Hallstatt – a beautiful small town, tucked between mountains and lakes, it impresses with its beautiful scenery, charming architecture, and kind and welcoming people. You would be surprised that after so many years living in Austria, this was my first time visiting this fairytale-like little place. I’ve seen it on postcards, in articles, and on social media, but it’s been like one of those things we all do when we live somewhere, we think we’ll visit them one day, and time flies. To be honest, there have been so many things I haven’t done because I didn’t want to consider myself a tourist but after some time of meeting travelers from all over the world through my job, I got inspired to do some of them, and Hallstatt was on the top of my list.
One of the reasons I never went to Hallstatt before was that I thought I needed to have a car. Well, finally I went by car, but I found out getting there is not that difficult, there are trains and buses, you could even make it on a day trip and return in the evening. Of course, a car is much more convenient because the whole area is stunning and there are so many places to discover and enjoy. If you have the time, I’d totally recommend taking a few days to explore the area. But for Hallstatt itself, I think 1-2 days are enough, after all, you can walk from one end to the other in less than an hour. And since the place is that small it is so easy to find the best photo spots, you just wouldn’t miss them.
Of course the night before the trip I googled “Best photo spots in Hallstatt” and I was diligent in making a list to make sure I don’t miss something, but it’s much easier than that, if you just walk along the lake you will find some super cute spots, just take your time and enjoy the beautiful views and scenery and don’t rush to open your camera, savor the moment, take a coffee, have lunch, sit by the lake and enjoy the sun, then when you’ve settled and found your way around you can take some beautiful photos.
And I did exactly that, since I was traveling with my partner I wanted to enjoy some romantic time together and not just look at my phone or camera, so I made sure we first discovered the place in a relaxed manner, talking, laughing, walking hand in hand, no rush … and then, of course, I asked him to take some photos of me.
And here are some of the photos we took while walking around Hallstatt. I think the town’s main square was one of my favorite spots, it was still the time right after Christmas so the Christmas decorations and Christmas tree were still up and the mood was really magical.
The other photo spot not to miss is the famous viewpoint that’s on all postcards, a little bit cliche, but when in Hallstatt it’s worth taking at least a selfie there. You can easily find the spot on the maps, it’s at the end of the street along the lake, and if in doubt, just follow the tourists, I think everyone has that place on their list.