| With the explosion of resorts from the 60s and 70s | | | | least of all with only six total runs. However, they'll |
| that dominated the Alp's spine, Bad Gastein lost to | | | | keep you challenged for a long while and they're not |
| infamy and the rich found allure in other ski resorts. | | | | easily defeated. You can review all these slopes and |
| Today, though, Bad Gastein has reclaimed its once | | | | pistes from the brochures available in the downtown |
| well-to-do-ness and has become affordable for the | | | | tourist's office. |
| snafu of people. Like the royalty before them, | | | | The area circumnavigating Bad Gastein Austrian ski |
| today's crowds come to steep in the spas and relax | | | | resort is quite sizable compared to other Alp resorts. |
| in the outdoor thermal pools. A review of these | | | | The town is named after the Gasteinertal ski area |
| comes below. | | | | compromising both Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, |
| Visitors believe that dousing yourself in the curative | | | | the latter being the slimmed down, quieter version of |
| waters of Heilstollen (a healing cave, literally) will heal | | | | the former. Both areas are famous for skiing, but |
| any disposition-from bodily ailments, illness and | | | | Bad Gastein is known more for the extra apres ski |
| sickness to defects, maladies and constipation. Bad | | | | venues. Both places, too, are given respect to |
| Gastein can assist with your ailing constitution. The | | | | snowboarders as a fantastic place to not only learn |
| spa centers offer renovated facilities with broad | | | | but also refine those taxing jumps and pipes. |
| mountain views from the saunas, steam rooms, | | | | Cross-country skiers can go off-piste with a guide, |
| where facials and massages (of many | | | | where the landscapes open up giving way to infinite |
| nations-Swedish to Thai) give way to sport and | | | | skiing opps. |
| thermal pools. These are found at Bad Gastein and | | | | Bad Gastein, Austria, is smack dab in the middle of |
| Bad Hofgastein. | | | | the Hohe Tauern National Park outside of Salzburg. In |
| Therapeutic waters aside, there is more skiing in Bad | | | | the 50s, the area held the world ski championships in |
| Gastein than other commercialized Alp resorts. It's | | | | the Alpine region. The town Bad Gastein at first may |
| just recently that this area of Austria has been | | | | seem substandard with "Bad" leading the title of the |
| reviewed again and again. The resort altitude begins | | | | village. However, "Bad" means "Spas" and thermal |
| at an even 1,000 meters. However, the highest lift | | | | waters. In this case, "Bad" will make you feel good. |
| will take you to nearly 2,700 meters with an 8 km | | | | The latest reviews gave Bad Gastein some rave: |
| long piste and over 250 km of pistes in the whole ski | | | | There is nightlife aplenty to keep the night owls |
| area. There will always be room "at the top," so to | | | | hooting. There's a casino, ice skating, curling and |
| speak, as you'll have access to 19 chairlifts, 11 cable | | | | tobogganing to boot. You can take a sleigh ride or go |
| cars with over 140 snow cannons. | | | | for a walk on snowshoes. Moreover, ice climbing is |
| The slopes face all directions of the compass rose-N, | | | | doable, but a guide with certified equipment will be |
| E, S, & W-so if there's snow, one section of slopes is | | | | necessary to both find the best cascades and get |
| surely to catch it. If you're a beginner skier, don't let | | | | you there and back safely. There's nearly 40 |
| the Alps scare you into staying home. You'll have | | | | restaurants, bars and discos in all, so you can visit |
| virtually 20 wide runs to practice on while your | | | | two per night for a fortnight and still not go to them |
| intermediate family members will skirt down nearly 40 | | | | all. |
| ski runs. If you're an advanced skier, you'll have the | | | | |