1. Set your alarm early to avoid mass tourism

Hallstatt is often considered one of the most beautiful villages in Austria. And we totally get that. It’s magical, idyllic and it looks like a postcard! The fog clouds hanging over the village that day made it mysterious and we were super excited to explore Hallstatt. The houses are built against a steep rock mountain and the village is surrounded by high mountains and a green-blue lake, the Hallstättersee. Unfortunately, Hallstatt’s beauty also has a downside. The small village is overrun by tourists. If you want to avoid them and experience how Hallstatt can be itself for a while, you really need to get there early.

Many day trips to Hallstatt are organised. So make sure you have discovered most of the town before 10am. Then the first tourists arrive by tour bus or boat. We arrived in Hallstatt around 8:30 am, so we had enough time to discover the village. Hallstatt wakes up, slowly all the shops are opening and the locals get ready for another busy day. The advantage of arrive early is that you can enjoy the beautiful viewpoints. You can also spot all kinds of animals who only pay attention to you. Charming swans like to follow you and cats come to cuddle.

2. Go by car

In the past, you could only reach Hallstatt by boat, but later a road has been built and you can reach it easily and quickly by car. Therefore, visit Hallstatt early by car. Then you still have a spot in the parking lot that is only a 5 to 10 minute walk away.

3. Respect the rules of the residents of Hallstatt

The village is so small and in proportion there are way too many tourists who visit Hallstatt on a daily basis, so try to inconvenience the residents of Hallstatt as little as possible. For example respect their rules and don’t fly your drone.