Bad Gastein

December to April is ski season. June to September is best for hiking and for spa visits. April–May and October–November are quieter. Winters are cold and snowy. Summers are mild, with occasional thunderstorms.

• Gasteiner Wasserfall is the waterfall in the heart of town, dropping about 340 m in several steps.
• Felsentherme is the thermal spa with indoor and outdoor pools.
• Stubnerkogel is the main ski and hiking mountain, reached by cable car, with a suspension bridge and views.
• Flying Waters, Bad Gastein is a zip-line over the waterfall.
• Gasteiner Museum covers the history of the spa and the valley.
• Aussichtsplattform Glocknerblick is a viewpoint with a view toward the Grossglockner.
• Quellenpark is a park in the town centre with spring water.
• Nikolauskirche and Preimskirche are two small churches in the upper town.
• Jagdschloss Czernin is a hunting lodge in the Böckstein area.
• Mining Museum Altböckstein tells the story of gold mining in the valley.
• Gamskarkogel is a peak on a summer hike.

• Soak in the thermal pools.
• Ski the Gastein valley.
• Hike a trail from the Stubnerkogel.
• Walk past the Belle Époque hotels.
• Visit the healing tunnel in Böckstein.

• Bad Hofgastein is a spa and ski town further down the valley, about 10 minutes by train or bus.
• Rauris is a quiet valley village, about 45 minutes by car.
• Großarl is a valley of mountain huts, about 45 minutes by car.
• Zell am See is about 1 hour 15 minutes by car.
• Salzburg is about 1 hour 15 minutes by train.
• Radstadt is a walled town, about 1 hour by car.

• Bad Hofgastein, Rauris and Großarl are the closest preferred places.

• By air: Salzburg Airport is about 1 hour 30 minutes away by car. Innsbruck and Klagenfurt are alternatives.
• By train: Bad Gastein is on the Tauern railway. Salzburg takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, Villach about 1 hour 15 minutes. Check times on ÖBB.
• By car: Take the A10 Tauern motorway to the Bad Gastein exit.

The town is built on steep slopes, with steps and short climbs. Local buses run through the valley. The station is in the centre of town. The Stubnerkogel cable car starts near the centre.

A car is helpful for the side valleys. Winter tyres or chains are required in snow. The Tauern motorway has tolls. Parking in the town centre is limited.

Salzburg-region food includes Kasnocken, cheese dumplings, and Kaiserschmarrn. Mountain huts serve simple dishes. The town has a growing cafe and bar scene in the old hotels.

Bad Gastein is safe. Check avalanche bulletins before going off-piste. Tap water is clean and safe to drink. The emergency number is 112. The mountain rescue number is 140.

Bad Gastein grew as a spa from the Middle Ages, and gold and silver were mined in the valley. In the 19th century emperors and nobles came to take the waters, and grand hotels were built. The town declined after World War II and is now being revived.

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