Hallstatt: A White Christmas Wonderland
One photograph was all it took for my youngest daughter to pack a suitcase and fly to Vienna. After seeing a photo of me sitting on a giant block of ice at Dachstein Glacier, surrounded by the Austrian Alps, Julia decided she wanted to experience a white Christmas with me.
We were decorating gingerbread cookies when the first snowflakes drifted past the kitchen window. Abandoning the cookies, we hurried outside letting the snow land on us. It was magical, but the snow only lasted a few minutes.
We discovered there’d been heavier snow in Hallstatt, so the next morning we jumped on a train.
As Hallstatt is a lakeside town, it is only accessible by ferry from the train station. Boarding the small ferry, packed with tourists, we crossed the tranquil lake. Even though it was midday it felt like early morning as the sun was sitting low behind the mountains. As the ferry drew closer to the village the Alps grew taller and the alpine village appeared, peacefully wedged between the lake and the alps. It was chilly, I remember how we could see our breath from the cold air in front of us but, to us this was exciting because there could be snow.
As soon as we disembarked from the ferry we wandered through the village and we were excited to see it had definitely snowed overnight. We headed towards the funicular, hoping it would take us to even more snow.
Even with a few stops along the way, a café, a busker and the swans, it didn’t take long to reach the funicular. Nearby, was a gift shop filled with glowing salt lamps, a reminder that Hallstatt is home to one of the world’s oldest salt mines.
We were getting excited as the funicular chugged its way up the snowy mountain. Three minutes later it stopped and when the doors opened everyone hurried towards the famous Skywalk.
Julia and I headed to the snow.
As soon as we stepped into the snow, I quietly made a snowball while Julia filmed our surroundings. I calmly walked over to the freshly fallen snow and scooped some into my gloves. After innocently saying hello to the couple walking past, I quietly finished my snowball and launched it at Julia.
She didn’t stand a chance. Julia returned the favour while I was filming and slammed one into my chest. Our first snowball fight was a fabulous fun experience and one I will never forget.
We walked around the snowy track admiring the beauty of everything covered in snow, the chalet, pine trees, fences, stairs, park bench and the snow that was falling out of trees and landing on us. A man on skis quietly glided past us. It was very quiet, except for the sound of snow crunching beneath our boots.
The majestic Alps hugged the lake and the village in almost a complete circle, which created a spectacular view in every direction. The afternoon was clear but slightly misty making this winter wonderland feel even more magical than we could have ever imagined. While we dressed for the snow, thermals, scarves, beanies, gloves and thick jackets, we were starting to feel cold as the temperature dropped but neither of us wanted to go inside. Reluctantly, we headed back to the Skywalk which led to a café and bar that overlooked the lake and Alps where we happily ordered apple strudel and mulled wine.
Dragging ourselves away from this idyllic setting we headed back to the village on the funicular. As we were carried back down the mountain, we looked over the village below. The first lights were beginning to sparkle beneath us, tucked between the lake and the mountains.
By the time we wandered back through the village, it was almost dark. Christmas was only two weeks away, and fairy lights glowed from cafés, shopfronts, trees, doorways and balconies. It felt as though Hallstatt had quietly turned itself into a Christmas village.
While we waited for the ferry it was very cold. Close to freezing, as sleet was starting to fall.
As the ferry pulled away, Hallstatt sparkled beneath the mountains. It truly felt as though we were leaving a fairy tale behind.
Looking back, I don’t remember crossing the suspended bridge, even though I know we did. What I remember is laughing in the snow with my daughter.
Thank you for reading.
Follow along @roamingwithleila for more travel stories and adventures.
