Bad Gastein is a small city located in the eastern part of the alps, in the Salzburg region in Austria.
Understand
"Gastein" means gray rock, and "Bad" is spa. The area has been settled from around the 10th century AD, and originally thrived on agriculture and gold-mining. In the 19th century, the waters of Bad Gastein became a fashionable resort, visited by European monarchs as well as the rich and famous. It is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park in the Salzburg region, and gets visitors all year around. Most people visit for skiing purposes during the winter season. For summer activities, there are hiking trails, running and Nordic walking routes, biking and bike tours in and around the Hohe Tauern National Park.The town centre is located at the Gastein Falls, about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level. It is characterized by numerous historic multi-story hotel buildings erected on the steep slopes.
Get in
Fly to Salzburg, Munich (München) or Klagenfurt. From there you can go by car or train. When coming in from Salzburg, take the A10 and exit it for Bischofshofen / Pongau onto the B311. From the B311, take the B167 towards the Gastein Valley (German: Gasteinertal), which will take one past signs showing the path into town. When driving in winter, snow tires or snow chains are recommended.
There is a railway station in the center of Bad Gastein, and trains go by approximately every second hour. Connections are available from many Austrian cities like Vienna, Linz, Salzburg and Graz.
Get around
See
- 🌍 Gastein waterfall - the main thing to see within Bad Gastein. The waterfall is 341 meters in height and cascades down in three steps through to the valley floor.
- 🌍 Glocknerblick viewing platform - At the summit of the Stubnerkogel mountain, there is a 140 meter suspension bridge which provides scenic views. Right next to it is the Glocknerblick viewing platform which offers a scenic viewing area for the surrounding mountains - including the Großglockner - which is the tallest mountain in Austria.
Do
Buy
Eat
Bellevue Alm, Windiszgrätzhöhe and Orania Stubrl are three very good, Austrian restaurants located in and around the city. If you're skiing, make sure you visit Jungerstube.