Lexi Webster
Bad Gastein, located in the Gastein Valley in the centre of Austria, is a popular tourist destination. The town is known for its ski resorts, hiking trails, and mountain views. Bad Gastein offers a unique combination of activation and regeneration, with mountain walks, healing baths, and shopping centres. The town has a rich history, having been a favourite vacation spot for royalty and intellectuals in the 19th and 20th centuries. Visitors can enjoy the old-town artistic architecture, indulge in culinary delights, and explore the surrounding nature. Adventure seekers can try paragliding, zip-lining, and suspension bridge walks, while those seeking relaxation can visit the spa centres and enjoy the geothermal springs. Bad Gastein has something for everyone, making it a sought-after destination in Austria.
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What You'll Learn
Skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports
Bad Gastein is a great place to visit in the winter, with plenty of skiing and snowboarding opportunities. The town is the highest of the main ski resorts in the Gastein Valley, with three different ski areas to choose from. The main ski area is on the Stubnerkogel, which rises to 2250m and offers a range of slopes for all skill levels, from gentle beginner runs to challenging black pistes. There are also two smaller ski areas: Sportgastein, which offers high-altitude skiing with excellent snow conditions and great off-piste opportunities, and the Graukogel chairlifts, which face across the valley from the Stubnerkogel.
For those looking for a more adventurous skiing or snowboarding experience, the mountains of Gastein offer perfect conditions for freeride adventures. Explore the stunning backcountry of Sportgastein or Schlossalm on four special freeride routes full of fun and action. The Freeride Info Base at the mountain station of the Goldbergbahn cable car can provide information on mountain safety and avalanche warnings.
In addition to the diverse skiing and snowboarding options, Bad Gastein also offers a variety of other winter sports and activities. Families can enjoy snowy activities like tobogganing, ice skating, and horse-drawn sleigh rides. The thermal baths, such as those at Felsentherme, are also a popular attraction, offering a unique combination of activation and regeneration. The Gastein Valley is known for its sports offerings in both summer and winter, as well as its romantic mountain landscapes and charming places.
Bad Gastein is easily accessible by car, train, or plane, with good road and rail connections. The closest major city is Salzburg, and the train journey from there to Bad Gastein offers beautiful scenery as it takes you through the Austrian Alps. Shuttle services and buses also connect the resort to various nearby cities and airports. Once in Bad Gastein, the comprehensive public transport system and shuttle services make it easy to get around and explore the different ski areas and attractions.
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Hiking and mountain walks
Bad Gastein in the Gastein Valley is known for its romantic mountain landscapes and charming places. The Gastein adventure mountains allow you to start your hike halfway up or directly at the summit. The mountain lifts and cable cars make it possible to explore the mountains without much effort.
There are 10 different Gastein hiking pins that can be earned by collecting stamps at inns, mountain huts, and summits, or by taking a photo of the destination if there is no stamp station. The hikes vary in difficulty, with some being manageable and others being more challenging. It is important to be prepared with sufficient water, snacks, weather protection, and appropriate footwear.
- The Gastein Valley hike: This hike offers panoramic views of the valley and the Berchtesgaden Alps. It begins with a leisurely ascent from Bad Gastein to the mountain station using the Stubnerkogelbahn, followed by a crossing of the 140-metre-long suspension bridge. The route then continues over the Tischkogel to the Zitterauer Tisch, with some steeper sections requiring sure-footedness. The hike is approximately 6.6 miles long and takes an estimated 2 hours and 53 minutes to complete.
- The Hohe Tauern National Park hike: This hike begins in the small town of Kötschachtal and leads through meadows and dense forests, along the stream of the same name. It showcases the wild stream valley, its tributaries from higher-lying glaciers, and the quiet, unspoiled surroundings. The hike is approximately 6.4 miles long and takes an estimated 4 hours and 15 minutes to complete.
- The Bismarckstraße and Kaiser Willhelm Promenade hike: This hike offers fantastic views of the Poserhöhe and the Gastein Valley. It begins in Bad Gastein and follows a relaxed path to Kötschachtal.
- The Gastein Waterfall hike: This hike takes you through the Gasteiner Ache to the Gastein bathing lake, where you cross the Ache and walk through the Pichlerwald back to the starting point. It includes highlights such as the Graukogelbahn, Palfnersee, and Reedsee. The hike is approximately 8.8 miles long and takes an estimated 5 hours and 58 minutes to complete.
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Spas and thermal springs
Bad Gastein in the Gastein Valley is known for its thermal water, which bubbles up out of the rocks at a temperature of 46° C. The warm water, combined with the breathtaking Alpine landscape, makes for a unique and unforgettable spa experience.
