centuries BC.  In 1846, a large prehistoric cemetery was discovered near the salt mines, and excavations yielded over 1,000 burials.

The Marktplatz lies in the heart of town. It is a bustling square, full of cafes, restaurants and shops, including popular souvenir shops. In the centre of the square lies the Holy Trinity Statue. In 1750, the historic square was badly damaged in a devastating fire, but it was subsequently rebuilt. The square is a venue for many events, including concerts, cultural events and the Christmas Market!

Marktplatz, with the 
Holy Trinity Column

The Evangelische Pfarrkirche Hallstatt dates back to 1863. The protestant church replaced an earlier church built at the site in 1785. The church has a prominent tower.

Exterior, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

High Altar, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

Organ, Evangelische
Pfarrkirche Hallstatt

Pfarrkirche Maria Himmelfahrt is the Roman Catholic church of Hallstatt. The church was completed in 1505. After the fire of 1750, the church was given a Baroque spire. 

Exterior, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

High Altar, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Pulpit, Pfarrkirche
Maria Himmelfahrt

Hallstaetter See, or Lake Hallstatt, stretches from south to north. It is 7.5 km long, and 1.4 km wide at its widest point. The lake is popular for fishing. It is also a favourite with tourists, who use it for swimming, diving and boating. The town lies on the western shores of the lake.

Halstaetter See

Swan, Halstaetter See

Museum Hallstatt is a museum that takes visitors through a journey of 7,000 years of the region’s history. The museum was founded in 1844. The museum’s highlights include artefacts from excavations of the Hallstatt Salt Mines and burial grounds, Neolithic exhibits, and exhibits from the region’s culture, the Roman times and modern times.

Museum Hallstatt

Cone Shaped Hat (14th to 8th
Century BC), Museum Hallstatt

Figure of a salt mine worker,
Museum Hallstatt

Shoe (8th to 4th
Century BC), Museum Hallstatt

Hallstatt Salt Mines are the world’s oldest salt mines still in operation, with a history going back 7,000 years! The mines consist of 21 levels, ranging from 514 meters above sea level to 1,267 meters above sea level. Visitors can see the mines in guided tours, through a combination of walking, going on mine trains along the tracks, and going down the slides from one level to another. One enters the mines by going up on a mountain cable car from the town. From the top, there are spectacular views of the town and lake below. 

View from the Top,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

, Mountain Cable Car,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Mine Train,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Tunnel,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Salt Bucket,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Slide,
Hallstatt Salt Mines

Seldom have I seen the kind of pristine beauty that I saw in Hallstatt. The only thing that left a slightly bad taste in the mouth was an isolated incident at Marktplatz. I got my son an ice cream. When I asked for a tissue, the ice cream seller took off on me for polluting the environment by using paper instead of using water from the fountain at Marktplatz. He then went a step further and said Indians are like that only, and don't care about the environment. Very politely but firmly, I told him he was being racist. He then got defensive and said Indians are very nice people, it's just that they should look after the environment better. It wasn't a big deal, as I've endured far worse racist comments in my life. Perhaps it was just a reaction to the over-tourist that locals in Hallstatt have had to endure over the years. However, it slightly soured an otherwise amazing visit to this amazing little town!