What to do in Hallstatt at a glance
The historic centre is a few lanes between the lake and the rock face, and you can walk it in an hour. Most of the list below is outside the village: on the salt mountain above it, on the lake, or a short bus ride away at the Dachstein, the Gosausee or Bad Ischl.
Prices are for adults in 2026 and can change, so check the day before. Several highlights are seasonal. The entries say when they are open, and the Dachstein and Schafberg lines stop their summer service on 1 November 2026.
In the village and on the lake (1 to 5)
Everything here is within a 20 minute walk of the centre. Go early or late and it feels like a village.
1. Walk the market square and the lanes
The historic market square has the old houses and the Seehotel Grüner Baum. The Protestant church is a few steps away and holds concerts in summer. It costs nothing, and between 10 am and 1 pm, when the coaches arrive, it is busy. Before 9 am it is quiet.
Getting to Hallstatt →2. Visit the Bone House
The Michaelskapelle next to the Catholic parish church shows over 600 painted skulls from a collection of more than 1,200. Entry is €2 for adults, cash only. From 1 May to 30 September it opens daily from 10 am to 6 pm. In winter the hours are shorter and it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
3. Go to the World Heritage Museum
The museum at Seestraße 56 covers the salt, the Iron Age graves and the village history. Adults pay €12, children aged 6 to 14 pay €8, and a family ticket is €25. From May to September it is open from 10 am to 6 pm. Dogs are not allowed. A good choice for a rainy hour.
4. See the postcard view from the Gosaumühlstraße
The classic photo point is on the Gosaumühlstraße at the northern edge of the village. It is free, but the road is narrow and has no proper pavement. Please stay off private ground and do not fly a drone. Hallstatt has declared itself a no drone zone.
5. Take a boat on the lake
The ferry from the station costs €4 one way and €8 return, in cash, and runs all year. For a proper trip, the southern circular cruise costs €18 and runs from May to September. A single ride to Obertraun costs €12. Boat rental also exists near the centre; ask on site for prices. Ferry and cruise fares are 2025 lists, so check before you go.
Hallstatt tours and experiences
Day trips from Vienna and Salzburg, salt mine tickets and Dachstein excursions, with live prices and availability.
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Above the village (6 and 7)
Both start from the same new funicular. The Skywalk and the salt mine are separate visits, and you can do either one without the other.
6. Stand on the Skywalk
The 12-metre platform hangs about 350 metres above the village. The new funicular, open since 29 August 2026, takes about 3 minutes and costs €29 return for adults and €14 for children aged 4 to 15. That ticket is enough for the Skywalk. Allow about an hour.
Skywalk guide →7. Go down the salt mine
The guided tour lasts about 90 minutes and includes a 64-metre miners' slide and an underground salt lake. With the funicular it costs €49 for adults and €23 for children; without the funicular, for walkers, it is €33 and €16. The mine is about 8 °C. Children must be 4 or over.
Salt mine guide →Around the lake (8 to 12)
These are half-day or full-day trips. Two of them in one day is realistic only if you start early.
8. Ride up the Krippenstein to the 5fingers
The cable car from Obertraun reaches the Krippenstein at 2,100 metres. From the top station the easy walk to the 5fingers platform takes 20 to 30 minutes. A cable car only ticket for all three sections costs €46.70. Summer service runs until 1 November 2026.
Dachstein guide →9. Enter the Giant Ice Cave and the Mammoth Cave
Both caves are visited with a guide, about 50 minutes each. The ice cave stays around −2 °C and the Mammoth Cave around +3 °C, so bring a jacket. The All in One ticket covers the lifts and both caves for €66.20 for adults. Book a time at the cave desk at the middle station.
Dachstein caves →10. Walk around the Gosausee
The lake lies at 933 metres with the Dachstein glacier behind it. The loop is about 4 kilometres and takes 1 to 1.5 hours, on a good path. By car it is about 30 minutes from Hallstatt. Parking is paid; budget around €10 to €15 for a day.
Gosausee guide →11. Spend a day in Bad Ischl
The Kaiservilla, the emperor's summer residence, costs €24 with the park (guided tour of about 45 minutes, no photos inside). It is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm in October and mostly closed in November. Café Zauner has served here since 1832.
Bad Ischl guide →12. Take the steam railway up the Schafberg
The cog railway from St. Wolfgang climbs to 1,783 metres in about 35 minutes and has run since 1893. The return ticket is €61 for adults and €18.40 for children aged 4 to 14. The main season ends on 1 November 2026.
St. Wolfgang guide →How to fit it into one day
Pick one big item and add the village. The village plus the Skywalk takes about half a day. Add the salt mine and you need at least three hours for it alone. The Krippenstein with 5fingers needs at least 2.5 hours, and with a cave 4 to 6 hours.
The regional tourism office suggests doing the salt mountain in the morning and the Krippenstein after lunch. That plan dates from before the new funicular, so build in extra time. If you have two days, give the Gosausee or Bad Ischl its own day.
A guided tour saves the planning, and staying overnight gives you the quiet hours.
Things to do in Hallstatt: frequently asked questions
How long do you need in Hallstatt?
The village takes two to three hours with the Bone House and the museum. A day is enough for the village plus the Skywalk or the salt mine. For the Dachstein as well, plan a second day or an overnight stay.
What is free in Hallstatt?
Walking the village, the market square, the lakeside and the postcard view cost nothing. There is no entry fee for the village. Parking, the Bone House, the museum and the lifts are paid.
What can you do in Hallstatt when it rains?
The World Heritage Museum, the Bone House and the salt mine are covered. The mine stays about 8 °C all year. The caves on the Dachstein are another option, but the cable car works best in clear weather.
Is the Skywalk worth it without the salt mine?
Yes. The funicular ticket of €29 return is all you need for the platform, and the visit takes about an hour. The mine is a separate guided tour.
What is the best viewpoint for photos?
The Skywalk looks down on the whole village. The postcard view on the Gosaumühlstraße is free, but the road is narrow, so take care with traffic.