On our way out of Salzburg, we stopped at Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl which was the summer home of Sisi and Franz Joseph of the Hapsburg Empire. The colorful yellow building was especially gorgeous with the blue skies (we had endured many overcast days with minimal sunshine up until now).
After our quick tour of Bad Ischl, our next stop was our favorite place we visited: Hallstatt. It was an absolutely breathtaking village of about 1,000 residents nestled on a lake. It was like being in a fairy tale. We would come back here just to enjoy the serene life on the lake.
The salt mine in the mountain is one of many that made Austria so rich in the middle ages. About 300 meters into the mountain, and about 100 meters below the surface, we took a tour through the oldest operating salt mine in the world! We walked through tight mine shafts, slid down the mine slides, and took the mine train to exit. This was the coolest thing we did in Austria!
The salt mine in the mountain is one of many that made Austria so rich in the middle ages. About 300 meters into the mountain, and about 100 meters below the surface, we took a tour through the oldest operating salt mine in the world! We walked through tight mine shafts, slid down the mine slides, and took the mine train to exit. This was the coolest thing we did in Austria!
Tips to future Halstatt travelers:
- Because the village is small you can "see it" in one day. But I would suggest taking 3-4 days to really relax and enjoy the beauty.
- The salt mines close somewhat early. The last tour of the day is mid-afternoon (varies during the year, but is mostly early).
- Pack light! The streets are narrow and it's likely you will walk to your hotel. Lugging large suitcases down cobbled streets is tough.