Hallstatt Off The Beaten Path

St.Gilgen is the next major tourist-spot that you will pass by , when driving from Salzburg to Hallstatt.

St.Gilgen was the birthplace of Mozarts mother and it is also a really great place for a vaction on Wolfgangsee, beautifully surrounded by high mountains.

Germany's former chancellor Helmut Kohl used to make his vaction here every year, and for more infos and pics of St.Gilgen you may click on my link below !

In order to see on a map, where to find St.Gilgen, just click on theis link to :www.multimap.com - St.Gilgen

The next stop-over on your way from Salzburg to Hallstatt might be St.Wolfgang am Wolfgangsee, although it is a bit off the direct road, on the opposite shore of the lake.

Dont miss the old village of St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut (you may click here for a map) with the famous "Weisses Rössl am Wolfgangsee" - a hotel that became famous by an Operetta.
The church of St. Wolfgang is one of the most beautiful in Austria.

For more infos and pics about St.Wolfgang - please click on my link below !

Bad Ischl was once the summer-residence of the austrian emperors and you may still visit the so called "Kaiservilla" there.
Bad Ischl is also the place , where Franz Lehar ( composer of famous operettas ) had his residence - it is a museum today and another highlight for your visit there.
On your way to Hallstatt you will pass through Bad Ischl, no matter ,whether you come from Salzburg or from Vienna - Linz - Gmunden

For more infos and pics - just click on my link below !

For a small map to see where you would find Bad Ischl on your way to Hallstatt - just click here !

Gmunden is a lovely small town directely on the Traunsee and you will pass through Gmunden, when you go to Hallstatt from Vienna.

Gmunden is certainly worth a stop-over for the lovely "Schloß Orth" - a castle on a small island of Traunsee, shown on my picture.
Gmunden has also a lot of charming baroque houses, a townhall with chimes made of ceramics and an old steam-ship for cruises on the lake.

You may click here in order to see a little map with the location of Gmunden : www.multimap.com - Gmunden
Take exit Laakirchen or Forchdorf on the highway, both are possible.

for more infos and pics about Gmunden, just click on my link below !

The Fisher-pulpit / Fischerkanzel in Traunkirchen is another highlight and a really easy stop-over on your way to Hallstatt and it will not take more than a few minutes, as you will pass by it anyway, when driving from Vienna - Gmunden to Hallstatt.

Just click on my picture and see the great pulpit made in a shape of a fishing-boat and the expression of "fishing for souls" becomes reality inside that church.
You may enter the church freely and without restrictions during the day, photography is also no problem.

Just click here in order to see a small map of the area : www.multimap.com - Traunkirchen

For more infos and pics of Traunkirchen - just click on my link below !

St Wolfgang is a popular destination for not only Austrians and visitors alike especially during the holidays & weekends. The town was built on the edge of Lake Wolfgangsee, where you can go on boat rides or sail. Once again, this town is bigger than Hallstatt and is more commercial whereby you will find many restaurants, souvenir shops & hotels. You can either walk along its historical streets or choose to go on a horse-drawn carriage around town.

The town has many pretty buildings, one of them is Im weißen Rößl or 'The White Horse Inn', where a musical comedy is based on. From the lake, you can have a fantastic view of the town and the 1000 year old church.

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Almsee is a lake south of the town of Grünau im Almtal in Upper Austria which has stunning views of mountains and of course the lake. This is a popular place to hike and enjoy the fresh air. There is a lakehouse in the area should you want to stay overnight or have something to eat.

Since I made Hallstatt as my base in Upper Austria, I visited the nearby town of Gmunden which is larger and more commercial than Hallstatt. The picturesque town was built at the edge of Lake Traunsee on the Traun River and is surrounded by high mountains.

The town is popular for Austria's "wellness" or health resorts and is frequented by many, especially during summer time. There are also a number of lake front restaurants & hotels to come to. Their famous export is the "Gmunden Keramik" pottery which comes is bright colors and whimsical designs.