Hallstatt
 

Do you know any organized day trip to Hallstatt from Salzburg?

Sam, you don't need an organized trip. Hallstatt is very small, and a place to "be", rather than site-see. Take the train.

Yup .. take the train. You can take the train from Salzburg to Attnang Pucheim and then change at A.P.<BR><BR>When you get to Halstatt (it's a small regional train that gets you there), there will be a boat (sort of like a fisherman's) waiting to meet the train. YOu pay the fare and they take you across. <BR><BR>I remember Rick STeves having a write-up about this place in his Austrian Guide. So you can use that or whatever other guide .. that will tell you about the salt mines (worth going to, if only for the slide ;) ), the churches, cemetaries etc..<BR><BR>But Liz is right..it's the place to be. Just get there and enjoy the atmosphere. We didn't want to leave :) <BR><BR>Definitely don't let the lack of "tour" stop you from going there. It is a very quaint village.

Agree with the messages - there isn't anything to "organize" in Hallstatt. The town is small and charming - beautiful houses with great flower boxes. The salt mine is great fun - especially the slide. <BR><BR>I rented a car.<BR><BR>I wrote in my journal "Drove to Hallstadt, a short but pretty ride [from Salzburg]. The clouds are starting to burn off. After a little confusion with the parking (drove all the way through town, turned around, drove into town, drove out of town, turned around unsafely, drove into a closed lot, then finally parked. [The parking is on the outskirts of town - before you arrive in the town itself]<BR><BR>Hallstadt is right on a lake and is said to be the odest settlement in Austria. Walked through town and took the funicular up the mountain to the salt mine. Rode up (very steep) then walked to the salt mine. What a hoot the tour was! They have us put on protective clothing (a button up shirt and pants with a leather tush). You take a tram (a little train with wooden benches you straddle) into the mine, then walk. To get deeper, you take a wooden slide - quite steep and fast. It is very fun. (Again, it is a wood piece you straddle.) They snap your picture - I bought it because it is so silly......<BR>

When in Hallstatt do visit the Heimatmuseum. A small museum in a fieldstone building that appears to have once been a home, the museum has two interesting collections: one devoted to folk art and crafts, the other to archeological findings dating to the Iron Age when the town was first settled.

Might also add that if the town is not inundated with tourists and you sit on one of the benches in the small, charming town square, sooner or later the mayor will probably come over and introduce himself and the village to you. Happened to us a few years ago.

Has anyone driven to Hallstatt from the south - St. Johann? The road looks interesting. How long does it take?

I saw this town on the most recent Rick Steves show. It looks fantastic and darling.

I want to go back to Hallstatt in the spring or summer. We were there in Nov. and everything was closed. Don't miss the Catholic church cemetery in the town. There is a "masoleum" there that houses the skulls of deceased parishoners as they exume bodies to make room for other parishoners...never seen anything like it, but those pictures are the highlight of my photo album (just for the story).

Hallstadt is so beautiful. Very easy to get to by train. It is very friendly and charming. The salt mines are fun. The Catholic church with the bone building is very interesting.
Have fun.

Re; Hallstatt, are there any favorite hotel/guesthouse and why. Am planning to be there for at least 2 days in Sept.,04, but after that? Am looking for quint towns, not big cities where can use as a base &amp; take side trips from there. any info would be greatly appreciated.