Curtain up for a great backdrop: on the horizon the three-thousand-metre peaks of the Hohe Tauern, on the valley floor the roaring Ache and in between slopes that invite you to hike in summer and snow sports in winter. With a view of the country, there is a unique landscape, spa houses and hotels – it is not surprising that Stefan Zweig, Thomas Mann and William Somerset Maugham have already spent their days off in the Gastein Valley.

The valley of the white foaming Gasteiner Ache is rooted in the glaciated main ridge of the Hohe Tauern. The Gastein Valley stretches over 40 kilometres in two stages through the wildly romantic Gastein Gorge from the Salzach Valley in a southerly direction to the Hohe Tauern.

The village of Bad Gastein is located on a rocky ridge – there are densely packed, built in a unique construction directly on the rock, the houses and hotels of the traditional wellness destination.

In addition to the world-famous Bad Gastein spa, the Gastein Valley is also home to the modern Bad Hofgastein – just the right place if you are looking for relaxation – as well as the rustic, cosy village of Dorfgastein: The village impresses mountain lovers and families alike with its beautiful hiking trails. At the end of the valley, the enchanting village of Böckstein with the world-famous Gastein Healing Gallery and Sportgastein with the Hohe Tauern National Park beckon.

As you can see, each place has its own identity and inspires tourists with its very own advantages. From winter sports in the cold months to forest bathing in summer: the Gastein Valley offers a lot of variety for a holiday as a couple, with friends or with the whole family.

Dorfgastein – the pretty village at the beginning of the valley

Welcome to the place that is popular for quiet summer retreats as well as for winter sports. Dorfgastein has retained its quiet, romantic character and scores with its ideal location: mountain railways, hotels and numerous hiking trails are in the immediate vicinity. Also worth seeing is the parish church from the 14th century, which was later partially redesigned in the Baroque style. A visit to the Solarbad, the Dorfgastein swimming pool, which was built in the sunniest part of the valley, is also popular. From April to September, the largest cave in the Salzburg Alps (2,500 metres long) can also be visited during a 50-minute guided tour.

Bad Hofgastein – the village at the widest point of the valley

Arrival Bad Hofgastein: In the 16th century, the town was the richest place in the country after Salzburg due to gold mining.

Today, Bad Hofgastein is a lively, modern holiday resort that has retained its special charm over the years. The great adventure lures you to the Gastein bathing paradise. On an extensive 32,000 square metres in Bad Hofgastein, there is a Sauna World, a Relaxworld, a Ladies World and a large Family World in the Alpentherme, as well as countless opportunities to enjoy the water of the world-famous Gastein thermal springs. In addition, the traditional spa is a popular destination for many health-conscious travellers.

For active holidays, an ascent with the “Schlossalmbahn” mountain railway is a good idea: The valley station is located directly in the village and takes hikers and mountain explorers to over 2,000 metres in just a few minutes. In winter part of the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel ski area and in summer one of 4 adventure mountains for climbing, hiking and discovering rock creatures!

Here, too, in the largest village in the Gastein Valley, the typical nostalgic Gastein charm beckons: coffee is still served in a pot; there is black bread with homemade spreads – olive-green walls and dark wood punctuate the fireplace room. Let yourself be enchanted by it…

Bad Gastein – from Wildbad to Weltbad

Stubnerkogel (2,246 metres) and Graukogel (2,492 metres) are the two peaks that frame the famous spa town. Many a visitor will notice that Bad Gastein was built on a site that is atypical for a place. The houses are grouped around and on a rock bar at the narrowest point of the valley. The reason for this is simple: at the time of the rediscovery of the springs, it was not possible to transport the hot water over a longer distance. For better or worse, the spa houses were built where the water gushed directly from the rock.

Although the world-famous physicist Marie Curie was only able to detect radon in the water at the beginning of the 20th century, the news of the healing power of the 18 radon-containing thermal springs of Bad Gastein spread as early as the Middle Ages. The spa town can therefore proudly look back on a long tradition of health travel.

