Monday 02 December 2024 12:09 pm | Updated: Monday 02 December 2024 12:10 pm

Bad Gastein: Skiing with a touch of belle époque glamour

They say first impressions matter, and my goodness, Bad Gastein certainly makes a great first impression. When approaching the resort, visitors are met with what at first glance, looks like a Wes Anderson film set. A spectacular cliff amphitheatre is crowned by elegant and imposing turn of the century palaces and hotels. As our taxi glided up the approach road, I knew I was in for a memorable few days.

Once the epicenter of belle époque high society, this elegant and chic resort has, for over a century, been the winter destination for the great and the good. Kaiser Franz Joseph, Thomas Mann, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, Liza Minnelli and Shirley Bassey are but a few of the famous names to have succumbed to the charms of this Austrian gem.

Whilst I visited for the skiing, what became abundantly clear was that there is so much more to Bad Gadstein than the white stuff.

Not surprising, given the village was originally famed for its thermal spa waters. In fact Kaiser Franz Joseph, would take time out from his busy schedule waging war across Europe to immerse himself in the thermal waters.

Today, the town still derives a good portion of its revenue and reputation from the wellness offerings, including the Gastein Healing Gallery, the world’s only mountain health centre for radon therapy. Located deep inside the mountain, treatments take place in a glorified coalmine-meets-beauty palour, where a white coated doctor takes your blood pressure before shipping you off on a 2km ‘coal train’ ride to have your treatment. Of course, the well-appointed town also has more conventional relaxation facilities, such as the excellent family -friendly Alpentherme public pool and sauna.

With so much to see and do in the town, one could easily come here and not venture on to the slopes, making it the ideal location for couples where one skis and the other doesn’t. The resort conforms to the usual high standard of Austrian destinations, with super wide, fairly steep runs.

The base station is at 1,002m, but one can rapidly get to a 2,251m ridge using the Stubnerkogel lift. Dropping down the other side of the ridge takes you into the Angertal area, from where a network of lifts fan out. The highest point is reached via a wonderful old school, two-person chairlift, taking you to the top of the Hohe Scharte at 2,300m, with the option to ski off the back on a long, remote run into the SchlossAlm area. In short: there is plenty of variety to suit any skill level.

Bad Gastein itself is just one of 25 ski resorts covering 760km of piste across the Ski amadé area. I decided to try my luck at a nearby SportGastein, a short bus ride up the valley into a nature reserve. Private cars are allowed but you must pay a small toll fee.

The clientele in this valley enjoy a good lunch (don’t we all?). Try to book the cozy corner table at the Junger Hütte on a snowy day, and when the sun is out my favourite is the Hamburger Hütte (named after the burghers of Hamburg who built it). It seemed highly appropriate to order the dirty burger. For non-skiers, my recommendation is to dine belle époche style at the beautifully restored Hotel Straubinger.

Getting to Bad Gastein is easy, making it the ideal destination for a long weekend. There are regular BA and Easyjet flights to Salzburg from London airports and Salzburg is 90-minute drive away. If you have a little more time, the more civilized way to travel is by train. The overnight from London goes via Paris and then through Germany, arriving at Bad Gastein station, just 20 metres from the slopes.

A wonderfully elegant way to arrive for a cracking ski in a fascinating and glamorous place.