The Austrian town of Hall in Tirol is everything you expect from a former medieval economic hub. Narrow cobblestone streets, a castle, beautiful old churches next to market squares, and an impressive defense tower are all part of the biggest historic old town in Tyrol.
Hall is the biggest town in the Inn Valley close to our home. We love walking there on a Friday afternoon for drinks and dinner or Saturday mornings for the farmer’s market and brunch.
If you’ve never heard of Hall in Tirol, that’s kind of the point. It sits ten minutes from Innsbruck and gets a fraction of the attention, which is exactly what keeps it worth visiting.
5 Good Reasons to Visit Hall in Tirol
1. It has the biggest intact medieval old town in Tirol. Hall’s historic core survived largely undamaged through the Second World War. Today it’s the largest preserved old town of its kind in western Austria. Church towers and centuries-old townhouses are still standing, not reconstructed.
2. It’s a real town, not a museum piece. People live above the shops, couples still get married in the Rathaus, and the weekly farmer’s market trades on the main town square. Nothing about it is staged for tourists.
3. It has a genuinely important history most visitors don’t know about. Hall grew rich on salt mining from the 13th century, then became one of Europe’s great mint towns after 1477. In 1486 it struck the Guldengroschen, the first large silver coin in Europe, and later introduced the world’s first automated coining machine. This was a town that shaped how Europe made money.
4. It’s absurdly easy to get to. Hall sits about 10 kilometres from Innsbruck, and the train covers it in around nine minutes. You don’t need a car, a plan, or even much of a reason — it’s a genuinely easy half-day or full-day trip.
5. It’s a gateway to magnificent mountains. The Halltal, the Karwendel, and Glungezer are all on Hall’s doorstep.
Things to See and Do in Hall in Tirol
Historic Churches & Buildings
The Gothic St Nikolas parish church anchors the upper town square, while the Stiftsplatz is flanked by the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and All Saints’ Church, the first Baroque church built in North Tyrol.
The cobbled streets and squares of the old town of Hall in Tirol almost make you forget about the busy modern day traffic outside its borders. The buildings represent different time periods, ranging from the Roman and Gothic to the Baroque period. Even parts of the medieval defense wall are visible along the northern boundary.
Town Squares
Many activities in Hall in Tirol centre around the upper town square, which is dominated by the St Nikolas parish church. You can also marvel at the 600-year old town hall where couples still get married today.
The monastery square (Stiftsplatz) is east of the upper town square and flanked by the Sacred Heart Convent on one side. Sometimes you can see and hear nuns praying and singing inside.
The lower town square is not as distinct as the upper one. It’s in a busy traffic area between the Hasegg Castle grounds and the town centre. Even so, it is still attractive. There is a big fountain with benches at one end where locals and tourists soak up the sun and eat ice-cream in spring and summer.
Tip: For sleeping and eating in a traditional old town setting, The Goldener Engl Hotel and its restaurant, the Augustiner Bräu (yes, the same as the Munich one), are near the lower town square.
Bergbau Museum (mining museum)
The oldest reference to Hall in Tirol (the locals never add the “in Tirol” part) dates to 1232. Its rich salt mines made it an important economic centre and are also where it gets its name from. At the time, the German word for a salt mine or source of salt was “hal”.
You can step into that mining history at the Bergbaumuseum, a small museum on the Fürstengasse that recreates life in a closed mine in the Hall Valley. Visits are by guided tour only, held Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 11:30am, and no advance booking is required.
Read more: Why not consider a day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt, Austria’s other famous salt mining town?
Burg Hasegg, Mint Tower & Mint Museum
Hall’s riches increased after the regional mint was moved here in 1477. The Guldengroschen, the world’s first high-quality silver coin, was minted in 1486 from silver mined in nearby Schwaz. The Guldiner, as it became known, was copied by other states and soon it was only referred to as the thaler. This remained the main currency in Europe until the 19th century. Later currencies such as the dollar, the tolar, the tallero and the daalder were all modelled on the thaler.
You can still see the only surviving, fully functional coin stamping machine in the Hall Mint Museum. The museum is home to an impressive collection of coins, as well as the world’s largest silver medal, which weighs over 20 kilograms.
The mint tower was strategically important to the town’s defense in the Middle Ages due to its position close to the Inn River. If you have the energy to climb the 186 steps to the top, you will be rewarded with magnificent views over Hall in Tirol and the Inn Valley. The tower and the museum are part of the Hasegg Castle complex, which dates to the 1500s.
