When people think of thermal baths in Central Europe, Hungary and Slovakia often come to mind first. Austrian thermal spas, however, are no less impressive. The best thermal baths in Austria are often designed for demanding guests, although you will also find resorts where families with children can enjoy an excellent holiday.
Austrian thermal resorts are also popular with motorhome travellers. Many leisure centres have extensive parking areas where you can stay for a modest fee. If you prefer hotel accommodation, we recommend a winter visit combined with skiing at one of the Alpine resorts.
1. AQUA DOME near Längenfeld
The very first Austrian resort combines winter sports with hot thermal water. The baths offer relaxing massages, beauty treatments and wellness experiences that help you recover after an entire day on the slopes.
AQUA DOME stands in the heart of the Alps in the Ötztal valley, and the entire leisure centre covers approximately 65,000 m². There are 12 indoor and outdoor thermal pools with 2,000–2,200 m² of water surface, accompanied by magnificent views of the Ötztal Alps.
The highlight of the visit is a trio of outdoor pools that seem to float above the ground. The effect is spectacular. Water in these pools contains 5% salt, while underwater music and lighting effects deepen the relaxation experience.
Guests also have access to ten saunas and steam baths, two relaxation rooms, a saltwater cave and refreshing cooling facilities after sauna sessions.
AQUA DOME also welcomes children. They may enter the saunas only from the age of 15, but elsewhere the resort offers the “Alpine Noah’s Ark”, with waterslides, water jets, an indoor play area and a large children’s pool—in short, everything a child could want.
Austrian thermal resort AQUA DOME takes pride in refined gastronomy. The hotel restaurant serves Austrian specialities made with regional ingredients, while hotel guests also praise the generous breakfasts with selections of cheeses and local cured meats.
- Hotel: the thermal baths are located directly within AQUA DOME 4 Sterne Superior Hotel & Tirol Therme Längenfeld; spa admission is included with accommodation.
- Full-day tickets: from €59 for adults, €35.50 for children aged 3–14, family tickets from €91, plus €22 for the saunas.
- Opening hours: thermal baths 09:00–23:00 and saunas 10:00–22:00 daily.
2. Laa an der Thaya
The wellness paradise in the Austrian town of Laa an der Thaya lies close to the Czech border. Therme Laa focuses on a tranquil environment. Its entire second floor forms the separate premium SILENT SPA, reserved for guests aged 16 and over, with box-spring beds and special sleep treatments.
A self-service buffet and buffet-style dining stand directly in the centre of the spa. The food selection also caters for children, and the resort itself describes children as its VIP guests. We therefore recommend these Austrian thermal baths near the border for weekend stays with children.
Another attraction is a wine bar directly in the pool. Its list features drinks from local winemakers. Laa an der Thaya lies in Austria’s largest wine region, whose wines rank among the world’s best.
In total, the 7,800 m² resort contains five thermal pools, a children’s world and a sauna world.
- Connected hotel with unlimited admission: Therme Laa – Hotel & Silent Spa.
- Full-day online tickets: from €42 for adults and €26.50 for children, plus €12.50 for saunas.
- Opening hours: thermal baths 09:00–22:00.
3. Felsentherme Bad Gastein
In the centre of Austria, among the Hohe Tauern mountains, is a thermal resort supplied by 18 mountain springs. At an elevation of 1,100 metres, guests can relax while admiring the massive peaks of the Austrian Alps.
Family-friendly Felsentherme offers privacy in eight panoramic saunas and steam baths. Swimmers have dedicated sports pools and can recover afterwards in steam rooms or with a massage.
The resort’s special features do not end there. Because the town stands on a rocky massif, the baths themselves are built directly into the rock. This gives the modern facilities a unique natural atmosphere.
There are four zones: the Tranquility relaxation baths, adventure baths for the entire family, year-round outdoor thermal baths and a sauna world containing at least eight saunas.
Bad Gastein itself stands in the heart of a winter-sports region. The Kaprun ski area is approximately an hour away. Kaprun has attracted many of the visitors who once stayed here, allowing you to enjoy almost heavenly calm in the middle of the mountains.
- Full-day online tickets: from €40 for adults and €23 for children aged 6–16.
- Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 21:00.
4. Alpentherme Bad Hofgastein
The Austrian town of Bad Hofgastein is one of the country’s largest ski centres. The Gastein valley, which also contains the previous thermal resort, offers approximately 180–200 kilometres of carefully groomed slopes. Visit in summer and hundreds of kilometres of cycle routes await.
The radon-bearing water at Alpentherme is said to benefit respiratory difficulties and musculoskeletal problems, while a stay may also support immunity and skin quality.
The thermal resort covers 36,000 m² of indoor and outdoor space. It includes two thermal lakes filled daily with fresh natural thermal water and a large indoor thermal pool.
The pools offer panoramic views of the Alps.
The complex also includes a sauna world with several types of sauna: Finnish, Alpine pine, light and panoramic saunas. The highlight is Cascadia Sauna, a two-storey facility hosting special sauna rituals and infusions with thermal or seawater. A separate women-only sauna is also available. Sauna admission is restricted to guests aged 15 and over.
Visit in December to experience a distinctive Austrian Christmas atmosphere. The town has large markets filled with local food and folk crafts. Alongside accommodation in the Alpentherme hotel, the town offers numerous more affordable guesthouses and private homes.
- Hotel Norica includes direct access to the baths in the price of a stay.
- Full-day online tickets: from €50.50 for adults including sauna admission, and €28 for children aged 6–16.
- Opening hours: daily from 09:00 to 21:00.
5. TAUERN SPA Zell am See–Kaprun
Modern TAUERN SPA and its four-star hotel stand in the middle of Hohe Tauern National Park. Inside are spacious rooms with romantic views of the rocky Kaprun mountain landscape.
For relaxed time with friends, TAUERN SPA has a chill-out lounge with an open fireplace. The spa and wellness programmes occupy more than 20,000 m².
The highlight is the Skyline Pool on the hotel roof. Altogether, however, the resort offers 12 different pools, including thermal pools, with a total water surface of 2,100 m². Pool temperatures are an ideal 34–36 °C.
Children have the Kidstein zone with three waterslides and smaller slides. The children’s area is well separated from the adult section.
The sauna world contains ten saunas for guests aged over 15, including a bio sauna, herbal sauna, aromatic steam bath and crystal sauna with infusions.
Visit Zell am See during the winter season. Kaprun is one of Europe’s largest ski destinations and attracts skiers from around the world. In summer, its cycle routes reward visitors who hire a road bike.
Culinary specialities are served directly in the spa restaurant. Local gastronomy combines regional ingredients with international cuisine, although the Austrian classic—Wiener schnitzel—remains the greatest success.
- Accommodation: the thermal baths are part of the highly rated TAUERN SPA Hotel & Therme; admission is included.
- Full-day online tickets: from €28.50 for adults and €20 for children, with sauna admission from an additional €19.50; prices are dynamic.
- Opening hours: water world daily 09:00–21:00; sauna world daily 10:00–21:00.
6. Therme Wien
Europe’s largest urban thermal spa stands in the Austrian capital. Its 26 pools, 25 sauna and steam cabins and more than 2,500 loungers helped Therme Wien win at the European Health & Spa Awards.
The modern centre lies only a few stops from central Vienna on a single underground line. You can therefore arrive in Vienna by train and, several metro stops later, enjoy an Austrian thermal spa without changing lines.
Therme Wien offers enough activities for the whole family. The facilities are divided into four zones according to their focus, including beauty, tranquillity and adventure. The adventure area contains exciting waterslides and children’s attractions.
The Vienna spa offers advantageous programmes for shorter visits. An evening ticket provides complete access from 18:00 to 22:00. A whole day of pampering is available through the Relax! One Day Holiday package, which also includes a restaurant voucher.
- Full-day online tickets: from €34 for adults online, from €40 at the ticket desk, family admission from €66, plus €15 for saunas.
- Opening hours: water world daily 09:00–22:00.
7. Allegria Resort Stegersbach
Approximately 75 kilometres from Graz is Allegria, combining its own accommodation with a thermal resort. Because of its higher price, the four-star hotel is aimed primarily at guests seeking luxury. Despite the price, the resort ranks among Austria’s best thermal baths.
