With kids · Hallstatt · Austria
Hallstatt with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tigerente, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hallstatt is a good stop for families with older children: the salt mine's miners' slides and funicular, the ice caves and boat trips are exciting, while the gorge walk and lakeside lawns give space to run around. Steps and crowds make strollers difficult in the village centre. Top picks: Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine, Dachstein Krippenstein and 5fingers and Hallstätter See by boat. Families usually base themselves in Obertraun.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Obertraun
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Historic site · Lahn
1.Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine
The salt mine in the Hallstatt high valley is reached by the Salzbergbahn funicular from Lahn. Guided tours lead through tunnels in miners' clothing, down two long wooden miners' slides and past an illuminated underground salt lake, and explain the 'man in salt', a prehistoric miner's body found preserved in 1734.
Take the first funicular of the day to beat tour groups and leave time for the Skywalk and the prehistoric burial ground on the way.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Tours run on timed departures and fill up in summer; reserving online ahead is wise.
- Iconic
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Active
Viewpoint · Obertraun
2.Dachstein Krippenstein and 5fingers
A cable car from Obertraun climbs Krippenstein in stages. At the middle station are the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave and the Mammoth Cave; from the top, a short walk leads to the 5fingers platform, five steel walkways projecting over a sheer drop with views down to the Hallstätter See.
Wear warm layers for the ice cave, which stays below freezing even in summer.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Active
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Experience · Lahn
3.Hallstätter See by boat
Short boat tours from Hallstatt circle the lake's northern half, and the small ferry to Hallstatt railway station on the opposite shore gives the classic view of the village from the water. Rowing boats and electric boats are available to hire in summer.
Even if you arrive by bus, take the ferry across to the station and back for the view of the village from the water.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
Nature · Lahn
4.Echerntal and Waldbachstrub waterfall
From Lahn, a level path leads into the Echern valley, then climbs through a gorge to the Waldbachstrub waterfall. It is a shaded walk of about an hour each way and an escape from the crowds in the village.
Go after rain, when the waterfall is at its fullest, and wear shoes with grip for the wet rocks.
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Kids
Museum · Hallstatt Markt
5.Museum Hallstatt
The village museum traces 7,000 years of salt mining and the Iron Age Hallstatt culture, with finds from the prehistoric cemetery in the high valley, including bronze vessels, jewellery and weapons, and displays on village life.
Visit before the salt mine to make sense of the archaeology you will see on the mountain.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine — Take the first funicular of the day to beat tour groups and leave time for the Skywalk and the prehistoric burial ground on the way.
- Museum Hallstatt — Visit before the salt mine to make sense of the archaeology you will see on the mountain.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Obertraun
Obertraun lies about 5 km from Hallstatt on flat land at the southern end of the lake, at the base of the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car to the ice and mammoth caves and the 5fingers platform. It has a railway station, a lakeside bathing area and more space and lower prices than Hallstatt, with buses and a lakeside path into the village.
- Good
- Next to the Dachstein cable car; Better value; Flat, easy walking and cycling
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Bus or walk needed to Hallstatt
- Nearby
- Dachstein Krippenstein, Dachstein caves, Koppenbrüllerhöhle
Family travel tips
- The salt mine and ice cave have minimum age limits for children; check them before booking.
- Bring warm layers for the mine and caves, which are cold all year.
- Obertraun's flat streets and lakeside bathing area suit families with small children.
- Visit the village early or late in the day to avoid crowds with children.
- A baby carrier is more practical than a stroller in Hallstatt Markt.
Day trips for families
- Gosausee (About 40 minutes by bus) — The Vorderer Gosausee mirrors the Dachstein glacier on still mornings.
- St. Wolfgang and the Wolfgangsee (About 1 hour by car or bus) — St.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hallstatt good for kids?
Hallstatt is a good stop for families with older children: the salt mine's miners' slides and funicular, the ice caves and boat trips are exciting, while the gorge walk and lakeside lawns give space to run around. Steps and crowds make strollers difficult in the village centre.
+What can kids do in Hallstatt?
Salzwelten Hallstatt salt mine, Dachstein Krippenstein and 5fingers, Hallstätter See by boat, Echerntal and Waldbachstrub waterfall and Museum Hallstatt.
+Where should families stay in Hallstatt?
Obertraun: A quieter village at the lake's southern end below the Dachstein cable car.