Anyone out there been to Hallstatt? We are planning to set up base there and day trip by train. Are there any "off the beaten path" cities/sites/adventures in the area that I should know about? We are already planning one to Salzburg and have Eurail passes good for one more day. rturn to Munich is already figured in. Thanks in advance.

Hallstatt is a very beautiful town, we stayed there two nights last September. If you can get to Obertraun (sp?) Take the ride to the top of Krippstien (sp?), which involves 2 gondolas. It is absolutely unforgettable up there, and there are some fairly easy hiking trails with views that will stay with you forever. The salt mines in Hallstatt are also fun, but involve some hiking from the Tram to the actual mine complex. Because Hallstatt is so isolated, it could be time consuming getting out to other sites for day trips. You need to take a boat to get to the train! Austria is a wonderful place!

Thank you doug. We will try to get to Salzburg but Krippstein sounds great. <BR> <BR>Geoff

Halstadt is an amazing place, and there are many other beautiful offbeat places to see in the area. Take a walk to the Gosauern Lake, or take the ride up to the Kaprun reservoir. For all the info I have, check out my web site - <BR>http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/5733 <BR>

Hi Geoff: <BR> <BR>Hallstatt is very pretty town. Quite small and could be crowded. I think tha you might be better served basing near Salzburg if you plan on using the trains for day trips. Hallstatt beauty comes from its isolation. I thing one full day in that town would give you a good Hallstatt experience. If you can get to Gossau, and view the Dachstein Mountains I would try for that! Maybe there are busses that run up there? Worth checking out <BR> <BR>JOHN

yes, hallstatt is VERY small. i agree with a previous poster in setting up base somewhere else and doing 1 night in hallstatt. don't get me wrong, gorgeous and some very nice hikes, but the place literally shuts down after 9:00! it is crowded, but during the day; at night i found it quite desolate. hope this helps

I agree with the poster above who suggested that Hallstatt might not be the best place to base yourself for day trips. The frequency of trains to/from Hallstatt is not great, and it costs money to even get to the train "station" (last I knew the cost of the ferry was ATS 25) BUT, once you're there, you might not ever want to leave. After 9pm, the city does seem to shut down, but if you just hang out in one of the restaurants or Gasthäuser, things get pretty interesting, and you're likely to meet people from all over, and also many locals. Chances are you'll have great conversation over a few drinks, and you'll remember it for a long time! Another suggestion: you don't have to take the funicular to the salt mines. You can hike the whole way up...it took us about an hour or an hour and a half. Such amazing scenerey, and some hidden treasures you'll miss if you just take the Salzbergbahn. Get a map at the tourist information center.

Returned from Germany,Austria and Switzerland a week ago. Hallstatt was one of the highlights of our 3 week trip, but we rented a car in Frankfurt and drove many, many beautiful kilometers. The train is across the Hallstattersee from town and takes about 15 minutes by boat.Probably not the best place to call "homebase", but do not miss it!We stayed at Gasthof Simony..wonderful balcony above the lake.Have a great time wherever you go.

We made reservations to stay in Gasthof Simony for 3 nights based on the review it got in Rick Steves book. Found out when we got there it was a mistake...hostess was curt, room was shabby and the balcony was right over a very noisy outside patio bar. People were out there drinking and carrying on way past 9 pm. let me tell you! The next day we walked around and found a B&amp;B that was right on the water and very quiet and enjoyed 2 nights there.

Agree that Hallstatt was the highlight of our trip, but not the best place for a "base". We stayed next door to the Simony, Seehotel Gruner Baum. It was quite nice and the restaurant was very good. Will be staying there on our next trip