However, the breakthrough to the world spa only came with a visit to the Viennese court, above all Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth (Sissi). Hotel names such as “Elisabethpark” and “Kaiserhof” are still reminiscent of this time, when Bad Gastein was a popular meeting place for artistic and political celebrities. For more than 20 summers, the German Emperor Wilhelm I travelled over 8000 kilometres to take a cure in the baths of Bad Gastein. Almost his entire court followed him – even Reich Chancellor Bismarck fell for Gastein’s charm – as did Franz Schubert, Thomas Mann, Arthur Schopenhauer and, last but not least, Gustav Klimt. Bad Gastein is characterised by a magnificent high mountain panorama and a unique healing climate. The radon treatments are used in bathing and drinking cures against nervous disorders, gout, rheumatism, signs of aging and circulatory disorders. Among the numerous spa facilities is the thermal rock bath, which has been blasted into the rock in a unique way.

Tip: A change from the imperial flair is offered by “Flying Waters” – a zipline that leads over the famous Gastein waterfall. It is also popular to stop at the power plant café and take a break directly at the waterfall. Or how about a visit to the Gastein Museum?

Böckstein – at the end of the Gastein Valley

The ancient village called Böckstein forms a beautiful end to the valley. Located on the top step of the valley, the pilgrimage church “Our Lady of Good Counsel” deserves special attention. Not far away rises the Radhausberg, where gold mining has been carried out since time immemorial. In 1940, the substructure tunnel was expanded into a healing gallery – for recumbent cures in warm, humid and radon-containing air.

Did you know that the famous Gastein Healing Gallery is the world’s largest therapy centre for ankylosing spondylitis?

In love with art – culture is in the air

Creative workshops, jazz events, open studios and more – you can feel it in every corner – art is also at home in the Gastein Valley. Between time-honoured Belle Époque buildings, you can not only breathe in the fresh mountain air, but also enjoy Bad Gastein from its urban and modern side.

After all these impressions: In the winter months, we recommend a summit breakfast. On the Kreuzkogel, the people of Gastein take good taste to the extreme. This gourmet breakfast with a view promises pure enjoyment. In summer, breakfast at the Amoseralm attracts all early risers with traditional delicacies.

Yearning?
In the Austrian Gastein Valley, wellness takes place on the mountain, in nature and in the thermal water – for your holiday with health benefits in Salzburger Land.

Shadow and light, green mosses, strong tree trunks. The rustling of the leaves from last year with every step. The dull sound of the forest floor, which gives way and gently cushions every step. The fresh scent of tree resin, which is particularly abundant in spruce trees – after all, the name spruce comes from the Indo-European “pik”, which means pitch or resin.

The babbling of a small brook that gets louder the closer you get to the water. The roar of the waterfall, which suddenly pours over you like a gush after a bend in the path. The spray that gently tingles on the skin. The bath in all the sounds, smells and sensory perceptions – that, and more, is forest bathing.

Green wellness for nature lovers

More and more people are looking for peace and regeneration. They find what they are looking for in Gastein, the health region in Salzburgerland. Here, they have dedicated themselves to relaxation and holistic health promotion. Medically accompanied spa treatments in the world’s only healing gallery or wellness in the two Gastein thermal baths. Yoga on places of power such as the Glocknerblick on the Graukogel – a viewing platform with a view as far as the Großglockner – and at the Gastein waterfall, the landmark of Bad Gastein. Or escape everyday life by forest bathing, in harmony with nature.

Using the elemental power of the forest

The oldest tree in the world is said to be 9,000 years old, or rather, its root system. Old Tjikko is the name of the spruce tree that stands in the Fulufjället National Park in Sweden . In Central Europe, the trees can live up to 600 years. In the process, the trees renew themselves again and again. New branches, leaves and roots ensure the survival of the tree. And it is exactly this energy that you soak up during the forest bath. It is a kind of outward meditation that you engage in while walking through the forest. Perception exercises help to block out unimportant thoughts and to surrender completely to the rhythm of light and shadow, to perceive nature and simply to breathe deeply. The forest is like a living counterpart. You can feel how he lives and take a deep breath yourself.

Every power place has its wellness exercise

In Gastein, the whole thing is “Alpine Spa Forest Bathing” – vital forest bathing in resonance with nature. A free brochure leads through two forest bathing areas. Each place has its own exercise, each place its own name and meaning. In the Wiese der Mitte, a herb forest meadow in the Angertal forest area, people are looking for their own centre. You can feel the power of the roots, hear the sounds of the forest – chirping, rustling, bubbling. The horizon becomes larger, the freedom becomes palpable, the head becomes clear and liberated. Or the go-let line – a series of tree stumps: At each tree stump, briefly tense the body, hold and let go. Exhale – breathe in and go to the next tree stump. Lightness spreads.