Allegria Resort Stegersbach stands directly in the middle of a golf course. If you love this gentlemen’s sport, spend the entire day on the green and reward yourself in the evening with a sauna or steam bath.
Allegria Resort Stegersbach has 14 different pools and a sauna world with nine saunas.
Hotel guests also appreciate the generous buffet breakfasts, which provide enough energy for a full day of activities. They also praise the helpful staff, who try to accommodate every request.
- Accommodation: the baths are located at Allegria Resort Stegersbach; hotel guests receive spa access.
- Full-day online tickets: from €36 for adults Monday–Thursday, from €37.60 Friday–Sunday and holidays, from €20 for children, with sauna supplement of €6.20–€7.70.
- Opening hours: daily 09:00–21:00; Friday and Saturday until 23:00.
8. Parktherme Bad Radkersburg
The picturesque town of Bad Radkersburg stands on the Austrian–Slovenian border. The history of its thermal baths dates to 1978, when springs rising under a pressure of 17 bar were first put to use.
Water emerging at 80 °C is cooled to a pleasant 34–36 °C, depending on the pool. Residual heat warms the facilities, so the exceptionally hot water does not go to waste. The local water is also said to be among the most highly mineralised in Austria’s thermal spas.
The indoor and outdoor areas contain several thermal and conventional pools with approximately 2,700 m² of water surface. The sauna world has eight saunas.
Parktherme Bad Radkersburg has an excellent restaurant. Vegetables and meat are bought from local growers and farmers, so food reaches the table exceptionally fresh. The same applies to other products, including wine and beer from local breweries.
Bad Radkersburg is not among Austria’s cheapest thermal resorts. Travellers can, however, camp in a tent or motorhome.
- Accommodation: unlimited spa admission via an underground corridor is provided by the four-star Vitalhotel der Parktherme.
- Full-day online tickets: from €37.20 for adults and €23 for children, plus €10.20 for saunas.
- Opening hours: Monday–Thursday 09:00–21:30, Friday–Saturday 09:00–23:00, Sunday 09:00–20:00.
9. Thermal Spa Loipersdorf
Excellent baths and a sauna world are the main attractions at Loipersdorf. Unfortunately, its luxurious facilities also make it one of the more expensive Austrian thermal resorts you will encounter.
The wellness centre is divided into four themed sections. Across an enormous 36,000 m² are 35 pools, 19 of them filled with thermal water. Total water surface reaches 4,500 m².
The resort includes several parts: Adventure Spa with waterslides and children’s attractions, and the Thermal Spa relaxation zone. Many thermal pools reach 36 °C.
Then there is the separate sauna world, with a classic Finnish sauna, bio sauna, basalt steam bath, forest Finnish sauna and infrared sauna.
The separately charged Schaffelbad zone includes Roman baths with a tepidarium, herbal and panoramic wooden saunas, a special stone “Styrian” sauna, a laconium and private areas.
Loipersdorf works for both winter and summer holidays. Its large saunas provide breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
- Accommodation: two hotels are connected to the thermal baths: Hotel Kowald Loipersdorf and Thermenhotel Stoiser.
- Full-day online tickets: Sauna Dorf from €46 for adults including saunas on weekdays, from €54.50 on weekends and holidays, and from €31 for children.
- Opening hours: daily 08:30–21:00, except Friday 08:30–23:00.
10. KärntenTherme Warmbad-Villach
The small city of Villach stands close to the Austrian, Slovenian and Italian borders. Its location at the heart of the Alps–Adriatic region lets visitors enjoy the best of all three countries. Villach’s history stretches back as far as 3500 BC.
The local Austrian thermal baths offer attractions including waterslides, while more conservative visitors are not forgotten. Outdoor thermal pools at 33 °C create a pleasant atmosphere for senior stays as well.
There is also a small children’s zone and a 25-metre swimming pool. Thermal pools are located both indoors and outside.
Villach’s thermal baths contain numerous elements of modern architecture. Prestigious Austrian artists contributed works that decorate the interior. You can explore the facilities through the 360-degree photographs on the resort’s website.
- Accommodation: Thermenhotel Karawankenhof – Villach is connected to the thermal baths, while Hotel Warmbaderhof stands immediately beside them.
