We departed Salzburg and drove to this scenic overlook of Hallstatt. It was such an amazing vista, that we thought we'd only get a glimpse of from this perspective.
Jana asked the bus driver to take a group photo of us with the amazing view behind us!
Next it was off to visit the Kaiser Villa , the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Photos weren't allowed while on the tour inside, but the lobby gave a hint to the theme of the place. That theme appears to be hunting. A LOT of hunting. There are room after room, stairwells, hallways, probably bathrooms, with hunting trophies stuck on the wall.
After the hunting lodge experience, (which is a very interesting tour!) we headed back down the hill and into Hallstatt. We arrived in this picturesque little village that is rumored to be one of the inspirations for Arendelle, the fictional town in Disney's 'Frozen'. Looking around, that's not an easy thought to dismiss. This place is absolutely something out of a fairytail. We got off the bus, and almost immediately boarded a small ferry boat that gave us a lovely cruise around the lake.
To say the views were breathtaking would be an understatement. You could not look in any direction without being bombarded by an idyllic, serene, and peaceful view.
To say the views were breathtaking would be an understatement. You could not look in any direction without being bombarded by an idyllic, serene, and peaceful view.
The town is a picturesque little community, with cobblestone streets, and buildings that could have inspired the background painted artwork from Disney's 'Pinocchio'. Sooner or later I might need a thesaurus, I'm running out of ways to describe how remarkably beautiful this place is.
While the town was lovely, the room at our hotel was even more-so. We stayed at the Hotel Gruner Baum, on the top floor with a window overlooking the lake! Check out this short video of our view!
This was far and away our favorite stop on the whole tour. I wish we could have spent more time in Hallstatt.
We had a free afternoon to explore, but it started raining, so we just relaxed in the room for a bit and enjoyed the patter of the rain on the metal roof.
Once the rain stopped, we ventured out. Wendy channeled her inner Disney princess and befriended the swans that hung out just below our window.
Me and my travel buddy next to the lake, this was a core memory. We want to go back!
