Bad Gastein Information

Apres-ski

Bad Gastein has a good selection of après-ski activities, with several bars and nightclubs spread around the resort.

Popular bars include Revolution (tel: +43 6502 600 215), which comes alive each evening and draws in crowds of both locals and tourists, and The Silver Bullet (tel: +43 6434 225 360; www.silverbulletbar.com), which operates under the ethos of the resort's "wildest and best". It's open until 0200 with live music five evenings a week and a nightly DJ set.

Eating out

There are about 50 different places to eat in Bad Gastein. Numerous establishments offer traditional Austrian cuisine, but there's a growing selection of international flavours within the resort too.

For high calibre Austrian dining, visitors can't do much better than The Kaiserhof Bistro (tel: +43 643 430 020), which has a reputation for quality traditional cuisine at reasonable prices. The Wegner at Villa Solitude (tel: +43 643 45 101; www.villasolitude.com) is another of the better choices for gourmet Austrian specialities, housed in an atmospheric 19th-century Baron's estate.

There's not just good Austrian fare here however; diners can easily find great Chinese, Italian and Mexican options spread throughout the resort. One such eatery worth mention is Ginger 'n' Gin (tel: +43 676 750 2626; www.gingerandgin.at), which has hit success with an Austrian – Asian cuisine fusion that includes tasty sushi specialities.

Resort Information

Beyond the slopes

There's plenty to do beyond skiing and boarding in Bad Gastein, a statement supported by the large chunk of tourists travelling to the resort with little interest in hitting the slopes.

The spa culture, for which the town was originally famous, remains a major tourist draw. Visitors have a choice of 28 indoor swimming pools and wellness facilities fed by the town's numerous springs.

Aside from wellness, indoor attractions at the resort include tennis courts, an indoor riding school, an ice rink, several museums and a shooting range.

Outdoors, about 32km (20 miles) of hiking paths are kept clear of excess snow, while there are also opportunities to take a sleigh ride, go tobogganing, or try paragliding above the slopes. An excursion to the pretty city of Salzburg, with its largely pedestrianised historic centre, is another possibility; the city is easily accessible by rail or bus.

Family fun

Many of the facilities in Bad Gastein are also good family attractions, particularly for those who enjoy swimming – the resort boasts 28 indoor pools.

A good kids-only option at the top station of the Stubnerkogel lift is a sprawling Fun Centre with everything from a ball pool and climbing wall to table football, games consoles and free internet access – all of which is free of charge to lift pass holders.

There's no non-ski nursery facility in Bad Gastein, but children aged three and older are welcome in the ski school, where there's a special ski kindergarten and a separate fun area for first lessons.

Retail therapy

The resort of Bad Gastein is popular year round and has consequently acquired a selection of shops more diverse than the typical seasonal ski resort selection.

Alongside the omnipresent souvenir shops, chemists and ski rental outlets you will therefore find elegant boutiques, quirky craft shops and stylish jewellers. The majority of the shops are concentrated in the heart of the resort, making browsing easy.

Splashing out

Relax those aching post-ski muscles by spending some time in one of the resort's many luxury spas. The Felsentherme (tel: +43 6434 22230; www.felsentherme.com) is the main public spa facility in Bad Gastein, running all manner of relaxing procedures that manages to coax even the more hardcore skiers to indulge in a day off the slopes.

Hotels

Accommodation in Bad Gastein is largely comprised of 3- and 4-star hotels, including some grand old spa establishments; but there are also plenty of apartments and less highly acclaimed hotel options for those on a budget.

Luxury

Moderate

Cheap