- Full-day online tickets: from €31 for adults and €17 for children under 12.
- Opening hours: daily 09:00–22:00.
11. Rogner Bad Blumau – more than 3,000 m² of pools in Hundertwasser’s world
Rogner Bad Blumau in Styria is one of those thermal resorts you recognise from the first photograph. Colourful façades, irregular windows, golden domes, grass-covered roofs and virtually no straight lines were designed by Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Architecture is not the only reason to visit.
The entire resort covers approximately 420,000 m², including around 8,500 m² of wellness facilities and more than 3,000 m² of water surface. The thermal world contains 14 indoor and outdoor pools, including thermal pools, hot tubs, a wave pool, children’s pool and sports pool. By far the most interesting is the outdoor Vulkania, with two thermal lakes and underwater music.
Bad Blumau uses two different thermal sources. The gentler Melchior spring rises from a depth of approximately 970 metres and reaches 47.2 °C at the outlet. The much deeper Vulkania is connected with a borehole descending more than 3,000 metres. Its highly mineralised water has a naturally greater salt content.
The sauna world is extensive too. Facilities include a wood-fired garden sauna, Finnish sauna, herbal sanarium, bio sanarium, Roman sweat bath, Turkish steam bath, salt steam bath, infrared cabin and rock sauna. Afterwards, guests can rest in the 420 m² HimmelReich relaxation zone.
Accommodation: staying directly at Rogner Bad Blumau makes the most sense. Hotel guests have access to the thermal and sauna worlds during their stay and move between their room and the pools entirely within the resort.
12. Eurothermen Bad Schallerbach – thermal baths, aquapark and more than 4,000 m² of saunas
Bad Schallerbach near Linz is a completely different kind of resort. Its principal advantage is the combination of three very different worlds under one roof: the calmer Tropicana thermal zone, the family Aquapulco aquapark and the enormous AusZeit sauna world. You can therefore visit with or without children and use the resort in a different way each time.
Tropicana resembles a giant tropical greenhouse. Its main hall reaches a height of 14 metres and the winter garden covers approximately 1,000 m². In good weather, a large part of the glazed roof opens. Indoors and outside are a thermal lagoon at around 35 °C, Colorama Pool with underwater music, an outdoor Panorama Pool, Whirlyacht hot tub and several health-oriented pools, including saltwater, sulphur and iodine-selenium pools.
An unusual feature is Korallengrotte, with an aquarium holding approximately 20,000 litres. The aquarium itself is about six metres high, and guests relaxing in the water watch tropical fish.
With children, you will probably spend most of your time in Aquapulco. Its pirate water world offers five large adventure slides, a wave pool, outdoor water park, children’s water attractions, pirate shows and even the AquapleX 5D cinema.
The AusZeit sauna world is in another league. It covers more than 4,000 m² across three floors and offers over 40 sauna and relaxation areas. Alongside conventional saunas are a herbal sauna, clay “baker’s” sauna, salt sauna, infrared cabins, several steam baths and an ice cave at approximately -5 to -10 °C. A separate women’s section covers around 250 m². The sauna area is textile-free and open to guests aged 16 and over.
Accommodation: Hotel Paradiso Superior is connected directly to the thermal baths and adds its own indoor and outdoor pools and hotel wellness area.
13. Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg – 24 pools and 800 metres of slides
If you are looking for Austrian thermal baths primarily for children, Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg is one of the strongest candidates. It is not a conventional spa with a children’s corner added as an afterthought. Virtually the entire resort was designed for families from the start, from babies to older children interested mainly in slides.
The figures reflect this focus. The water world has approximately 3,000 m² of water surface and 24 indoor and outdoor pools. Add 18 slides with a combined length of roughly 800 metres.
The principal attraction is the 270-metre XXL Monster Ride, one of Austria’s longest indoor waterslides. An even more unusual technical curiosity is the 202-metre VR slide, which combines the ride with virtual reality.
The other pools are not small either. The wave pool covers approximately 280 m² and reaches a depth of 1.8 metres. For the youngest children, there is an extensive Baby World. Outdoor sandy Baby Beach contains around 450 m² of water surface, gradually sloping from just 7 to 47 centimetres deep. Further shallow pools, small slides, water games and facilities for parents with babies complete the offer.
