With the explosion of resorts from the 60s and 70s that dominated the Alp's spine, Bad Gastein lost to infamy and the rich found allure in other ski resorts. Today, though, Bad Gastein has reclaimed its once well-to-do-ness and has become affordable for the snafu of people. Like the royalty before them, today's crowds come to steep in the spas and relax in the outdoor thermal pools. A review of these comes below.

Visitors believe that dousing yourself in the curative waters of Heilstollen (a healing cave, literally) will heal any disposition-from bodily ailments, illness and sickness to defects, maladies and constipation. Bad Gastein can assist with your ailing constitution. The spa centers offer renovated facilities with broad mountain views from the saunas, steam rooms, where facials and massages (of many nations-Swedish to Thai) give way to sport and thermal pools. These are found at Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein.

Therapeutic waters aside, there is more skiing in Bad Gastein than other commercialized Alp resorts. It's just recently that this area of Austria has been reviewed again and again. The resort altitude begins at an even 1,000 meters. However, the highest lift will take you to nearly 2,700 meters with an 8 km long piste and over 250 km of pistes in the whole ski area. There will always be room "at the top," so to speak, as you'll have access to 19 chairlifts, 11 cable cars with over 140 snow cannons.

The slopes face all directions of the compass rose-N, E, S, & W-so if there's snow, one section of slopes is surely to catch it. If you're a beginner skier, don't let the Alps scare you into staying home. You'll have virtually 20 wide runs to practice on while your intermediate family members will skirt down nearly 40 ski runs. If you're an advanced skier, you'll have the least of all with only six total runs. However, they'll keep you challenged for a long while and they're not easily defeated. You can review all these slopes and pistes from the brochures available in the downtown tourist's office.

The area circumnavigating Bad Gastein Austrian ski resort is quite sizable compared to other Alp resorts. The town is named after the Gasteinertal ski area compromising both Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein, the latter being the slimmed down, quieter version of the former. Both areas are famous for skiing, but Bad Gastein is known more for the extra apres ski venues. Both places, too, are given respect to snowboarders as a fantastic place to not only learn but also refine those taxing jumps and pipes. Cross-country skiers can go off-piste with a guide, where the landscapes open up giving way to infinite skiing opps.

Bad Gastein, Austria, is smack dab in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park outside of Salzburg. In the 50s, the area held the world ski championships in the Alpine region. The town Bad Gastein at first may seem substandard with "Bad" leading the title of the village. However, "Bad" means "Spas" and thermal waters. In this case, "Bad" will make you feel good.

The latest reviews gave Bad Gastein some rave: There is nightlife aplenty to keep the night owls hooting. There's a casino, ice skating, curling and tobogganing to boot. You can take a sleigh ride or go for a walk on snowshoes. Moreover, ice climbing is doable, but a guide with certified equipment will be necessary to both find the best cascades and get you there and back safely. There's nearly 40 restaurants, bars and discos in all, so you can visit two per night for a fortnight and still not go to them all.