Hallstatt is probably on every single list of hidden gems in Europe. The Chinese government loved this little lakeside village so much so that they built their own replica version in China. Nowadays it's much less secret than anyone really wants to admit, but beautiful nonetheless. About an hour southeast of Salzburg, Hallstatt is nestled into the mountains just on the edge of Hallstatt Lake and it's hard to picture a more picturesque place, especially with fresh snow. You can't really drive through the village, but end up climbing up staircases and walking in-between the tiny houses to get views of the churches below. I visited last summer as well, but I much prefer it in the winter as it's a lot less crowded and you can really take everything in, not to mention there's mulled wine, and who can say no to that?
