Gasteiner Heilstollen: when a holiday truly heals
Bad Gastein is more than a ski town. Two and a half kilometres inside the mountain sits a medical facility unlike anywhere else in the world.
When people think of Bad Gastein, they often picture a picturesque alpine town in the heart of Salzburg, with a dramatic waterfall in the middle of the historic centre, elegant Belle Époque buildings, and 200 kilometres of ski slopes.
But Bad Gastein is much more than a paradise for nature lovers or skiers. It is also one of Austria's most renowned spa destinations, and home to a world-unique healing experience: the Gastein healing radon galleries, known as the Gasteiner Heilstollen.
A treatment, not a wellness centre
Unlike a typical spa, the Heilstollen is a specialised medical facility where patients undergo therapy several times a week. Each session, called an Einfahrt, begins with a small train ride 2.5 kilometres deep into the mountain. Inside, a unique microclimate awaits: temperatures over 40 °C, 100 % humidity, and naturally occurring low-dose radon in the air.
The galleries are about eight kilometres from our door, a fifteen-minute drive down the valley. Guests who come for a course of treatment usually stay several weeks, and we are glad to arrange a longer booking. Check availability.