Saunas are not missing. The separate, textile-free Sauna World is open from age 15 and offers two Finnish saunas, herbal and bio saunas, conventional and aromatic steam baths, an infrared cabin, hot tub and plunge pools. Younger children have a separate children’s sauna and steam bath, so their first sauna experience need not wait until their teenage years.
Accommodation: the most convenient option is Hotel Sonnenpark, located directly beside Sonnentherme and, like the baths, focused mainly on families with children.
14. Heiltherme Bad Waltersdorf – 25,000 m² of wellness and 62 °C thermal water
Bad Waltersdorf in Styria takes the opposite direction to Lutzmannsburg. Slides do not play the main role here; thermal water, saunas and tranquillity do. From 1 October 2026, the entire Heilthermen Resort will become a venue for guests aged 14 and over, sharpening its focus on adults and couples.
The public Heiltherme covers approximately 25,000 m² of wellness space. Current resort material lists nine thermal pools and eight saunas. Water arrives from an underground source at approximately 62 °C before being cooled for individual pools.
Most relaxation pools are kept at around 36 °C, but the resort offers more than sitting in warm water. Outdoors is a massage pool with bubble loungers, jets and water spouts, a separate aquagym pool and a 16-metre swimming pool. More active visitors may prefer the 25-metre pool at around 29 °C, equipped with a counter-current and underwater exercise bicycles.
A large part of the resort is devoted to the sauna world and relaxation zones. Facilities include conventional saunas, steam baths, cooling features and an outdoor sauna garden. Instead of ordinary rows of loungers, there are several separate quiet areas with water beds and more comfortable loungers. A large thermal garden opens in summer.
Guests at the adjoining hotel have an even wider selection. Private Hoteltherme adds four more thermal pools, a natural bathing pond and five saunas, so the pool and sauna offer is considerably broader for resort guests than for day visitors.
Accommodation: the most logical choice is Heilthermen Resort Bad Waltersdorf. The hotel is directly connected to the public Heiltherme and also has its own thermal and sauna world reserved for hotel guests.
15. St. Martins Therme & Lodge – 11 pools, 2,000 m² of water and an eight-hectare lake
St. Martins Therme near Frauenkirchen is an interesting combination of thermal bathing and nature. It stands on the edge of the Lake Neusiedl region and Neusiedler See–Seewinkel National Park. The water world is designed so that views from the pools lead primarily outdoors into the landscape.
The thermal baths have approximately 2,000 m² of water surface and four indoor plus seven outdoor pools. The largest is an outdoor thermal pool covering roughly 455 m², linked to an indoor pool of approximately 406 m². Water temperatures are generally 32–35 °C.
Other interesting features include a 154 m² saltwater pool, an activity pool and a children’s water area. The sauna world has additional warm relaxation pools and cold plunge pools.
Thermal water comes from a depth of approximately 860 metres, where it reaches about 43 °C. The public sauna section contains five different saunas and steam baths, including the 90 °C panoramic Kieselsauna, the gentler Pannonia sauna, two steam baths and another sauna zone with an infrared lounge. It is textile-free and open from age 14.
In summer, the resort gains a completely different dimension through its own eight-hectare bathing lake with Summer Island. A separate Lake Sauna on stilts stands by the water, with a 90 °C Finnish sauna, a gentler 60 °C sauna and its own thermal pool. This section is available only through selected premium packages and to hotel guests.
Families have a children’s area and a 90-metre illuminated slide. Even so, I would choose St. Martins primarily for its combination of thermal water, tranquillity and nature rather than as a conventional aquapark.
Accommodation: St. Martins Therme & Lodge stands directly by the water. Hotel guests also receive access to the private Lodge See-Spa, additional pools and saunas and the private bathing lake.
Thermal baths in Austria near the Czech border
For a day trip from the Czech Republic, distance is almost as important as the number of pools. AQUA DOME is fantastic, but travelling all the way to Tyrol for only a few hours in the water is not worthwhile for most people.
