Hallstatt, a small paradise on earth in central Austria is breathtaking with its absolute beauty of natural environment. This place is not a newly jet set luxury resort town, but a human settlement since ancient time because of the richness of salt in this area. Salzkemmergut is the name of this region, a beautiful alpine land with many picturesque lakes and the priceless treasure of old time, salt. I am quite sure that Salzkemmergut has strong relationship with Salzburg, as Salzburg was prospered by salt trade, thus its name and Salzburg is really near to this area.

Hallstatt town is the centre of the region with many pretty houses and churches. Unfortunately that I visited Hallstatt before Easter, so the famous salt mine and Dachstein ice cave were closed as well as many tourist facilities, but these made Hallstatt where normally draw thousands of tourists everyday in high season to be more normal town liked not a tourist hot spot. My friends and I walked around this town less than one hour as the town is so small. The main attraction is the town parish church and its cemetery. The cemetery is really small, so the church has to do something with the lack of space problem, as a result, this church has policy to dig the bones up and put them in the small house where tourists come to admire a pile of skeletons and skulls!

I really recommend everyone to take a walk along the lake shore especially on the right bank. The walking path will lead you to see many beautiful lake scenes, in some spot so dramatic liked Norway fjord. Hallstatt is well connected to Salzburg and Vienna by train. I think the train route from Attnang P to Hallstatt is worthwhile by itself with amazing scenery. Hallstatt train station (I'm not sure I can call it a station or not) is on the right bank of the lake, while Hallstatt is located on the left bank, so you need to take a ferry to the town, a really good way to enter this charming place.