Nadin Brendel

  • Conscious Communicator
  • Minimalist
  • Collector of Beauty

Having lived in Berlin for ten years, Nadin decided to go for something completely different and made the alpine village Bad Gastein her new home. Apart from owning a creative agency, she is behind the successful blog ‘Munich and the Mountains'.

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24 hours Bad Gastein

A perfect day in Bad Gastein starts early when the town is still asleep. Wander along the serene Kaiser-Wilhelm-Promenade (KWP) to the bottom of the rushing waterfall in the centre of town. Inhale the iconic beauty, fill up on energy and set your day’s intentions.

Continue along the short trail through the woods to the Yoga Plattform (meditate for awhile, if you feel like it) and head up to Bad Gastein’s hot spot Das Regina for breakfast with the most beautiful view of town. Olaf & Jason, the owner and creative director of the design hotel (respectively), usually join me for a pleasant chat and new insights on Bad Gastein.

Next, walk up to the train station, grab a coffee at The Blonde Beans and hop on the bus to our National Park area ‘Sportgastein’. I like to call it the ‘#tinytibet of the Alps’ for its majestic mountains, magical power spots and tranquil solitude. I usually wander for one or two hours. There are a few really old and cozy cabins out there, where locals turn their farm products into delicious lunch dishes. Valeriehaus offers year-round Austrian Gemütlichkeit, a stunning sundeck with panoramic views of the High Tauern National Park and the best „Bauernpfandl“ around.

Back down in Bad Gastein, stroll through the city center  and take in its beautiful abandoned buildings and Belle Epoche architecture. Must see: The Grand Hotel de l’Europe. The potential of „what if…“ gets my mind energized every time. During the summer months, at the sommer.frische.kunst Festival, there are art exhibitions all over town. I definitely recommend swinging by Kraftwerk and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Promenade for the exhibitions at Pavillon and studio5640. Vanessa’s KWP Concept Store usually has a new homemade jam or schnapps on offer. You’ll regret missing a taste test 😉 Another hub for art and cultural exchange is the bed and breakfast, Hansi Hansi, where I urge you to stay for a truly unique experience.

Is it time for a Strudel yet? Cafe Schuh on KWP is my happy place. Remo, the witty and charming owner, serves my favourite Topfenstrudel in town.

After this sweet treat, you’ll pass the charming old villas (sneak inside and say hi to the hosts at Villa Mühlberger, Villa Excelsior or the Kaiserhofand sweet views of the Gastein Valley. Take a quick respite at the design hotel heaven Haus Hirt (more coffee and cake, anyone?) and return to nature as the KWP leads through a fairytale forest into the Kötschach Valley. There are no cars – only cabins, mountains, streams and benches to meditate (or kiss) on. The ‘Luis Trenker Trail’ is my favourite of the trails here. For THE best homemade „Weichseltopfenstrudel“ (cherry strudel with soft quark) make sure to stop by the cabin Himmelwand. Equally amazing afternoon treats are offered at Alpenhaus Prossau and Café Gamskar.

For a sweet sunset dinner with another stunning view, hike up to Waldhaus Rudolfshöhe. Owners Jan and Stefan moved from Berlin to Bad Gastein in 2016, took over an old cabin and turned it into a rad place with great design, menu and ambience.

After dinner, walk down a little trail that leads all the way to the Hotel Miramonte. There are usually a few art directors and other creatives hanging out at the hotel bar, so I’d recommend you drop in for a nightcap and enjoy the final view of Bad Gastein before heading to bed or the hot springs.

