Bad Gastein

Hello from beautiful Bad Gastein! Surely one of the most charming Austrian ski resorts that you must visit if you are skiing enthusiast. It is suitable for any type of skiers or snowboarders and offers cosy atmosphere, alpine scenery and traditional Austrian charm. All for making it magical skiing holidays. Bad Gastein is an Austrian spa and ski town located in the High Tauern mountains south of Salzburg. The name “Bad” means “spa” and is reflecting the town’s history as a health resort. It is known for the beautiful belle epoque hotels and villas built on its steep, forested slopes. Interesting facts – the composer Franz Schubert composed one of his sonatas in Bad Gastein and Marie Curie helped to discover that local hot springs contain radon and as a result the very first radon therapy began in the town to help patients relief from pain.

How to get there?

Bad Gastein is located only 100 km from Salzburg. Other closely located airports are: Vienna with 4 hours drive and Munich with 3,5 hours drive. You can also easily reach Bad Gastein with a direct train from Vienna, Salzburg or Munich. Train time schedule you can check here.

Where to stay?

Miramonte Hotel – we stayed in this beautiful hotel in Bad Gastein and I could not have loved it more. It is a hip place with stylish interior and such a cozy atmosphere that it was hard for us to leave. You can enjoy some cocktails at the bar before or after your dinner and there is also an outdoor fire bowl available at the terrace. Add some nice music to this picture and voila – it is your perfect winter gateway. All 36 hotel rooms are renovated and if you choose the panoramic room, as we did, you will have a spectacular valley view just from your balcony. No better way to kick off you day than having a cappuccino in bed with this landscape behind your window.

Schiefe Alm – our gem we have discovered on the slopes. We have stepped by for a meal and mulled wine while skiing and found out that the place is not only a restaurant on the slopes, but also a chalet with apartments that you can rent. Imagine sleeping in the middle of the nature, right on the slopes! All the apartments are newly renovated and decorated in a traditional way. You will truly feel like you are in the mountain paradise. There is only rooms available so make sure you will make your booking right in time. Cozy restaurant with an open fire place and nice list of drinks available just next door. You cannot drive to this place as it is located on the slopes, but you can get there with a chair lift that is open every day till 11:30 pm.

Where to eat?

In the city:

Miramonte Restaurant – the best food we got in Bad Gastein. Absolutely outstanding restaurant with slow food cooking concept. Really worth visiting even if you are not a hotel guest. Short menu changes every day and offers you a meat option, fish option and vegetarian dish. All prepared mostly from local ingredients. Wine list offers a variety of Austrian wines and champagnes. Just remember to make your reservation upfront.

Angelo – if you are an Italian food or pizza lover, that is the place to go. It offers all the options of Italian dishes (except my favorite one… risotto) and homemade pizza. Short but good selection of wines and starters makes it also a nice spot for aperitivo. It is good to have the table booked as during high season can be really full.

On the slopes:

Bergstadl – simple and traditional wooden house on the slopes that offers charming mountain atmosphere. Available right next to the blue piste so it is easy accessible for both, pro skiers and beginners. Simple Austrian food and a variety of drinks including mulled wine. What I also love about this place is a traditional tiled stove that is perfect not only to dry your gloves but also to sit by and get some energy before your next rides.

Bellevue Alm – also right at the same blue piste but this place has more a restaurant style. Traditional menu with great quality food, good list of drinks and nice salad bar. In the middle of the restaurant you can find an open fire place where you can relax while watching the fire or warm up your feet. Highly recommended to step by for a dinner

Skiing conditions

Gastein Valley consists of four different ski areas. Dorfgastein, the first town in the valley, offers several pistes on Fulseck mountain. The towns of Bad Hofgastein and Bad Gastein are interconnected via the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel ski area. For its part, the Sportgastein ski area will lead you up beyond 2,686 meters and because of that high elevation, the piste conditions are always very good, even in warm temperatures. Sportgastein is known also from a freeride hotspots. Adrenaline junkies and those skiers who are looking for difficult ski runs will find 16 challenging black pistes with a total length of 28,4 km. Gastein offers also 46 varied red ski runs guaranteeing 108,1 km and 25 easy blue pistes with a total length of 63,2 km. Here you find all the necessary information about the open lifts and cable cars including hours of operation.

Sending you very warm greetings from this winter wonderland!

With love,

Betty