Particularly impressive at the Wasserfallweg forest area: the Wild Water Square directly at the waterfall. Here, the water dynamics are transferred to your own breath: Breathe in deeply and exhale in three strokes by quickly contracting the abdominal wall.

Forest as a therapy for mental cough

But the green color alone and the stay in the forest have a relaxing effect. Studies have shown that even without physical exertion, inflammatory parameters in the body decrease, blood pressure and resting heart rate are lowered, and lung capacity is expanded. In combination with the mountains, the effect on people is even more haunting. Different altitudes are habitats for different forests – from spruce forests to snow heath pine forests to larches and stone pines, each piece of forest has its own energy. And even inhaling the tree and aroma substances in the forest has positive effects, as studies by the Nippon Medical School/Tokyo or Stanford University show. Cleared bronchial tubes, a balanced immune system, memory strength, relaxation, reduction of negative feelings and balance – what more could you want from a relaxing holiday in the mountains?

Studies show that more than three-quarters of Germans feel stressed and 40% alone suffer from back pain. The good news: There is a way out for the afflicted – holidays and cures in the Gastein Health Region.

You can promise a lot, but Gastein keeps its word. The health region has an ace up its sleeve: thermal water from 18 springs, which is enriched with valuable minerals and – very importantly – also the noble gas radon. But wait! Radon is slightly radioactive, isn’t it? That’s right. However, in small quantities, such as in the Gastein Healing Gallery and under medical supervision, it can work scientifically confirmed miracles. And that’s not an exaggeration. For ankylosing spondylitis patients who have no prospect of cure, radon therapy in the Gastein Healing Gallery is currently the world’s most effective cure for pain, which is also recognized by health insurance companies in Germany and Austria. The best thing about it: After a three-week cure, the pain relief lasts an average of nine months – this has also been scientifically proven.

Wellness Plus: Radon therapy for a health kick

What is the point of Gastein health care if you are not sick? Quite simply: Holidays are there to recover, relax and leave everyday life behind. But Gastein goes one step further. Individual medical health treatments take regeneration to a higher level. Wellness, massages and cosmetic treatments in the two Gastein thermal baths are just the beginning. Radon therapy, healing gallery entrances and baths in the thermal water also activate the body’s self-healing powers. In short, this therapy stimulates the cells in the body to repair themselves.

The mild alpha radiation activates a special messenger substance that reduces inflammation and promotes the natural healing process. The result: the immune system stabilizes and inflammation is reduced. This also benefits the back, which is plagued by a lot of sitting. In the spa centre or in selected spa and health accommodations, you can undergo individually tailored treatments under medical supervision. It doesn’t have to be the large-scale cure – you can also simply try two or three treatments on vacation and feel better afterwards. This is more than wellness – this is health care in the Gastein thermal region.

Rise to a healthy lifestyle

However, some have also been striving for a healthier lifestyle for a long time. In the chaos of everyday life and work stress, this is not so easy and again and again the inner weaker self wins over the good intentions. This is where Gastein can be the initial spark for a healthier life. It’s just much easier to motivate yourself to exercise when mountains rise up over 2,000 meters high outside the door. They are almost crying out to be climbed. This is also the case with the Mauskarspitze at 2,373 metres above sea level. After the ascent with the Schlossalmbahn, it first goes moderately across meadows into a cirque – i.e. a hollow on the mountain slope. Then follows the steep ascent over a rocky landscape, which is partly secured with ropes. At the top, the reward for the effort: a wide view of the Tüchlwand, the Hirschkarspitze, in the distance even as far as the Dachstein south face and the Hochkönig. Once you have mastered such a tour and proudly stand at the summit cross, it is easy to go up the mountains in the coming days. And if that’s a bit too far for you, you can try your hand at yoga in the Gastein Valley or walk along high-altitude trails, along valleys such as the Angertal or on promenades with sounding names. Empress Elisabeth and Kaiser Wilhelm have already been guests in Gastein and swear by the effects of Gastein’s thermal water.

Two thermal baths for all connoisseurs

Even the nobility knew: Relaxation is also part of a healthy lifestyle. Tired muscles recover on air bubble loungers, massage jets or in saunas and steam baths. Because the thermal water is so effective, there are two thermal baths in Gastein, the Alpentherme and the Felsentherme. While there are four theme worlds in the Alpentherme, one for families, one for relaxing, one for women only and a sauna village, the Felsentherme focuses on ambience with rocks of the Hohe Tauern and large panoramic windows. And because radon therapy only takes place under medical supervision, the noble gas is filtered out in the Gastein thermal baths. But not the valuable minerals. So everyone can dive into the soothing water kingdom without hesitation.