Locations



Kaiser-Wilhelm-PromenadeStraubingerpl. 5, 5640 Bad Gastein, Österreich

Walk along the Kaiser-Wilhelm Promenade and at the very end you’ll find a bridge from which you'll have a beautiful view of the waterfall.
Yoga PlattformWasserfallstraße 8, 5640 Bad Gastein, Österreich

The Yoga Plattform is a really unique and wonderful spot for doing yoga or meditating.
Das ReginaKarl-Heinrich-Waggerl-Straße 5, Bad Gastein, Österreich

One of the most beautiful hotels I know of. Not only does their breakfast make me come here frequently, I also love their interior design, and the owners are always pleasant to talk to.
SportgasteinSportgastein, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Sportgastein is near Bad Gastein and is a magnificent nature hideaway.
KraftwerkWasserfallstraße 7, 5640 Bad Gastein, Österreich

A place that is always abuzz with art, great food, events and lots of creative people. Especially during the festival sommer.frische.kunst, this is the place to be!
PavillonKaiser Wilhelm-Promenade 9, 5640 Bad Gastein, Österreich

The art gallery Pavillon is another place where great art is exhibited and where the crowds gathers during the festival sommer.frische.kunst.
KWP Concept StoreKaiser Wilhelm-Promenade 3, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Get yourself some lifestyle accessories at the KWP Concept Store and take Bad Gastein’s alpine-urban/chic style back home with you.
Café SchuhKaiser Wilhelm-Promenade 9, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Their Topfenstrudel, a traditional local dessert, is the best I’ve tasted so far in my life, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.
Haus HirtKaiserhofstraße 14, Bad Gastein, Österreich

An oasis of excellent style and service in the mountains.
Kötschach ValleyKötschachtal, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Leave stress behind and find peace and quiet in the beautiful Kötschach valley.
Luis Trenker WegLuis-Trenker-Weg, Bad Gastein, Österreich

My favourite trail – not so much a hike as a soothing little walk.
Waldhaus RudolfshöheHardtweg 1, Bad Gastein, Österreich

A lovely restaurant for an intimate and unique dinner.
MiramonteReitlpromenade 3, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Stay at this magnificent designer hotel and take a break from everyday life.
Hansi HansiPyrkershöhenstraße 15, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Every one of their five rooms is designed differently and exudes a love for details and an exciting creativity.
studio5640Kaiser Wilhelm-Promenade 7, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Another cool art space.
Villa MühlbergerKaiserhofstraße 2, Bad Gastein, Österreich

This beautiful villa, under monumental protection, provokes some sweet nostalgia of the old days of Bad Gastein.
Villa ExcelsiorReitlstraße 20, Bad Gastein, Österreich

A charming 19th century villa making you travel back in time to the historical heydays of this wonderful place.
KaiserhofKaiserhofstraße 6, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Enjoy the most delicious and typical Austrian delicacies offered in this fascinating historical building. Their sun terrace is great for treating yourself to some coffee and cake!
The Blonde BeansBahnhofpl. 4-8, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Great place to grab a coffee to go, just the boost you need for some outdoor adventures!
ValeriehausNassfeld 5, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Order the "Bauernpfandl", that's my favourite dish here!
Grand Hotel de l'EuropeKaiser Franz Josef-Straße 14, Bad Gastein, Österreich

This is one of the most impressive buildings, under monumental protection, of Bad Gastein. It's a hotel and a very cultural spot at the same time, go check it out!
Himmelwand HütteKötschachtal 50, Bad Gastein, Österreich

Austrians are famous for their mouth-watering sweet dishes and this place definitely serves one of the best "Weichseltopfenstrudel“ of all times. Don't miss out on that!
Alpenhaus ProssauKötschachtal 55, Bad Gastein, Österreich

A picturesque mountain restaurant serving delicious and typical Austrian cuisine.
Café GamskarGamskarstraße 15, Bad Gastein, Österreich

