This wonderful place has gained a reputation as a royal resort, a favorite for both the Austrian nobility and wealthy foreign guests. Rumor has dubbed this magnificent place Austrian Monte Carlo. Moreover, the resemblance of these resorts is quite obvious: both of them shine with chic architectural ensembles and magnificent natural landscapes. A glamorous audience gathers here. It has its own casino, which is the largest such facility in the highlands.
The article provides information about one of the best resorts in Austria - Bad Gastein: photos, location, description, reviews.
General information
Bad Gastein (Austria) is one of the most luxurious resorts known for its hot springs with excellent healing properties. The resort is also famous for its comfortable mountain trails. This is a real ski paradise, with over 200 kilometers of well-equipped slopes and pristine slopes. It is located on several mountain levels. This is a fabulously beautiful area for lovers of walks in the picturesque mountainous surroundings.
In addition to equipped slopes, the resort attracts many vacationers with miraculous thermal springs, which provide invaluable assistance in the prevention of many diseases.
About the Gastein Valley
Far beyond Austria, the Gastein Valley is famous. Moreover, she gained her popularity long before the slopes began to be equipped with a network of numerous slopes and lifts.
The lands of Salzburg have become world famous not only thanks to this charming city, which is the birthplace of the great V.A. Mozart, but also thanks to the beautiful resorts. The area began to develop thanks to mountain and skiing, as well as the presence of mineral springs.
Today, the Gastein Valley is not only the modern ski resorts of Austria (Bad Gastein and Bad Hovgastein) with a fairly extensive ski area. These are wonderful thermal resorts that have a beneficial effect on the health of tourists from many countries.
A brief history of the development of the resort area
Hydrotherapy in these places was practiced by the Romans. Since ancient times, this area has been famous for its radon thermal springs, which contribute to the treatment of rheumatism and lung diseases, rejuvenation of the body.
In the 19th century, a pilgrimage of noble people began in these places, water sources and baths were previously popular among representatives of the European nobility. It is known that great people have been here: Frederick III, Schopenhauer, Schubert, Otto von Bismarck, Emperor Franz Joseph with his wife and many others. other
At the beginning of the 20th century, a railway was laid in these places, and in the second half of the same century the first lifts were built.
Location
Located in the Gastein Valley at an altitude of 1002 meters, the Austrian resort of Bad Gastein is part of the huge Ski Gastein ski area, which in total consists of 4 parts:
- Bad Gastein is the oldest region with many historical hotels, visitors to which in past and present times were emperors and the most important people;
- Bad Hofgastein is the most modern part, but also quite unique (connected with the first zone, and together they form the core of the Ski Gastein complex);
- Sport Gastein - a zone located separately from the above-mentioned parts (it is not connected with elevators, there is no housing nearby, but to get to it you must use a car or ski bus);
- Dorf Gastein is also a separate town not connected with other zones (8 km from the spa resort of Bad Hofgastein).
Description of Bad Gastein
Austria's ski resort (balneotherapy) is a jewel among the health resorts located in the Gastein Valley.
There are thermal springs (17 in total) that feed all thermal centers with healing hot water, which is the key to good health and vitality. Thanks to a combination of active winter sports and hydrotherapy, Bad Gastein has almost no equal among the health resorts of the Alps.
The magnificent unique pool of the resort, built in a rock, is filled directly from the source with radon waters.
It also offers equipment rental, a kindergarten and a ski school. Within the resort there are dozens of cafes and restaurants. There are also swimming pools (open and closed), radon adits, squash courts and tennis courts, a fitness center, paragliding courses (paragliding), a shooting gallery, saunas and an outdoor ice rink. You can ride horses, do hang gliding, etc.
In the evening, tourists and locals spend time in restaurants and entertainment centers.
Track Characteristics
Some parameters of the ski slopes:
- ski season - from late November to late April;
- the length of the ski slopes (total) - 201 km;
- the difference in the heights of the slopes is 1820 m;
- the maximum length of one route is 11 km;
- the number of lifts is 48.
The ski resort of Austria Bad Gastein, together with other resorts in the country (about 5) is included in Ski Amade - this is the largest ski area in the country, connected by ski lifts. This huge territory is primarily interesting for difficult skiing. The longest track is the red Angertalabfahrt.
The resort is especially popular among snowboarders who come here from all over the world to hone their skills and have a pleasant time with like-minded people. For a change, there are also cross-country skiing trails (the length is no more than thirty km).
A Little About Bad Hovgastein
Unlike Bad Gastein in Austria, the resort of the same locality Bad Hofgastein in the past was a small alpine trading town. It is located on a vast sunny plateau (altitude above sea level - 850 meters). This resort is more lively and democratic as well as welcoming. In its center, there is a pedestrian zone where classic hotels, restaurants, pastry shops, bars, shops, a luxurious park and a modern thermal thermal complex are located.
Elegant houses, quiet hotels, cozy alleys, a beautiful Gothic church and a stream - everything is preserved in its original form.
Mostly they come here for healing waters with healing springs, therefore they spend most of their time in Kurpark (a large building where various medical procedures are carried out).
Opinions of tourists
Reviews about Bad Gastein in Austria are the most flattering and enthusiastic. Both ski slopes and hydrotherapy leave only pleasant impressions.
Almost all tourists are delighted with the opportunity to enjoy while relaxing and walking in the middle of beautiful nature. The combination of an active day's rest with relaxing evening treatments at the thermal springs and in the spa makes your stay in Bad Gastein amazing and unforgettable.
The longest slopes with wide slopes and the dazzling beauty of the surrounding nature shock absolutely everyone. Many people believe that even a simple, relaxing holiday rejuvenates the body.
Hotels
In Bad Gastein (Austria) there are many different hotels, guest houses and apartments for every taste. Almost all of them are equally excellent and offer their guests the highest level of service. Moreover, located on the slopes of the mountains, they fit perfectly into the wonderful landscape of waterfalls and mountains.
Bad Gastein Sanotel, Gruener Baum and Elisabethpark Hotel are just a few of the four-star hotels. Almost everyone has saunas, pools, SPA, Turkish baths, solariums and a jacuzzi (the price for a double room is about 160 € - about 11,000 rubles).
Mozart, Alpenblik and Lindenhof are worthy representatives of three-star hotels (prices for a double room - about 75 € or about 5100 rubles).
In the city of Beckstein, located in the Gastein Valley, there is the Evianquelle 3 * hotel (Bad Gastein). Austria is rich in beautiful alpine landscapes, which are clearly visible from the balconies of each room of this small hotel. He has his own holy source.
Some interesting facts
Bad Gastein, located at an altitude of 860-2300 m, is one of the 10 highest in Salzburg. From the top to the base, the vertical descent is 1440 meters.
The average snow depth during the season is 104 cm at the top and 36 cm at the base height. The best snow cover is in March (the average snow depth is 141 cm at the top and 42 at the base). Thanks to these factors, Bad Gastein is one of the 5 best ski resorts in Salzburg.
On average, 73 sunny days per season in Bad Gastein, with January being the sunniest month of the season (19 days).
In conclusion, how to get to the resort
The best way is to get there by rail. The nearest airports to the resort are in Salzburg (distance 95 km) and Munich (distance 232 km). Then you can get on a rented car. The road will take no more than 2 hours.
Since Bad Gastein is located in the same region as the city of Salzburg, the resort can also be reached by shuttle bus departing from Mirabell Square.