Visit Hallstatt, Austria

“The first thing we did after checking into our hotel was rent a small electric boat and go out on Hallstatt Lake. It was 25 degrees so we wanted to take advantage of the warm weather. It was nice to just stop the boat, soak up the sun and admire the beautiful views. From the water we saw some pretty architecture, including great views of the historic alpine houses Hallstatt is known for. There were even swans swimming about! Although we were far from home, the peaceful lake surrounded by majestic mountains reminded us of our home province of Alberta.”

“I wanted to wake up with the sun and explore this Alpine village in twilight. I wanted to wander around the streets and get a feel of the local life before tourists came swamping in. I wanted to do it justice and have my own personal time with it. [...] Many day trippers come around 9am and leave around lunchtime but the magic of exploring this town when it’s no one but you and some swans, is something that I might never have the right adjectives for.”

“I was there a little over a year ago and while it is most certainly touristy, you'll have a much better time if you go early in the day. We took the first train out of Salzburg and one of the first boats over to Hallstatt. It was lovely all around. We certainly weren't alone and it was a bit of a dreary day but it wasn't nearly as crowded as it became later in the afternoon. We spent a few hours walking around, had some food and just enjoyed the quaintness of it all.”