A Lightly Entertaining Tour of Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatt, located in Austria's Salzkammergut area, is a well-known tourist destination because of its picture-perfect lake, stunning scenery, and enchanted feel. Hyperbole will smack you read about Hallstatt online.

Magical, tranquil, pastoral, and quaint are all words that die very, very, very slowly, and painfully in Hallstatt.

The virtual walking tour I have prepared for you today will take you through the streets of Hallstatt and show why the town deserves its reputation for murder, arson, and beautiful beauty.

The Day's Tour to Hallstatt, in Brief

This next section is meant to make you feel as though you've stepped into the middle of the action as you're whisked away on a tour of the historic district of Hallstatt. Not even close to complete, and leaving out some of the biggest things to do in the region, I still hope you enjoy this simulated stroll!

The best way to get to know the Old Town of Hallstatt without breaking the bank is to follow this walking tour, which may be done virtually or in person if you are lucky enough to vacation in the area.

Hallstatt's Most Envying View

Most people's first experience with Hallstatt is mediated in some way by a screen, whether a taunt between two crockpot recipes on Pinterest or a matte filter on Instagram. In case you've gone all the way to Hallstatt only to snap some pictures, let me tell you: THIS is where you want to be.

This view is so well-known that even your great-best aunt's friend has probably seen a picture of it before, yet it has never been given a proper name for some reason. Don't worry; our map pinpoints the location of "THE #1 Hallstatt View" exactly where you'll find it.

We're the type of people who get up before the morning, so we'll be starting our stroll at 7 am when the sun is rising over the mountains, the river is calm from the absence of boats, and wait, what was that? How amazing that you can now genuinely listen to your mind.

Marktplatz

The route from THE viewpoint to Marktplatz is winding, framed by a lake on one side and neatly piled wooden chalets on the other. A chance encounter with a fellow traveler enjoying a cup of coffee on his balcony is always a pleasant surprise.

Let's say our goodbyes and keep on waving. If you've been listening to my obnoxious 7 am wake-up call, you'll never get to experience Hallstatt so deserted again. Enjoy the town while you can; tour buses from Salzburg arrive around 10 am and fill the streets.

For a community of only 800 people, Hallstatt attracts an astounding 10,000 tourists every day, so if you get the chance to visit when the crowds have thinned down, you should take full advantage of the experience.

The Church of The Evangelicals

You probably didn't notice, but you walked right by the Evangelical Church you shot so carefully on your way to Marktplatz. You could marvel at this prominent place of worship. Let me quickly dash your hopes by revealing some sad backstory.

Here's the cliff notes version: the Salzkammergut was totally into Protestantism when Martin Luther started preaching it in the 16th century. The miners and the working class went crazy with the "stop the Catholic church from hoarding our money" message, and Protestantism quickly swept the globe.

Classic Village Viewpoint/Houses Panorama

As we go from one beautiful location to the next, let's make our way to the position where you can get THE best view of Hallstatt's famous wooden homes, which are lined up like chocolate bonbons along the lively Hallstättersee.

You may stop at the Hallstatt World Heritage Museum or if you're more of a brochure person, the Tourism Office. But these aren't available just yet; you came to Hallstatt ahead of the masses, after all.

Bräugasthof

Now we'll go on to the next tourist attraction. Along the way, you'll see the well-known Bräugasthof, which stands out since it's one of the few establishments in Hallstatt that has capitalized on the "not Instagram" travel trend.

A hundred-year-old chestnut tree beside the pond has been decorated with colorful lanterns, and the terrace's adorable tiny wooden tables welcome you to come and take a deep breath for roughly 30 euros.

Jokingly, they're not that high, but if you're curious, here they are: While construction on this historic structure began in 1472, it wasn't until 1504 that the house gained brewing privileges for beer and truly became a frat party.