Festivals and Events
One of the reasons why we like Hall so much is because of the many festivals and markets held on the squares and in the streets. The upper town square is turned into a farmer’s market every Saturday morning. Everything from farm fresh vegetables, honey, and eggs to homemade cheeses, bread, bacon, and marmalade are on sale.
On the last Saturday of April, the town is flooded with radishes for the annual Haller Radieschenfest (Hall Radish Festival). A parade winds through the old town in honour of the little red vegetable, complete with a crowned radish princess, while stalls make radish sandwiches and local brass bands provide the entertainment.
At Easter, the Haller Ostermarkt on the Stiftsplatz, usually held the weekend before Easter, is always worth a visit. The “Kunst am Ei” (Art on the Egg) exhibition held in the splendid old Baroque town hall (now a school) showcases elaborately decorated eggs from local artists.
Hall’s Christmas market is much smaller than that of Innsbruck, but therein lies its charm. This is where we go for a “quiet” glühwein around a fire when all the bigger markets are overrun by tourists.
Have a look at the up-to-date events calendar of the Hall-Wattens tourist association for details about guided tours, markets, and other activities in the area throughout the year. The best part is that most of it is free if you stay in the region. So why not check out some places to stay in Hall in Tirol?
Things to Do in the Greater Hall-Wattens Region
Hall makes an excellent base for exploring further afield, too. Several of Tyrol’s best-loved attractions are just a short drive, cycle, or bus ride away.
Hike in the Halltal
Tucked behind Hall in Tirol and part of the Karwendel Nature Park, the Halltal is a narrow valley shaped by centuries of salt mining. The old salt-mining road (Salzbergstraße) that once served the works now doubles as the main route in.
The hike starts at the Halltal car park, one of the main southern access points into the Karwendel park, where you’ll find a playground and a Kneipp foot-bathing basin. From there, the gravel track climbs gently through forest, passing the pretty Bergerkapelle chapel, before opening into a wider alpine setting with the Bettelwurf massif looming ahead.
It’s a manageable hike for reasonably fit walkers, though small children may struggle with a few short, steep sections. That said, the valley itself, the mountain stream, and the playground at the start make it interesting for kids too, and it’s also great for e-biking.
Along the way you’ll pass historic buildings from the salt-mining era before reaching St. Magdalena, at 1,287 metres, tucked into a scenic clearing between the Speckkarspitze and the Haller Zunterkopf. Right next to the little church at St. Magdalena is the Gasthaus, run year-round by Harry, a perfect spot for traditional Tyrolean fare and a slice of homemade cake before heading back.
More ambitious hikers can push on via the Hirschbadsteig to the Issanger, a hidden alpine meadow, or all the way to the dramatic Bettelwurfhütte.
Halltal Parking & Taxi
The road into the Halltal is closed to private cars, so leave your car at the large, free car park right at the valley entrance — the natural starting point for your hike. If you’d rather not walk both ways, a shuttle bus (roughly hourly, weekends through summer, €5 adults / €2.50 children, free with the Schatzkarte) and private taxis (from about €25) run between the car park and St. Magdalena, with a stop at the second Ladhütte along the way.
Taking the Glungezerbahn
For sweeping panoramic views without much effort, drive about 15 minutes to Tulfes and ride the Glungezerbahn cable car. It climbs in two stages to nearly 2,600 metres, with some mountain huts and restaurants dotted along the route where you can stop for a Kaiserschmarrn with a view. From here you can also hike the Zirbenweg, a scenic high-alpine trail connecting Glungezer and Patscherkofel.
The summer lift usually runs daily from early June to early November, 8:30am to 5pm, with a handful of Tuesday evenings extended until 10pm during high summer. They also run occasional sunrise trips and moonlight rides on select summer evenings, when you can watch the sunset fade into a full moon over the mountains. As with most mountain lifts, schedules and rates change from year to year, so check the current timetable before you set off.
Visiting Swarovski Crystal Worlds
A short hop from Hall — by car, bus, or the regional train — is Wattens, home to Swarovski Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds). The entrance is built into a giant, grass-covered face with a small waterfall spilling from its mouth, and beyond it a series of underground “Chambers of Wonder” showcase crystal-based art installations, some genuinely mesmerising.
