First impressions…

• Driving there through mountains and snow was an adventure. We were really off the beaten path – we were the only ones on the road most of the way.
• The town is built on the side of a mountain and it looks like one house on top of another.
• It was very crowded during the day, but all the tourists left on buses in the afternoon and it looked like we were the only ones left. We had dinner in a restaurant and were the only customers except for one local at the bar.
• The Christmas market was very small. It looked like all of the booths were local. Several were sponsored by civic or school groups.

Don’t miss…

• Beautiful views of the lake
• Torchlight tour of the town (be prepared for lots of steps)

Next time…

• Boat tour of the lake (it was closed when we were there)
• Visit markets in some of the nearby towns (we didn’t go because of the snow)

If you drive…

• Don’t try to drive on the narrow streets – they are narrow with many pedestrians.
• Plan parking in advance. We stayed at a private apartment with parking provided.
• Be prepared for a narrow, winding road through the mountains.

Beaten path index (See the key here)

• Cameras: 5 (after the tour buses left)
• Language: 4
• Path: 5
• Tourists: 5 (after the tour buses left)

Bottom line…
Hallstatt is a beautiful old town. We’d like to see it in the summer if we’re in the area.

Some of our favorite photos