This August: Celebrating Its 80-Year-Anniversary.

Long stretches of this road were made of cobblestone, an everlasting material that withstands extreme cold and heat. Today, asphalt replaces cobblestones but you’ll still see & feel the history along the road. There are two side trips one can take while driving along the road. One is the drive up to Kaiser Franz Joseph Höhe (In 1856 His Majesty Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) came hiking to the spot and that’s where the name originated) from where you have a beautiful panoramic view. Once you get there, you stand right opposite the Grossglockner with a view down to the longest glacier in the Eastern Alps, the Pasterze. The second side road leads to the Edelweisspitze. Both of these are heavily frequented on sunny weekends, so it’s best to get up there early in the day.

If you intend to spend some time hiking in the area, you’ll come across several accommodation options. Most of these are mountain refugees with limited basic rooms, but what do you need beside a bed and a shower when this area is in front of the doorsteps? Be sure to make a reservation by contacting the owners beforehand, otherwise you might have to spend the night outdoors…

Grossglockner High Alpine Road Facts.

Opening Hours:

• Beginning of May until 15 June: 6.00 am – 8.00 pm
• 16 June until 15 September: 5.00 am – 9.30 pm
• 16 September until end of October/beginning of November: 6.00 am – 7.30 pm
• Last admission: 45 minutes before night closure

Rates (day ticket):

• Car 34.50 €
• Motorbike 24.50 €

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. We were there on the first opening day, May 1.

48 kilometres of high alpine road with 36 bends and an altitude ascent to 2.504 metres at the highest point are just a few fact about the Grossglockern High Alpine Road.

The road is named after the Grossglockner, Austria’s highest mountain.

The road up to the Edelweissspitze is a winding one. Up there, you can enjoy a lovely meal at the Edelweisshütte with a fantastic view of the surroundings.

The serpentine curves make the Grossglockner High Alpine Road a popular destination for motor bikers.

In the years 1936 and 1937, 350 men shovelled 250,000 cubic metres of snow in an average of seventy days to keep at least one lane on the Grossglocker High Alprin Road free. Today, modern machinery does the job.

The Grossglockner High Alpine Road connects Bruck in the state of Salzburg with Heiligenblut (seen on the photo) in Carinthia.

This “Klamm” – or gorge as it’s called in English – is about 1.5 kilometres long with a altitude difference of about 100 meters. The path is well marked with lots of timber stairs to pass. In one section you have to walk through an old gallery where once gold was found. On the way through the gorge, you can watch thrill-seeking climbers going upwards on the steep rocks. If you’re experienced and have the right gear, you could also give it a try. But be aware, it’s definitely only for very advanced climbers. As this Klamm is a bit rocky in certain parts, it’s best to wear shoes with a good grip, so no flip-flops even in summer.

The entire walk takes about 2 – 3 hours, the shorter track only about 1 hour. If you’re in the area or are looking for a fantastic nature walk, be sure to visit the Kitzlochklamm.

Information:

• Entrance fee: 4,50 €
• Opening Hours: Daily  from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
• Getting there: By car from Salzburg about 1.5 hours (around 100 kilometres) or via train or bus (there are several ones going daily from Salzburg)
• Address: Kitzlochklamm Straße 15, 5660 Taxenbach
• Website: kitzlochklamm.at

High cliffs above, water runs deep in the canyon below, Simply enjoy the sights and sounds at the Kitzlochklamm.

There are about 500 steps to get up to the upper part of the Kitzlochklamm, so take that in consideration. Nevertheless: it’s definitely worth the effort!

There are many gorges in the Austrian mountains, and the Kitzlochklamm is one of the best we’ve been to.

For trill-seeking climbers, the Kitzlochklamm is the perfect spot.

The underground walkway of the Kitzlochklamm is also a pretty cool sight.

Health Through Water.

Even though it’s an urban legend that the origin of the word “Spa” comes from the Latin meaning “Sanus per Aquam” (which means “Health through Water”), I like the meaning of it and (I personally think) it hits the nail on the head. A couple of Spa days throughout the year can really get you back on track.

The whole concept of healing through water starts with finding the right hotel. It should be directly connected to the thermal fountain, fitted out with indoor/outdoor pools, Turkish baths, Saunas, Jacuzzis, seating areas with dimmed lightning and various treatment offers like massages, hot stone treatments or Ayurveda cures. Most places specialize in treatments to bring back your inner harmony and physical fitness.

A Typical Spa Day.

A typical day in your chosen weekend retreat could start immediately after a good night sleep, with a quick jump into the pool and a few laps of swimming to really wake up just in time before breakfast. Breakfast in a nice hotel always has the advantage that you can choose from a variety of things; whatever you feel like, it’s there. And the best thing about it: you have no preparation work at all.

