GETTING AROUND
Walk! Apart from bus and ferry services to get in and out of town, walking is your best option, and it’s half the fun of visiting the town. Bicycles are a hassle to navigate in the city center, but can be great options for exploring the promenade, nearby beaches (the best are on the southernmost tip of Hallstätter See), or surrounding region.
Swing by…
LUTHERAN PROTESTANT CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HALLSTATT
Oberer Marktplatz 167; 613 48254; hours vary
A place of worship since 1863, the Lutheran Protestant Church is an interesting cultural sight, sure. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by an understated interior and a note written by the church’s pastor encouraging visitors to take whatever words of encouragement they may need from bible verses on display and to have a pleasant visit to the region. But the real reason we love this sight (and the reason we think of it as a crucial landmark) is its tall steeple, which reaches far above all but the highest hillside buildings in town and defines the Hallstatt skyline.
i Free; limited wheelchair accessibility
Check out…
MUSEUM OF HALLSTATT
Seestraße 56A; 6134 8280 15; www.museum-hallstatt.at; open daily 10am-6pm
The Museum of Hallstatt tells the history of the region, beginning in 7000 BCE and reaching the current day, through exhibits of archaeological artifacts uncovered at excavation sites in the region (some of the findings can also be seen at the Natural History Museum in Vienna). The most important part of the region’s history is its relationship with salt mining, which the museum explains in detail. In our opinion, the highlights of the museum were the interactive videos that accompany each exhibition, some of which are even in 3D.
i Admission €10, students €8; last entry 5pm; no wheelchair accessibility
Grab a bite at…
Oberer Marktplatz 53; 067 65348519; open Tu-Su 10am-7pm Just slightly off Seestraße, Café zum Mühlbach offers a handful of quick-seller menu items—burgers, pizza, pastries, and beer—alongside fish, caught fresh from the lake daily. The patio seating spans the width of multiple buildings, creating its own de facto square on the small, quiet street. As for the pizza, the crust is fluffy and delicious, but for a cheese pizza, the amount of cheese is borderline paltry, not the gooey cheese-laden dairy swamp we prefer.
i Entrées from €5.50, fresh fish from €18; cash only; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
Don’t miss…
HALLSTÄTTER SEE
Boat rental hours in season 6am-8pm
The best part about visiting Hallstatt is the Hallstätter See, so use it! Of all of the outdoor activities available, we recommend hitting the beach or renting a boat. Beaches can be found on the south rim of the lake, between Hallstatt and Obertraun, and are free to use. Signs for boat rentals are visible all over Seestraße. If you’re traveling in a small group, we recommend the paddle boats, an age-old tourist classic, but small motor boats are also available.
i Boat rentals from €10, depending on boat type and time
CAFÉ TOMASELLI ($$)
Alter Markt 9; 662 8444880; www.tomaselli.at; open M-Sa 7am-7pm, Su 8am-7pm; summer open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 8am-9pm; summer kiosk open M-F 11am-6pm, Sa 10am-6pm
Established in 1705 as Café Staiger, this charming establishment was once frequented by members of the Mozart family and is now one of Salzburg’s most famous cafés. It takes great pride in the tradition of Austrian coffee houses and serves a food menu of Austrian breakfast classics: eggs, ham, and toast with jam. Though many of the options are admittedly out of the backpacker price range, some egg dishes won’t break the bank, and you can enjoy one on a second-floor balcony overlooking a courtyard next to the Residenz Palace. Café Tomaselli is worth a visit for its history alone, so if you’re hungry but not willing to splurge, grab a bite at nearby Kiosk Tomaselli.
i Entrées from €5; vegetarian options available; wheelchair accessible
FUCHSHOFER BAKERY ($$)
Linzergasse 13; 6769 352551; open M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 11am-6pm
A quaint café on a main pedestrian street on the east side of the river, Fuchshofer serves light breakfasts, smoothies, and refreshments. Its true draw, however, lies in the pile of fresh-made pastries sitting in the storefront. When we visited, the display case was literally overflowing with sweet, breaded treats. Walking past it takes an inconceivable amount of will-power. Better to just give in, we’d say, and opt for a plate-sized sticky bun. Though it won’t last long in your hands, it’ll last long in your stomach, giving you the kick in the ass (more like sticking to your ass, are we right?) needed to get up off your chair and on your way.
i Breakfast from €4, cakes and pastries from €2; vegetarian options available; limited wheelchair accessibility
GASTHAUS WILDER MANN ($$)
Getreidegasse 20; 662 841787; www.wildermann.co.at; open M-Sa 11am-9pm
Nestled in an alleyway that took us way too long to find (seriously, we walked right past it five times–turns out it’s the alley next to Café Mozart), Gasthaus Wilder Mann is a local favorite for regional cuisine. As such, you should be aware that “Salzburg’s calf’s lights” refers to calf lung and heart, which we found out when we tried to order it and the waiter was like, “Um, I don’t think you have any idea what that is. You’re getting your advice from experts here,” and that salad refers to a small bowl of sauerkraut topped with shredded carrots and a few leaves of lettuce. A menu section of light fare items also provides options at a lower price.
i Entrées from €9; limited wheelchair accessibility
NIGHTLIFE
AUGUSTINE BREWERY AND BEER HALL
Lindhofstraße 7; 662 431246; www.augustinerbier.at; open M-F 3pm-11pm, Sa-Su 2:30pm-11pm
If you are a human visiting Salzburg, we recommend a trip to the Augustinian Brewery. The beer hall includes a range of food vendors covering all five food groups: ham, sausage, salami, pretzels, and strudel. Beer is sold only by the liter or half liter. Where the beer is always flowing, there is little time to fret about the timid naïveté of novice travelers, so when you get to the taproom entrance, fall in line and do what the person in front of you is doing. Soon you’ll have a cold beer thrust #unfabulously into your hands by a grumpy bar-keep in a rush to fill the next pint. Take your bounty to one of the cafeteria halls or hang out in the massive beer garden, packed with people drinking their weight in the liquid gold.
i No cover, half-liter €3.10, liter €6.20
CITY BEATS
Griesgasse 23; 0664 149 10 00; www.citybeats.at; open Th-Sa