From this place you have just the best view over Bad Gastein and the mountain panorama. Beautiful!
‘Bad Gastein is wild and beautiful. A modern fairy-tale. A tiny town with infinite possibilities.’
  • Watching movie classics at the outdoor cinema, a.k.a. the terrace of the Miramonti hotel, is terrific fun!
  • This photos was taken all the way up the mountain Graukogel – a lovely hike and a lovely view.
  • Unfortunately, I can’t tell you where our secret hot springs are, but maybe you’ll find them by yourself...
  • Take a little bit of Bad Gastein home with you – from the KWP Concept Store.
  • Delve into the art scene at the Pavillon gallery. The sommer.frische.kunst festival is the best time to do so.
  • The abandoned complex of the Straubinger Hotel radiates a weird and beautiful magic which is typically Bad Gastein.
  • Book a room at the Hansi Hansi bed&breakfast and dive into a world of creativity and inspiration.
  • This is a modified social bench by the artist Jeppe Hein, located in the centre of town.
  • Get your art fix at the Pavillon gallery.
  • It’s always a pleasure to have breakfast at the elegant and beautiful hotel Das Regina.
  • During the sommer.frische.kunst festival Bad Gastein shows its great potential to be an art and culture hub.
  • The Waldhaus Rudolfshöhe is marvellously charming and I always love coming up here.
  • Encounter the magical beauty of nature here in Sportgastein.
  • The hotel Haus Hirt is a true mountain jewel and aims to please its guests in any and every way it can.

My thoughts about Bad Gastein

What do you love about your destination?

Bad Gastein is wild and beautiful. A modern fairy tale. A tiny town with infinite possibilities. Brutalism and Belle Epoque architecture built straight into the mountains. You get to enjoy city life and nature all at once. What makes Bad Gastein stand out from other tourist destinations in the Alps is the major transformation caused by all the artists and creatives – the dreamers & doers of Bad Gastein – that visit and live here similar to Ojai or Marfa. New and unconventional ideas – no matter how wild – are embraced and allowed to shine brightly, attracting more creatives to live out their dreams in Bad Gastein.

Which music fits best to your destination?

Any kind of ambient, dreamy, epic and orchestral tunes.

What‘s a "must do" in your destination?

Stand by the waterfall in Downtown Bad Gastein. Inhale all these powerful ions that are so good for your lungs, mood, sleep, energy levels and focus. You’ll feel born again.

My great aunt Emilia on an expedition. I guess the travel gene is inheritable!
Bad Gastein is truly a place of magic.

Take a vacation into My life

What’s your background?

I was born into a family of travellers. My great aunt Emilia canoed along the Amazon River back in 1800 for research. Both my grandparents and parents traveled by train for a living. At 24 years old, I co-founded a European booking agency and tour production company. The focus was European touring strategy, PR, marketing, booking and production for artists like Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire and Death Cab For Cutie. 10+ years in, I decided it was time for a change and new challenges. I moved from Berlin to Bad Gastein, the “Berlin of the Alps”. I transformed my companies into Sweet Talk Creative, a creative umbrella agency. I now work on projects where I get to share my enthusiasm, love and passion with curious, conscious and progressive clients – right in the middle of the mountains. With grand panoramas, potential and perspective (both actually as well as symbolically) I unlock my creativity every day anew.

What is the best moment of the day?

Wandering the streets of Bad Gastein at midnight, dressed in nothing but our bathrobes, for some sexy nighttime floating in our secret hot springs.

What inspires you?

The truth, mountains, song lyrics, train travels, minimalism, flow, photography, meditation, genuine connections, and love.

How would a good friend describe you?

I was told I’m “always such a surprise!” And I like that. We all grow and change every day. However, I would hope that by ‘surprise’ he meant intuitive, spontaneous, creative, dedicated, thoughtful and adventurous.

Your lifestyle in 5 words?

In simplicity there is truth.

Which books, newspapers or magazines do you read?

I have a rather large appetite for books on matters of the heart, psychology and travel.

Person you’d like to sit next to in an airplane?

A grandma sharing her life’s adventures as we sip on tomato juice (and maybe some red wine).

What are your favourite destinations around the globe?

My annual go-tos are the Alps, Venice, Provence, Lisbon, Copenhagen and Paris.

Your life philosophy?

I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.

Suitcase, Backpack or Weekender?

Weekender, or a small suitcase – as minimal as possible.

What else should we know about you?

My life fits into one suitcase.

Travelling is…

a way to discover and remember your truth.

Life is…

magic (most of the time).

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