Boating on Lake Hallstatt
Clear alpine waters stretch between limestone cliffs, where wooden salt boats glide past 41km of cycling paths and beaches.
Cave in Hallstatt
Dachstein Ice Cave
Natural ice formations fill this Alpine cave system, where frozen waterfalls and a 9-meter ice mountain create spectacular chambers.
Deep within Austria's Alps, the Dachstein Ice Cave holds natural wonders like the King Arthur's Ice Palace, where frozen waterfalls cascade down limestone walls, and the Parsifal Dome, where musicians perform summer concerts surrounded by glowing ice formations. As you walk through this -2°C cave system, you'll pass beneath 20-meter-thick ice ceilings and climb alongside a 9-meter ice mountain while colored lights dance across crystalline surfaces.
Exploring the Ice Formations
Walk through 900 meters of the 2-kilometer cave system on guided tours. Water has seeped through the mountain's cracks for over 500 years, creating 13,000 cubic meters of ice across 5,000 square meters. Your path winds through ice-free passageways into dramatic chambers: St. Arthur's Dome glows with blue-tinted ice walls, the Ice Palace sparkles with crystalline formations, and the Parsifal Dome leads to the Big Ice Mountain's 9-meter peak.
Guided Tours and What to Expect
Join a 50-minute tour in German or English to learn about the cave's geological formation. Sign up at the Schönbergalm middle station ticket counter. Pack warm clothing and wear shoes with good grip - the -2°C temperature and occasional slippery stairs demand proper preparation. During summer evenings, the Parsifal Dome transforms into a concert hall where musicians perform amid illuminated ice formations.
Getting There and Access
Take the Dachstein Krippenstein cable car to Schönbergalm middle station near Obertraun. From there, walk uphill for 15-20 minutes to reach the cave entrance. Public bus line 543 runs between Hallstatt, Obertraun, and the cable car station from 8 AM to 5 PM. Visit between May and October, with opening hours changing seasonally.
Practical Information
A guided tour costs €49.90 per adult (2024 prices). Plan 3-3.5 hours for the complete experience, including transportation and the tour. While waiting for your tour, explore the climate change exhibition at Schönbergalm or walk the geology trail. Download the free Hearonymus audio guide app for additional information in multiple languages.
Additional Cave Experiences
Two more caves await in the Dachstein mountain: Mammuthöhle, among the world's largest karst cave systems, and Koppenbrüllerhöhle, with its flowing underground stream. You can spend a full day exploring these three distinct cave systems, each showing different aspects of the mountain's underground world.
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What else to see in Hallstatt?
Panoramic View at 5 Fingers
A viewing platform extending like a metal hand over a 400-meter cliff in the Dachstein Mountains, with views of Lake Hallstatt.
Hallstatt Cultural Museum Tour
Located in a 400-year-old parsonage, this museum displays Europe's oldest salt mining artifacts, including prehistoric textiles, Bronze Age tools, and 3D holographic mining demonstrations.
Skywalk "World Heritage View"
A glass-floored viewing platform perched 2,700m high on a 250m cliff, with a suspension bridge, ice palace, and a transparent stairway descending into mid-air over the Austrian Alps.
Ossuary at Hallstatt Bone House
Inside St. Michael's Chapel, 1,200 human skulls line the walls, with 610 painted in traditional patterns. Each skull bears unique decorations - roses, laurels, or ivy - marking family connections and life stories.
Visit Hallstatt Salt Mine
Deep within Austria's mountains, this 7,000-year-old mine invites visitors to slide down original wooden miners' slides and cross underground lakes.