During breakfast you can think about what to do during the upcoming day (in case you haven’t already planned it all ahead), and since you’ve booked yourself into a Spa, you’ll most likely put on your swimsuit and hit the wellness area. Thermal water has many benefits for your body, but it’s still advisable to only stay in the water for a certain time, to get the maximum impact. Afterwards maybe a massage, mudpack or wet pack … whatever you desire. This will get you ready for a light lunch followed by a short afternoon snooze.

As you can imagine, getting up after such a relaxing morning can be tough, but your pampering is not over yet: give a Turkish steam bath a go or check out the Finnish sauna for some hot flushes. And after a jump into the cooling pool – this might cost you a bit of overcoming – you’re totally refreshed and ready to do some stretching. Some Spa hotels also provide yoga classes or Shiatsu lessons, which is a great supplemental offer.

Now, after you’ve done lots of activities (that you normally never do), you’re ready to dress up and hit the restaurant for your well-deserved dinner. Try to avoid the heavy stuff, eat light, treat yourself to a glass of champagne and don’t go to bed too late. After all, it’s not called “beauty sleep” for nothing…

On the second day of your stay, you’ll most probably get up totally relaxed, ready for a long walk through the area. Fresh air in your lungs will get you fit again, until you’re ready for another vacation weekend in a Spa village.

Spas in Austria.

In Austria, we have a lot of thermal Spas all over the country. Most villages with a thermal fountain start with the German word “Bad”, which actually means “Spa”. For example Bad Gastein, Bad Waltersdorf, Bad Vöslau, Bad Blumau and so on. There are hundreds of such towns, each one with its own flair. Bad Gastein is one of the most well-known and frequently visited by locals and tourists. It gained early fame because of the Heilstollen’s (“healing tunnel”) spring water. The Swiss physician & biologist Parcelsus studied the spring water to discover its secrets. Marie Curie and Heinrich Mache helped to discover that it contained radon and as a result, radon therapies began in Bad Gastein. Today, you’ll find many resorts that offer all kinds of Spa therapies in Bad Gastein.

Yes, Spa and hotel breaks are a way of refreshing the body & mind and even though you might not think that one single weekend is enough to completely get back onto your feet, don’t underestimate the wonders of “Sanus per Aquam”.

 Some Impressions of Bad Gastein.

Bad Gastein in Salzburg is one of the most well known spa places in Austria.

Bad Gastein is an old health and spa resort in Salzburg with many different hotels to chose from.

The landscape around Bad Gastein, calles “Hohe Tauern” in Salzburg is also well worth a visit.

The “Hohe Tauern” area is a popular spot for hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and thrill-seekers.

Because you’ve always wanted a spa treatment.

Bad Gastein is a real spa town (the word “Bad” even means “spa” in English so this fits). Here’s the history on why this town became one of the most famous in Austria: The town gained early fame because of the Heilstollen’s (which means “healing tunnel”) spring water. The Swiss  physician & biologist Parcelsus studied the spring water to discover its secrets. Marie Curie and Heinrich Mache helped to discover that it contained radon and as a result radon therapy began in the town. Today there are many resorts that offer all kinds of spa therapies. If you feel like going there for a treatment, be sure to bring cash … Bad Gastein is not a cheap.

Because you love winter activities.

Bad Gastein is also a popular destination for winter activities (as are pretty much all the towns in Salzburg). The town has held the alpine skiing world championships once and is regularly a scene of the snowboarding and boarder-cross world cup.

Because there are many places to visit.

• Gasteiner Waterfall: It’s one of the most famous waterfalls in Austria and Bad Gastein’s landmark. The waterfall is located right in the center and has been used as a motive of many well-known painters.
• Churches: Preimskirche (the church with the red roof in the first photo) and Nikolauskirche – both beautiful old historic buildings & must-sees if you’re there.
• Bad Gastein’s surroundings: As you will see in the photos below, the area of Bad Gastein is absolutely breathtaking and it would be hard to name all the wonderful spots. Feel free to write us if you want more exact information ;) Until then, take a look at some impressions.

The townscape of Bad Gastein is characterised by historic multi-story hotel buildings erected on the steep slopes.

The historic multi-storey hotel buildings in Bag Gastein erect on the steep slopes in the center.

The name “Bad” means “spa”, reflecting the town’s history as a health resort. It is located at the head of the Gastein valley.

Snow can be found up in the mountains near Bad Gastein pretty much all year around.

are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass.

With an area of about 1,834 square kilometres, the Hohe Tauern National Park is by far the largest of Austria’s seven national parks as well as the largest nature reserve in the Alps.