Hallstatt to Hallein and Sankt Gilgen: Private day trip

Inhabited for 4000 years, Hallein was a Celtic settlement before being conquered by the Romans. However, its richest era came in the Middle Ages when the salt mines below the city supplied it, and Salzberg, with 'white gold'. Thanks to the constant flow of income, the Hallein's old town is filled with picturesque buildings, most notably from the Baroque period. Its rich heritage is preserved in two notable museums: one dedicated to the ancient Celts, and another to the Christmas song 'Silent Night', and its composer composer Franz Xaver Gruber. The city's salt mines are also open to visitors, where the mine train brings you into the heart of the mountain as experienced miners guide you through the oldest salt mine in the world. After disembarking, you can whizz down one of the two miner’s slides to reach the amazing subterranean salt lake, where an incredible multimedia show retraces the footsteps of the Celts who mined here 400 B.C. Afterwards, be sure to embark on a serene boat ride across the spectacular lake deep inside the mountain.

Sankt Gilgen deserves to be on every nature lover and film buff’s to-do list. This is where the iconic opening scenes to ‘The Sound of Music’ were filmed — and who can forget those? The connection with music doesn’t stop there, though. The village is also the birthplace of Mozart’s mother, his grandfather and is where his sister lived following her marriage. Even though he never actually stayed there, the history of picturesque Sankt Gilgen is inextricably connected to Mozart, Austria’s favorite son. The shimmering azure waters of Lake Wolfgangsee provide an ideal location to feel the cool, clean air and to spend a few moments watching the paragliders as they swirl around the mountain peaks before heading off into the clouds. Whether taking the short gondola ride to the mountain top or simply meandering a mountain trail from the village, the views and ambience of Sankt Gilgen present every visitor with an unforgettable mountain paradise.