- Hallstatt is a beautiful lakeside village in Austria that's soared in popularity in recent years.
- It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 and received a million visitors in 2018 despite having a population of just 800, according to the Washington Post.
- I recently took a trip to the village, and though I'd seen tons of pictures of Hallstatt on Instagram, it was totally different in reality.
- Everywhere I looked, people were taking selfies, and no one seemed to be appreciating the scenery at all.
- It felt like the whole village was a tourist attraction, and made me feel sad about how social media has changed the way we travel.
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Picture a cute Alpine village, and you probably imagine colourful timbered houses, cobbled streets, tree-covered mountains, and a sparkling lake.
Well, that place exists, and it's called Hallstatt.
This tiny Austrian village, which is about 3.5 hours by train from the capital of Vienna, is a picture-perfect toy-town. Although it's not as famous as the likes of Venice and Bruges, it has soared in popularity amongst tourists, mainly because it looks like it's straight out of a fairytale — making for prime Instagram fodder.
Hallstatt is so popular that there's actually a replica village in China.
The OG Hallstatt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, received a million visitors in 2018 despite having a population of just 800, according to the Washington Post.
Having scrolled past endless pictures of Hallstatt on social media, I wondered whether it was really as magical as it looks in everyone's selfies. There was only one way to find out.
I arrived at Hallstatt on the train from Vienna, after a scenic journey through the mountains. The station is tiny, and it's not actually in the village.
To get into Hallstatt from the station, you have to get a ferry across the lake, which is surrounded by beautiful mountains. A return ticket cost me €6 ($6.66).
We weren't even in Hallstatt yet and everyone was taking selfies — one woman even touched up her lipstick first. You've got to respect that dedication.
To be fair, I don't blame them. You do get a really good view from the boat.
I couldn't help myself.
I stepped off the boat into a massive crowd of tourists surrounded by signs warning of pick-pockets. So far, not so peaceful.
The dock area was full of tourists — some arriving, some leaving. Although you technically can get to Hallstatt by car, the train (and ferry) really is the most convenient way.
Some people even came by coach — not the most traditional Alpine mode of transport.
There were some cars in the village, but not many.
After fighting my way through the crowds and dropping my suitcase at my B&B, I set off to explore. It was immediately clear to me that yes, Hallstatt is unbelievably beautiful. Breathtakingly so, in fact.
The houses look like they're straight out of "Frozen," and everything looked extra wonderful on a sunny autumn day.
The village runs along a beautiful lake — home to various swans — and it's popular amongst swimmers in summer (this being October I felt it was a little too chilly to take the plunge).
It looks like a toy-town, film set, or postcard, and is genuinely charming beyond words.
However, the heart of the village, Marktplatz AKA Market Square, was full of people, and all anyone was doing was taking pictures or getting pictures taken of themselves. I briefly considered doing so, but then decided my effort would be wasted, as there was no way I could get a snap without loads of other people posing in the background.
I wandered through the square at different times of the day, and it was always the same.
As I walked along the waterfront, everywhere I looked, people were taking pictures...
... No matter the lighting.
I've travelled a fair bit, and I've never seen anything like it before.
I stopped to people-watch for a little while at this spot, and did find it quite sweet that strangers were helping each other achieve the perfect shot.
Lines of people were waiting their turn to get photos in prime spots like this one. I decided to get involved.
This viewpoint slightly up a hill was especially popular.
Most of the people taking selfies had their backs turned to the view, and I didn't even see them admire the scenery after — they simply took their pictures and left.
People searching for private photo spots were wasting their time.
Even one of Hallstatt's churches, which is positioned slightly up the hill overlooking the lake, was packed with photo-taking tourists.
Within the town, the pink houses — a must for an Instagram feed — reminded me of London's Notting Hill neighbourhood, which Instagram influencers and wannabes flock to.
And that's not where the similarities end — like in Notting Hill, most Hallstatt residents have "private property" signs outside their houses, and some even have traffic cones to attempt to deter tourists.
Aware they were in possession of an ideal photo corner, this resident had even put multiple barriers in place. I also spotted "no drone" signs around the village.
I wanted to ask a local what they thought of how overrun the village was with tourists, but there are only 800 real residents in the entire village, and I didn't come across anyone who didn't work in a restaurant, cafe, or shop catering to tourists.
I didn't see a single person who seemed to be going about "normal" day-to-day life, and aside from one supermarket on the edge of the village, everything else was highly geared towards tourists.
The village is full of shops selling souvenirs, but to be fair, it's not in a tacky Disneyland-esque way.
I stopped off for some very average apple cake with a side of anything but average views.
Despite the adorable buildings and natural scenery of Hallstatt, I found it hard to enjoy it. I found myself craving space, peace, and quiet, and was desperate to find somewhere not rammed with people.
Since Hallstatt is small, I quickly discovered not many people ventured further than the very centre of the village.
Once I was out of the main touristy centre, it was really peaceful and quiet. I wandered around the beautiful timbered chalets, breathing in the wonderfully clean mountain air.
There is, however, one reason some people make the effort to walk 10 minutes out of the centre of Hallstatt: This viewing area. You can look back at the village across the lake, with the mountain backdrop.
I took a photo of two girls visiting from Thailand who told me they wanted to visit Hallstatt because it's "totally different" to home. "Every few steps we have to stop and take a picture," they told me. "In a few weeks the colours will get even better," they added, referring to the autumn leaves.
I also chatted to a couple from Shanghai and a family from India — the mother was directing a full-blown photoshoot, much to the apparent dismay of her son. Everyone visiting seemed to be in love with Hallstatt.
The boat leaving the main village at around 5 p.m. was absolutely rammed with people, who had likely only come for one day from nearby Innsbruck or Salzburg.
As the sun went down, quiet set in on Hallstatt.
I took the opportunity to climb back up the hill — and with nobody else around, this time it was wonderful.
As the sun went down, it seemed like Hallstatt was going to sleep, too.
This was my final chance to get a photo in market square.
There were a couple of people around who asked me to take a picture of them ...
... And fortunately, they were happy to return the favour.
I was surprised by how quiet Hallstatt was in the evening — but there's not really a bar scene, and you can't see the lake or mountains in the dark.
After an early night (because there wasn't really anything to do) and a breakfast buffet which included noodles, I ventured out to find more of the same as the previous day: Incredible views, and endless tourists.
It was a Sunday, and as is traditional in Austria, pretty much all the shops were closed. That didn't stop all the visitors from descending, though, including this couple who were having a wedding photoshoot.
I took one final selfie for good measure ...
... and hopped on the boat back to the train station.
My time in Hallstatt left me feeling conflicted. It's an incredible place, but I left thinking it had been ruined by everyone taking photos.
I wanted to photograph everything too, but I also wanted to take it in with my own eyes, which didn't seem to be the case for everyone else.
My visit was a slightly shocking wakeup call that made me feel sad about how social media has changed the way we travel. Platforms like Instagram can be great for discovering places you want to visit, but if the only reason you want to go in the first place is to get a selfie, that's pretty depressing.
The amount of tourists in Hallstatt make it hard to enjoy it.
Saying that, I would go back, but only mid-week during an off-season — if such a thing exists. It's also crucial to stay overnight instead of visiting for a day, so you can see it at its most peaceful.
Ultimately, the sights of Hallstatt are worth taking in — as long as you know you're visiting a tourist attraction, not a village.