- Therme Laa—the best candidate from South Moravia: Laa an der Thaya is approximately 60 kilometres from Brno, making it one of the easiest Austrian thermal baths for Czech visitors to reach. From Prague, the journey is considerably longer at around 230 kilometres. For travellers from Moravia, however, Laa can comfortably be a day trip without an overnight stay. Different groups can enjoy the resort in different ways. Families have their own facilities and a textile family sauna, while adults seeking more peace can choose premium SILENT SPA for guests aged 16 and over. The standard thermal section contains five pools and the resort covers around 7,800 m².
- Therme Wien—thermal baths reached by underground: Vienna’s spa is an interesting alternative for visitors who do not want to combine wellness with a mountain holiday. Underground line U1 runs directly to Therme Wien, so you can travel from Stephansplatz almost to the entrance without a car. This is no municipal swimming pool: Therme Wien has 26 pools, 25 sauna and steam cabins and around 2,500 loungers.
- Bad Schallerbach—a good compromise for Czech families: Eurothermen Bad Schallerbach lies near Linz and is especially interesting when travelling from southern and western Bohemia. Two completely different worlds operate beside one another: the Aquapulco aquapark for families and calmer Tropicana. Separate AusZeit sauna facilities cover more than 4,000 m² and offer over 40 sauna and relaxation areas.
Which Austrian thermal baths are best with children?
When travelling with children, I would not look only at the number of pools. It is far more important whether the resort offers age-appropriate attractions, warmer children’s pools, slides, family facilities and enough indoor space to spend an entire day during bad weather.
For young children, Sonnentherme Lutzmannsburg is a particularly strong choice because the whole resort is explicitly designed for families.
For children who want slides and action, I would choose between Aquapulco at Bad Schallerbach, TAUERN SPA in Kaprun and Lutzmannsburg.
For a family wanting to combine thermal bathing with quieter wellness, Therme Laa makes sense. Its short distance from South Moravia is another advantage.
At some Austrian spas, remember to check age limits. Sauna worlds are often open only to teenagers, while the entire Heiltherme Bad Waltersdorf resort is intended for guests aged 14 and over.
Thermal baths and skiing in Austria: where can you combine both?
Austria excels at combining skiing with thermal bathing. After several hours on the slopes, a hot outdoor pool beneath the mountains makes even more sense than it does in summer.
- Gastein is probably the most complete option. One valley contains both Felsentherme Bad Gastein and Alpentherme Bad Hofgastein, together with the extensive Ski Gastein areas. Current material gives approximately 180–200 kilometres of slopes.
- Kaprun combines TAUERN SPA with skiing in Zell am See–Kaprun, including Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.
- Ötztal combines AQUA DOME with several ski areas, including Sölden. AQUA DOME itself has 12 pools and a thermal water world open until 23:00, so you can move there after an entire day outdoors.
- Bad Kleinkirchheim combines skiing with Thermal Römerbad directly below the slopes. During the season, the baths are open until 21:00 and full-day pool admission costs around €37.
Thermal baths in Austria with accommodation
For a single day, thermal resorts close to the Czech border make the most sense. The farther you travel, the more I would consider staying one or two nights. Reaching Längenfeld, Kaprun or Gastein from the Czech Republic takes long enough that a same-day return is impractical.
Resorts where the hotel is directly connected to the baths are especially convenient. Examples include AQUA DOME with AQUA DOME 4 Sterne Superior Hotel, TAUERN SPA with TAUERN SPA Hotel & Therme, Rogner Bad Blumau and St. Martins Therme & Lodge. The advantage is not only walking to your room in a bathrobe. Hotel guests sometimes gain access to sections unavailable to ordinary day visitors or can use wellness facilities at different times.
The best thermal baths in Austria – relaxation combined with sport
Whether you visit Austrian thermal baths close to the Czech border or in southern Austria, use all the opportunities this Alpine country provides. Cycling, hiking, mountaineering and golf can fill dozens of entertaining hours, after which you can relax in the local pools.
Austrian thermal baths offer an ideal combination of exercise and familiar relaxation. After sport, local wellness centres take good care of you, while your muscles recover in dozens of Finnish saunas and steam baths—all accompanied by excellent regional gastronomy and precise service.
