[HALLSTATT] The Asian Invasion of Hallstatt

Hallstatt has always been on the itinerary, perhaps. We were supposed to brave the weather and go to Dachstein with a side trip to Hallstatt on the way back. Apparently, Dachstein has some sort of online viewing deck where you actually see what it looks like from up there LIVE. That’s the thing, nothing was seen but fog. And so the trip was canceled and we rerouted to Burg Hohenwerfen. Since Hallstatt was just an hour drive away, we still went afterwards, despite the rain. Surprisingly, we ended up enjoying it despite it being a really short side trip.

I also found out that Hallstatt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but what surprised me the most upon arrival were the many Asian faces, probably because of the Korean tour bus we saw when we arrived. Okay, what’s the deal? Why are the Asians here? Was a K-Drama filmed here? Google is your friend. Apparently, there was no K-Drama filmed here, but most of the East Asians who are here are here because of Frozen. Wait, what? Yes, Frozen. Let It Go, Let It Go 2014 Disney animated flick Frozen.

I don’t know if that can be verified, I just saw it in some random article claiming that since a rumor started in China saying that this town inspired the setting of the movie which was Elsa’s Arendelle, the East Asians started coming in droves, and their numbers haven’t really dwindled since. This, I kind of understand, because that movie was huge when it came out in East Asia. Those East Asians seem to be so cray-cray about it. Anyway, I’ve heard that the Chinese built an entire town in Guangdong that looks exactly like Hallstatt. I guess it’s safe to say that there is some level of palpable obsession there.

Perhaps what makes the town popular for other tourists, though, is its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as its rather mystical appeal because of its lake. For me, personally, what easily came to mind was New Zealand’s Queenstown, all because of the lake and the multitude of tourists that come to visit. I wouldn’t say that Hallstatt is Austria’s adventure capital, though, as Queenstown is NZ’s. There is a salt mine attraction here with some sort of toboggan ride, but that’s about it.

I imagine that there are also some lake cruises available when the weather permits. Although it was raining like hell when we arrived, the sun made an appearance for an hour or so, granting us some photos that are nice to look at. Since this was just a side trip not given much thought, we just went straight to the Altstadt and focused our sightseeing there. There are a few hills you have to climb to get to an attraction or two, but most of what you will see just requires a leisurely stroll along the lake.

Most of the tourist attractions are churches, which prompted me to ask what the deal is. Like, seriously, how many churches do you need within a 1-mile radius? The Czechoslovakians said that one was Protestant and the other was Catholic. Of course. We need one for each denomination. After verifying, it turns out that Kirche Hallstatt, the one right on the banks of the lake and has become representative of the town because of its predominance in its meager skyline, is Lutheran. The one on top of the hill that requires a bit of hiking is Catholic and called Michaelskapelle.

While the former seems more popular because it has somehow become the town’s most recognizable landmark, the latter actually has more to offer as far as panoramic views from a higher vantage point are concerned, not to mention its graveyard which adds a lot of diversity to the landscape. It also houses an Ossuary, which was closed when we visited. Otherwise, it’s mostly the views from up there that you will appreciate, most notably that of the lake.

[HALLSTATT] The Asian Invasion of Hallstatt

[OBERÖSTERREICH] Budget and Itinerary