Hallstatt, one of Austria’s oldest settlements, was originally founded in 5000 BC to exploit the vast salt reserves in the breathtaking mountains that surround the town. So much salt was produced by the town that in the 1300s, miners made the first industrial pipeline from 13,000 hollowed out trees. To this day, the day still mines salt, but is also considered a treasure trove of human history and one of the most beautiful towns in Austria.