Alpentherme Gastein
Alpentherme Gastein is a large thermal spa in Bad Hofgastein. It has several pools, both indoor and outdoor, supplied with the warm thermal spa water that the Gastein valley is famous for. The spa resort and
Haus Hirt Alpine Spa
The Haus Hirt Alpine Spa is a celebrity favourite, known for its hospitality and architectural art. The restaurant offers creative, internationally-inspired dishes made with local and organic ingredients.
Felsentherme Bad Gastein
Felsentherme Bad Gastein offers a relaxing wellness vacation with special offers that combine overnight stays and spa treatments. You can relax in the sauna or recharge in the fitness centre.
Mountain & Spa Card
The Mountain & Spa Card gives you access to up to seven experiences per day, including the thermal spas and other wellness activities.
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Mountain huts and culinary delights
Bad Gastein in the Gastein Valley is a destination that offers a unique combination of activation and regeneration. The Gastein Valley is known for its sports offerings in both summer and winter, its romantic mountain landscapes, and charming places.
The mountain huts in Bad Gastein offer a delightful contrast of simple, rustic accommodation and delicious culinary experiences. The huts are usually basic but offer tasty, simple food. However, travellers seeking high-class accommodation and culinary delights can also find these in Bad Gastein. The Haus Hirt Alpine Spa, a celebrity favourite, is one such example. The spa's restaurant uses local and organic ingredients to create creative, internationally-inspired dishes.
For those seeking a more traditional culinary experience, the Schareckalm offers a rich assortment of typical Austrian dishes like sausages, cheese, pickles, and spreads, all while taking in the spectacular mountain views. The Angerblick Hut is another option, offering a variety of regional and homemade delicacies, including an Alpine breakfast on Sundays.
The Graukogelhütte mountain hut is another rustic option, accessible via an easy route across extensive snow fields. And for those who enjoy a good strudel, the Himmelwandhütte is the place to go, offering a large selection of different strudels, as well as other homemade dishes.
Bad Gastein also offers a unique experience of flying over the Gastein waterfall and hiking in the footsteps of movie stars. The Gastein Valley also boasts the beautiful suspension bridge on the Stubnerkogel and the show power plant in Sportgastein, which are perfect for family outings.
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Historical tours and museums
Bad Gastein is a place steeped in history, which is evident from a walk through its old town centre. The town has a rich history of tourism, with visitors flocking to the area to experience the healing powers of the local waterfall. Bad Gastein was especially popular during the imperial period, with tourists coming from far and wide to experience the healing waters. This demand led to the construction of larger accommodation facilities, including the Grandhotel Straubinger, which opened around 1840. The Hotel Straubinger is also notable as the site of the Gastein Convention, an agreement between Austria and Prussia, which was signed during the Habsburg Monarchy.
The Gasteiner Museum, located in the centre of Bad Gastein, is a great place to start exploring the town's history. The museum opened on 28 June 1936 with the "Gasteiner Jubilee Exhibition", celebrating the 500-year return of the stay of Emperor Friedrich III. The museum showcases the history of the town, including the thermal water and the spa, as well as an art gallery. The museum also features a collection of paintings of Archduke Johann, a spa department, typical Gastein minerals, and memorabilia from the gold mining industry.
Historical walks through Bad Gastein are held every Wednesday, offering a two-hour guided tour of the town's historic highlights. The tour includes a visit to a glacier mill, the historic town centre, the thermal spring park, and the parish and St. Nicholas Church. The meeting point for the tour is at the Gastein Museum at the Hotel de l'Europe Bad Gastein, at 3:30 pm, and the entrance fee is €6 with a Gastein Card or €8 without.
In addition to the museum and historical walks, Bad Gastein offers other opportunities to explore its history. The town is known for its Belle Epoque buildings, including the Grand Hotel del Europe, which opened after the construction of the train line from Vienna in 1905. The town also hosted the ski world championship in 1958, bringing in a large number of guests and solidifying its place as a winter tourism destination.
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Frequently asked questions
Bad Gastein is a popular ski resort with over 250 kilometres of ski trails and slopes. It is also known for its geothermal and thermal springs, with several spa centres in the area. The Gastein Valley is a great place for hiking, with around 350 kilometres of hiking paths. You can also take a cable car up to Stubnerkogel, a 2300-metre-tall mountain with hiking paths and a suspension bridge.
Bad Gastein has restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, including Italian. For a traditional Austrian meal, you can try the 'Brettljause' at Schareckalm, which offers a rich assortment of sausages, cheese, pickles, and spreads. Haus Hirt Alpine Spa is also a famous spa with a restaurant that uses local and organic ingredients to create internationally-inspired dishes.
Bad Gastein has a variety of attractions, including the Gastein Waterfall, Klammstein Castle, and the show cave "Entrische Kirche". The old town of Bad Gastein is known for its artistic architecture and dramatic mountain scenery. The Suspension Bridge is another popular attraction, offering 360-degree views of the Alps and the opportunity to spot marmots.
