Five Austrian towns that can replace the 'irreplaceable' Hallstatt

(Patria) - To be clear - Hallstatt is a wonderfully beautiful place. But it is also a place that "suffers" from mass tourism.

It is extremely popular among day-trippers from Salzburg, and although some might call it a village (less than 800 people live there), it is visited by up to 10,000 tourists a day or about a million visitors a year.

Although it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997 (the place is also home to one of the oldest salt mines in Europe), the 21st century has brought a tourist explosion to Hallstatt.

First, in 2006, the popular Korean series was filmed there, and the later popularity of the animated film "Frozen" led to an incredible rush to what was once an ordinary small Alpine town.

The rush is so great today that residents protested again recently, so it might be a good idea to look at other charming small towns in Austria, where the crowds are nowhere near as large as in Hallstatt.

Altaussee

An incredibly beautiful place, whose sparkling Altausseer See lake is surrounded by a wall of mountains, perfect for leisurely walks and challenging hikes.

The beauty was also noticed by James Bond producers, so the scenery described in the previous sentence can be seen in the movie "Spectre".

The town is just a few train stops from Hallstatt from Bad Ischl, followed by a short bus ride from Bad Aussee.

Not far from Altaussee is one of the two famous salt mines in the area, where tours are usually less crowded than tours of the salt mine in Hallstatt, writes Punkufer.hr.

St. Gilgen

Just 45 minutes from Salzburg by bus number 150, which goes to Bad Ischl, lies the small town of St. Gilgen.

It is perfect for "tormenting" followers on Instagram, as it is incredibly scenic.

It stands on the shore of Wolfgangsee, a lake that stretches below the steep slopes of Schafberg.

Ferries run to the town of St. Wolfgang, from where a mountain railway transports passengers to Schafberg.

Mondsee

Located on the lake of the same name, Mondsee overlooks lower rolling hills and has a beautifully preserved old town center.

For architecture lovers, a visit to the extremely impressive church is a must - best known as the filming location for the wedding scene in the once great film hit "The Sound of Music".

Grundlsee

Just a short bus ride from Bad Aussee, Grundlsee is a popular spot for refreshing swims and pedal boating - and enjoying those incredible mountain views.

A short walk leads to the more secluded Toplitzsee, where traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats take passengers across the lake.

Bad Ischl

The elegant spa town of Bad Ischl was the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph for many years and still retains some of its imperial history.

Once upon a time, it was precisely this town, not Hallstatt, that was one of the most desirable places to see not only in the Salzkammergut but also in the Habsburg Empire.

In any case, perhaps there are not as many tourists as there used to be because they are in Hallstatt, but that's even better, because you will have Bad Ischl - all to yourself.