Healthy dishes and wellness for the palate

Finally, a healthy dinner. In the spa centre and at the spa and health partners, you can of course also get advice on nutrition. Inspiration for rich and balanced dishes can also be found in the accommodation or on the many alpine pastures and huts. How about a fresh buttermilk on the alpine pasture? With a lot of calcium and little fat. So it’s not difficult to eat healthy. And once you have acquired a taste for it on holiday, it is also easier to stick to your good intentions in everyday life. Because you can already tell during your holiday in Gastein how good it is for you. So get out of the office chair and towards the well-deserved healthy life!

40 km long, up to an altitude of over 3,000 metres and with three themed trails as well as the adventure mountains made for a family holiday in summer: this is Gastein im Pongau in the province of Salzburg – close to the border with Germany and in the middle of the Alps. Admittedly, the hike up the highest grass mountain in Europe, the Gamskarkogel at 2,467 meters above sea level, is only suitable for sporty hikers. On the other hand, the way to the Stubnerkogel with its claw-shaped viewing platforms at an altitude of 2,200 metres and the 140-metre-long suspension bridge is child’s play – thanks to the cable car. By the way, one of the platforms bears the name Glocknerblick, because on nice days you can see as far as the highest mountain in Austria, the Großglockner at 3,798 meters.

Hiking was yesterday – experience is today

Encouraging children to go hiking on a summer holiday is not always easy. That’s why in Gastein you don’t just go up the mountain, but explore nature, look for bears tracks or immerse yourself in the legendary world of the Hohe Tauern. On the Legend Trail, there are stories about the devil in the mill ditch or the cheeky shoemaker. Today, the shoemaker is a rock formation near the Arltörl – but in the past it is said to have been a smug shepherd who was transformed into today’s mountain peak together with his magnificent alpine pasture as punishment. Of course, you can see them from the Legend Trail!

On the Bear Trail, animal friends, bear caves and fun water games accompany the hike to the Amoseralm. On the nature discovery trail, all the curious questions of the little explorers are answered. Wood, cardinal directions, insects and climate change are explained on boards in a child-friendly way. And of course there is also space for picnics. On the three themed trails you are on the road for no more than one and a half hours – so also ideal for short legs. That’s always more exciting than building sandcastles every day.

Thermal baths for families: Wellness for parents – Family World for little pirates

Okay, there is plenty of fair-weather program. But what if bad weather is announced? Now Gastein’s mascot “Gasti” comes into play. The lively drop of water knows all about rain – after all, it’s in its nature. So it’s off from the cold water to the warm thermal baths. Parents relax in the Alpentherme Bad Hofgastein in the sauna village, on air bubble loungers with massage jets. Children immediately aim for the Family World. Speed slide with timekeeping, current channel and multimedia adventure dome – a cinema in the thermal water, so to speak: all this and more is waiting to be discovered. By the way, if you want to go one step further, you can take advantage of a spa treatment instead of wellness. Gastein is known worldwide for this, among other things – vapor bath, radon bath or the Gastein healing gallery are available.

Family fun in the rain: adventure arcade or horseback riding

But Gasti has even more in store. Among other things, a 1,600 m² adventure arcade in Bad Gastein. There is enough space here for trampoline jumping, pedal go-karting, inline skating and in between relaxing with a children’s film in the fairytale castle. If you just can’t get enough of nature, go horseback riding. Ponies, Icelandic horses or the classic Haflinger also like to trot a lap in the riding hall. You wouldn’t think how exhausting such an hour on a horse can be.

That was not all …

When the sun shines again, you can go to the climbing wall with the Gasti Club or pan for gold in the Angertal – after all, Gastein has a glamorous history in mining. Or you can jump into a thermal water bathing lake. Have you already discovered the fabulous rock creatures in the mountain formations on the Schlossalm? And how about the first summit victory in the Alps? The kids will certainly be talking about this for weeks after the summer holiday. Gastein is so easy to reach, you can also take a short holiday. With all this variety of activities in the middle of nature and with child-friendly accommodation in the mountains , a bed bunker in the distance cannot keep up.