The clue’s in the name: ‘Bad’ is used to describe spa towns in German and people have been coming here since 500BC for the thermal baths and local produce (apparently Cleopatra used to import her cosmetics from the region...). ‘Kleinkirchheim’ translates to ‘little church home’, which sums up the resort rather nicely... Intermediates will have a field day on the mountain and the après ski is just how we like it: friendly, merry and traditional.
The ski resort is founded on an ancient Austrian spa town in the Nock Mountains, in Southern Austria’s state of Carinthia. Pronounced ‘Bad-kline-kursh-hyme’ and nicknamed BKK (possibly for ease!), the town’s first recorded mention was as early as 1166 and it has a long and interesting history as an Alpine wellness destination.
The area’s popularity with snow lovers has grown since the first ski lift was built in the fifties. You’ll struggle to find a description of this place where Franz Klammer doesn’t pop up – this is where the Downhill Champion honed his skills and there’s even a downhill named in his honour. FIS Ski World Cup downhill events are regularly held here, including the ladies downhill race in 2015.
The great thing about this as a ski destination is the balance: you’re surrounded by ancient architecture like the gothic St. Catherine’s Church, without forgoing the mod cons you’d want from a European ski holiday, including access straight from the town to the piste. The wellness facilities throw some serious R&R into the mix but this isn’t the quiet mountain village it first seems – the après in the bars and taverns actually gets quite lively.
The standard ski pass will keep you plenty busy on the slopes here and in neighbouring St Oswald, but if you’re feeling particularly adventurous and don’t mind the commute, the Top Ski Pass covers 80 ski areas in Carinthia and East Tyrol and a mammoth 877km of ski slopes.
The resort has good bus links to neighbouring villages for anyone who wants to explore when the boots come off - head to Field Am See to catch a glimpse of the wildlife you rarely see when whizzing down a piste. Slovenia and Italy are only an hour or so away by car if you fancy packing the passport for a day trip somewhere different.
The nearest airport to Bad Kleinkirchheim is Klagenfurt at 60 km or about 1 hour by car
The nearest ski resorts to Bad Kleinkirchheim include Katschberg, Obertauern.
A number of family-run taverns like the Hübelbauer serve local specialities made with home-grown ingredients. Grab a pizza in Gasthof Sportalm (super for families as it comes complete with outdoor play area). Having won multiple culinary awards, the Lindenhoff is great for a special occasion if you fancy sampling some of Christian Regittnig’s gourmet wonders
While you’d expect a small Austrian spa town to be a bit on the sleepy side, BKK brings plenty to the après table. There’s a host of cosy inns for a quiet Glühwein by the fire (or around the outdoor fire pit in the case of the Einkehr) but you also have the chance to swap your ski boots for dancing shoes at venues like Take Five nightclub. One of our favourite spots is the Brechlstube which has a range of local beers - you might even be treated to some accordion music...
We’d forgive you for sidestepping the après bars in light of the après spas here... The main ones at St Katherin and Römerbad are lovely for a relaxing swim, steam or sauna (as well as a multitude of treatments) and both have special areas for families too. The resort often gives you the chance to buy and swap spa tickets with your lift pass – worth looking up before you book. If you’d rather take advantage of your wintery surroundings, skate under the stars at the outdoor rink in resort or on Lake Brennsee. Hire a toboggan for hours of fun- the run at Wöllaner Nock is higher than the pistes themselves which you don’t find in many resorts. See the landscape from the comfort of a horse drawn sleigh for something really special; it’s usually possible to do this by moonlight and finish off with a fondue..
There are around 30 stores in Bad Kleinkirchheim, giving above average opportunities. It's particularly worth getting to the farmers market on Friday mornings (9am to noon) to sample locally produced meat and dairy products as well as many other delicacies, including confectionary.
For traditional Carinthian crafts try Kärtner Handwerksladen or Carinthian arts and Crafts Römerhof. Otherwise there are several flower shops, a wine dealer, stationers, book store, chemist, cosmetics store, perfumerie and a Wob beer distillery.
View our detailed Bad Kleinkirchheim snow report to see skiing confitions now. Our Bad Kleinkirchheim snow history shows you what snow depths have been in recent years month-by-month. If you're visiting soon, use the Bad Kleinkirchheim snow forecast to see predicted snowfall over the coming days.
Maximum and minimum adult Bad Kleinkirchheim lift pass prices ranged from €219 to €237 for 6 days access to the Bad Kleinkirchheim ski lift system at the start of the 2025 winter season. Our lift passes are part of a packaged Bad Kleinkirchheim holiday with accommodation, so prices vary depending on chalet or hotel suppliers. Confirm price for the lift ticket before booking your holiday.
Lift Tickets | Child | Adult | Senior |
---|---|---|---|
1 Day Price | €24 - €24 | €47 - €47 | N / A |
6 Day Price | €110 - €119 | €219 - €237 | N / A |
Age Range | 6 - 18 | 19 - 64 | 65+ |
Most of our ski holidays to Bad Kleinkirchheim packaged with flights include airport transfers. We can also arrange private transfers to Bad Kleinkirchheim from nearby airports
Flights from London take about 2 hours to Innsbruck, Salzburg. This table shows approximate transfer times to Bad Kleinkirchheim from the nearest airports, smaller airports can be more prone to delays.
Airport | Distance | Transfer Time |
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Klagenfurt | 60 km | 1 hour |
Browse our self-drive ski holidays which include your car channel crossing, or go choose accom-only and book your car ferry or tunnel later.
The transfer time from alpine train stations are generally shorter than from airports, Call us for details of Bad Kleinkirchheim transfers.
Station | Distance | Transfer Time |
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Spittal | 30 km | 30 minutes |
Need help choose your Bad Kleinkirchheim ski holiday? Call us on 020 7770 6888 or click Enquire - we love to help!