Bad Kleinkirchheim
Traditional Austrian resort with good intermediate slopes and excellent spa facilities
Bad Kleinkirchheim resort guide - a general overview
Bad Kleinkirchheim is tucked away on the edge of the Nock Mountain National Park in Carinthia, in the far south-east of Austria, near the Italian and Slovenian borders. The nearest airports are Klagenfurt (around 50 minutes away) and Ljubljana (90 minutes). Salzburg is less than two hours away.
The resort is famous for two things; firstly, this is Austria's most famous downhill skiers' favourite resort, yes Franz Klammer skis here and if it's good enough for him it is more than likely good enough for us mere mortals. Secondly, it has some excellent spa facilities.
The skiing in the area is predominantly suited to good intermediates and many are long (up to 1,000m vertical). For timid intermediates, the Nockalm and St Oswald sectors are best. For beginners, the nursery slopes at the top of the Nockalm gondola are much warmer and sunnier than the low shady BKK ones. Once off the nursery slopes, there is a long blue the length of the Nockalm gondola. For advanced skiers the most challenging black is the Franz Klammer World Cup run, which goes from Strohsack to the gondola base (the short top section is very steep and often closed). Off-piste tours are popular and the resort organises three-hour guided tours.
BKK's spa facilities are excellent, with indoor and outdoor thermal pools, different types of sauna - including a tepidarium (which is a sauna with a lower temperature so you can sit there longer) - and steam rooms, solariums, hot tubs, massage and therapy rooms. There are also water slides, waterfalls and massage jets in the pools. The Thermal Römerbad is set over three floors, with 13 different types of sauna and steam rooms.
Resort stats
103km
1,090m - 2,055m
Level of skiing
- Beginners
- Intermediates
- Experts
- Snow sure
- Off-piste
- Ski area
Qualities
- Charm factor
- Non-skiers
- Nightlife
- Resort layout
- Fine dining
- Short transfer
- Resort value
Airports
- Klagenfurt
- 50mins
- Ljubljana
- 1hr 30mins
- Salzburg
- 1hr 45mins
1 hotels in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria View All
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Red intermediate runs
- 100% snowmaking
- Two excellent thermal spas
- Relatively inexpensive by Austrian standards
- Couples and families
Cons
- Limited ski area
- Spread-out town
Restaurants
Bad Kleinkirchheim Resort Restaurants
There is a wide choice of restaurants specialising in local dishes, but also some fine dining available. The three top establishments are probably at the Thermenhotel Ronacher, the Gasthof Drage and the Loystube restaurant at the Thermenweit Pulverer. For traditional home cooking, the top choices are the Restaurant Einkehr, the Landhausstuberl, the Dorfwirt, the Gasthof Alt Kirchheim, Gasthof Dalnig, Restaurant am Golfplatz, Gasthof Sportalm, Gasthof Hinteregger, Restaurant Berghof and Junge Romer at the Spa Romerbad.
Bad Kleinkirchheim Mountain Restaurants
There are 23 mountain restaurants and huts. Our favourites for cosiness and traditional cooking, are the Ausflugsgasthaus Pioninger, the Buschenschank Hublbauer, the Larchenhutte, the Buschenschank Mati Sepp or the Falkerthaus. Tucked away on the runs are the Brentlerhutte, the Wiesenhutte, the St Oswalder Platzl and the Zum Sepp. Or for larger restaurants with bigger menus, there are the Bergrestaurant Waldtratte, the Nockalmhutte, the Rossalmhutte, the Alpengasthof Brunnach or the Panorama Restaurant at the Kaiserburg. Strohsack is fun and lively with an oompah band and friendly service.
Bad Kleinkirchheim Apres Ski
One of the advantages of Bad Kleinkirchheim is that après-ski can mean anything from a few drinks in a lively après ski bar after skiing and in the evenings to a quiet glass of wine, or a gluhwein, in a rustic, cosy bar - all tastes are catered for. And you also need to allow time to take advantage of the wellness facilities and spa treatments - a sauna or hot-tub plus a massage after skiing is hard to beat and there's no lack of choice here in that department. We can recommend the Almstube, Viktoria Pub, Club MC 99 and the Take Five Dancing Club for some après.
Bad Kleinkirchheim Nightlife
There is not too much nightlife going on. Most of the nightlife can be found in the various hotel bars.
Funicular
Cable Car
Gondola
Chair lift
Drag lift
Property
