Things to do in Hallstatt & the Salzkammergut

In Hallstatt, ride the funicular up to the Skywalk viewpoint above the village and join a family-friendly tour of the Hallstatt Salt Mine, then head to Obertraun, where cable cars climb the Dachstein Krippenstein to the Giant Ice Cave, the Mammoth Cave and the 5fingers viewing platform in the Hallstatt-Dachstein World Heritage region. At the end of the Gosau valley, Lake Gosau reflects the Dachstein and the Gosaukamm ridge, and a walk of about 1.5 hours via the small Gosaulacke leads on to the Hinterer Gosausee at the foot of the Dachstein. On the Wolfgangsee, scheduled boats link St. Wolfgang, Strobl and St. Gilgen, and from St. Wolfgang the Schafbergbahn, Austria's steepest cog railway, climbs to the Schafberg summit with ever-changing views. In Bad Ischl, a guided tour of about 45 minutes shows the imperial summer residence of the Kaiservilla, set in a park with the small Marmorschlössl, Café Zauner serves its Zaunerstollen with a melange, and in Advent the Wolfgangsee Advent markets in St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl are free to enter.

Good to knowThe Dachstein caves and summer cable cars are seasonal, and the Schafbergbahn runs to the summit only from spring to autumn, going only as far as the Schafbergalm in the Advent and New Year period. The Wolfgangsee boats take a break in November and sail Wednesday to Sunday during the Advent markets, and the Kaiservilla is mostly closed in November but opens on Advent weekends and over the Christmas and New Year holidays. There is no visitor parking at the Hallstatt Salt Mine, so come by public transport; the tour is open to children from age 4, and the free audio guide app includes Japanese and Mandarin.