The surrounding gardens include a playground tower that kids love. It’s touristy, sure, but worth the detour, and tickets bought online (from around €25 for adults) are cheaper than at the door. Give yourself at least two to three hours, and note the site is open daily, roughly 9am to 7pm.
Walking to the Thaur Ruins
On the opposite side of the valley from Hall lies Thaur, a quiet village overlooked by the ruins of a 12th-century castle. The easiest approach is the gentle, nearly level path from the Thaurer Alm car park, about 20 minutes through forest and meadow — flat and smooth enough for an all-terrain stroller.
For more of a workout, take the steeper Kreuzweg route past the Romedikirche chapel instead. Either way, you’re rewarded with sweeping views over the Inn Valley and the Nordkette, a small free museum on 6,000 years of local history, and — if you time it right in summer — an open-air theatre performance staged at the ruins themselves.
Where to Eat and Drink
For a good coffee and something freshly baked, these are our go-to spots in Hall:
Café Post – For the best cappuccino, teas, cakes and friendly service, Café Post is on the top of my list. It is near the lower town square on the Haller Straße (Unterer Stadtplatz 9). Find the Libro stationary store on the corner and continue past the bus stop, before you will see Café Post on the left.
Bäcker Ruetz – I also often wait for Mattheus at the Bäcker Ruetz on the upper town square (Sparkassengasse 1). They have a wide selection of baked goods, and their hot beverages aren’t bad either. Just remember it is a self-service bakery. The big attraction is the free WiFi, which allows me to work while I wait.
Hall’s wine bars and cafés are made for a slow drink before supper. In summer, grab a table outside on one of the squares; in winter, tuck yourself into a candlelit corner instead — either way, it’s the perfect warm-up before heading on to one of the restaurants below.
Once you’re ready to eat, a few of our favourite restaurants in Hall are:
Café Central – Simple but genuinely delicious pasta in a relaxed, unfussy setting. It’s a reliable choice when you want something satisfying without any fuss.
Gasthaus Goldener Löwe – A traditional Tyrolean gasthaus on the upper town square, hearty and homely, with regional and seasonal dishes.
Secco Bistro – A more contemporary bistro option if you want something a little different from the classic Tyrolean taverns.
Augustiner Keller (Goldener Engl) – The atmospheric, vaulted cellar restaurant beneath the historic Goldener Engl Hotel, near the lower town square, serving traditional Austrian dishes alongside their own Augustiner beer.
Ombra – A cosy little Italian vineria on the Schlossergasse, all candlelight and 18 seats. It’s technically a wine shop too, so the bottle list is excellent alongside their antipasti, pasta, fish and meat dishes. Ombra is best in the cooler months when the small room feels properly snug.
Getting to Hall in Tirol
By Car – Hall is easy to reach from the A12 highway, taking the Hall Mitte exit. Some street parking is available (behind the blue lines) for periods of no longer than 90 minutes. Every 30 minutes costs €1,00. If you can’t find street parking or plan to spend more time in Hall, there is a parking garage near the lower town square (first hour free) and another one further along next to the northern border of the old town.
By Bus – Bus lines 504 and 4123 travel between the Innsbruck main station and the lower town square (Unterer Stadtplatz) in Hall. The journey takes about 22 minutes and a standard ticket costs €3,60 per adult.
By Train – Various regional trains leaving Innsbruck in the direction of Jenbach, Wörgl, and Kufstein stop in Hall. From the train station, it is only a 10-minute walk to the old town centre. Standard tickets also start at €3,60.
By Bicycle – Due to its location close to the Inn River, Hall is also easily accessible via the Inn Valley cycle path. You can leave your bikes at the bike stand behind the tourist information centre.
- Visit www.ivb.at for up-to-date bus and train schedules. Use Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof and Hall in Tirol Unterer Stadtplatz or Hall in Tirol Bahnhof as references.
Practical Tips
- The tourist information centre is a good place to start your discovery of Hall in Tirol. Not only do they have plenty of information brochures, but you can also fill your water bottles at their drinking fountain.
- There are public toilets on the corner of the old town park behind the Rathaus (old town hall). The Bäcker Ruetz also has clean toilets downstairs.
- The Mint Museum and Tower are included in the Innsbruck Card.
- Suitcases or heavy backpacks can be stored in lockers behind the tourist information centre. There is also a bicycle stand and pump.
- Street parking is free from 12:00 – 14:00 (lunchtimes are important in Tyrol!) and between 18:00 and 08:00. Saturdays from 12:00, Sundays and public holidays are also free.
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