Traveling to Hallstatt?
Relax, I have written a full description of the top three must-see attractions in Hallstatt!
Below, you will find all you need to know about the Five Fingers, the Salt Mine, and the Skywalk. During our five-day vacation in Hallstatt in February, we made sure to see all of the attractions. For more information on what else Hallstatt has to offer, be sure to read my other blog.
The Five Fingers was my favorite attraction, but you will need more time to get there. If you are only in Hallstatt for the day, you should definitely visit the Salt Mine and Skywalk, since they are right next to each other.
What is the 5 Fingers Viewing Platform in Hallstatt?
The Five Fingers is a free viewing platform shaped like five fingers located near Hallstatt. It is on Mount Krippenstein in the Dachstein Mountains of Upper Austria, 2,108 metres above sea level.
Overlooking Lake Hallstatt and the nearby mountains, the platform has a stunning view.
I recommend going to the Five Fingers in the winter, as you can ski there and the viewing platform is usually empty. We only saw one other tourist there.
Remember that the whole trip takes a few hours, so if you are in Hallstatt for more than one day, set aside some time to do it.
How to get to Five Fingers from Hallstatt?
During the summer, you can hike from Hallstatt to Five Fingers.
During the winter, the hike is unfeasible!
There is a cable car at the Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn parking lot that will take you to the top. Despite its high price, it is quick and to the point. Cable cars run every 15 minutes!
The parking lot is about an hour’s walk from Hallstatt and 10 minutes by car or bus.
You can rent ski or snowboard equipment in this spot and use the cable car to bring you up to the ski station located right next to the Five Fingers.
You can also bring your own equipment and pay just for the ski pass and the cable car.
We thought that hiking from Hallstatt would be so easy and fast, so we walked from Halstatt for one hour next to the lake until we reached the parking lot. Soon after, we realised that we could just take a bus from Hallstatt, and it would bring us directly there in just 10 minutes.
Lesson learned: You don’t have to walk one hour to get to the Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn parking lot. There is a direct bus from Hallstatt, and it costs around 4 euros per person.
You can also get there by car, and the parking is free at the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car station.
Five Fingers price
The Five Fingers viewing platform is totally free.
Since hiking uphill was impossible due to the snow in the mountains, we decided to take a cable car, which costs us 102 euros both ways for two people, with special snow shoes included for both of us.
We did not ski there, but you can check prices for the ski pass here.
Opening hours for the slopes are 8:30 am to 5 pm.
Is Five Fingers worth to see?
It was my favourite attraction while in Hallstatt. Honestly, the view you have on the top of the mountain is incredible, and since we went in February, it was full of snow and looked even more charming.
I recommend the whole trip to Hallstatt and Five Fingers during the winter. You will get the special snow shoes that helps a lot walking in the snow. Thanks to them your feet won’t go under the snow.
To get to the Five Fingers viewing spot, you have to follow the yellow signs with the Five Fingers name on them. Leave the cable car on top and go right.
After around 15 minutes of an easy hike, you will get there. It took us a bit longer, as we were amazed by the mountain view around us, and I was taking a lot of pictures.
The Salt Mine - Salzwelten Hallstatt
The Salt Mine in Hallstatt is one of the oldest salt mines in the world and is still in operation today. According to legend, Celtic tribes constructed the salt mine in prehistoric times. As it was on the list of must-sees in Hallstatt, we made the decision to go there on our third day.
Hallstatt Salt Mine ticket price
You can get the tickets at the station, but I bought them online for 84 euros for two people.
At the station, you will find a gift shop where you can purchase salt and cool souvenirs.
How to get to the Hallstatt Salt Mine?
For the salt mine, you need to go to the funicular station, which is close to where the buses stop in Hallstatt. You can easily find it. Simply leave town, turn right, and then go behind the grocery store to find the station.
The funicular will take you to the top of the hill, where you can first enjoy a view of Hallstatt from the World Heritage Skywalk.
After, you can take your time and enjoy a nice walk for approximately 30 minutes to the Salt Mine. During the walk, there are plenty of information points from which you can learn about the place. Once you get there, you will get the special protection white suit to put on your own clothes. There are lockers in the Salt Mine, so you can leave a backpack or personal items.
IMPORTANT!
Keep in mind that the temperature in the mine is 8 degrees the whole year, so even if you decide to visit it during the summer, you should take a warm sweater with you. I also recommend wearing sturdy shoes, like hiking boots, and a warm jacket during the winter.
The Salt Mine tour is starting at a certain time, so make sure to check on your ticket where the tour is starting!
Is Hallstatt Salt Mine worth visiting?
Of course it is!
It was the most entertaining mine tour I’ve ever done. There are lots of interactive videos and crazy slide rides.
Doesn’t that sound convincing enough?
Let me tell you more.
Throughout the tour, our knowledgeable guide entertained us with anecdotes and historical facts, such as the origins of salt in the Alps. The trip features a laser show over the lake in mine, some interactive videos, and the most fun part—the ride on the slides!
The first ride was on a shorter slide, and the second was on the world’s longest mine slide, where our speed was measured!
At the end, a little train took us out of the mine, and we also received a few salty gifts from our guide. We had a great time on the trip, which lasted about two and a half hours.
hallstatt skywalk world heritage view
360 meters above Hallstatt, you will find an amazing viewing platform called “Skywalk” World Heritage View.
Up there, you will find a traditional Austrian restaurant called Rudolfstrum. It offers a spectacular view from its balcony, where you can enjoy food and drinks while visiting the Skywalk.
How to get to the Hallstatt Skywalk?
The Hallstatt Skywalk can be reached in a few minutes by funicular or in about an hour by walking along the beautiful winding path.
I recommend combining the trip to the Skywalk with a trip to the Salt Mine.
The funicular ride is included in the salt mine ticket price and will take you directly to the Skywalk. We had our salt mine trip booked for 11 am. At 11, we were in the funicular spot for the salt mine at the bottom. Then, it took us uphill and first we enjoyed the Skywalk World Heritage View. After a few minutes spent there, we started the nice walk straight to the Hallstatt Salt Mine. Our trip started around 11:40 am.
On the Skywalk, there is also a place to sit and enjoy the view while drinking coffee and some other snacks.
A short summary of the Hallstatt top 3 attractions
Going to Hallstatt just for a day? No problem, you will have time to see the town and still enjoy the panoramic view from the Skywalk. If you have more spare time, go also to see the Salt Mine.
Staying in Hallstatt for a few days? Make sure to go and visit the Five Fingers in one day, and another day reserve for the Skywalk + Salt Mine.
If you are thinking of travelling from Salzburg to Hallstatt, you can see here what to do in Salzburg during the weekend and which are the best thermal baths near Salzburg.
The most I enjoyed was the view, which offers the Five Fingers with the snow all around. But we had so much fun riding on the slides of the Hallstatt Salt Mine, so if you want to learn some history and have fun like kids, definitely visit one of the oldest salt mines in the world.
