Buying a holiday home in Kaprun & Zell am See - Austria




Austrian Holiday Apartment under construction April 2008
Austria holiday Apartment bringing a plan into reality http://www.austria-holiday-apartment.com/


A while ago we were approached about writing an article about buying a holiday home in Austria. The attached link details some of the trials and tribulations in the process of finding the ideal place. buying a holiday apartment in Austria 

After following a number of property programs on TV, attending the "Place in the Sun " holiday home exhibition. We had made the decision that we were looking for somewhere which had the potential to rent all year around. We were tempted by the Canary Islands, Cyprus and Crete, but in the end we were persuaded by the arguments for an extended rental period, summer through to winter in a Ski resort.

In carrying out our detailed research across a number of countries we found the Global property website a very good reserch tool. It enabled us to make comparisons between buying in different areas i.e. Austria, Switzerland and France. It gave lots of useful information to analyze, and it was a useful resource to tool, direct further research.

In looking at ski areas we were advised to go for an area where there was glacier skiing, in other words the snow would be guaranteed and the ski season would be extended into May or even June, and start again in the October.

We wanted to be near a number of airports, so in the end with these criteria in mind, we settled on the Zell am See and Kaprun area, it had the combination of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area, the lake at Zell am See for water sports. Excellent transport links by road and rail to Salzburg, Innsbruck just over a hour away, and Munich coming in at around 2 hours. With the news that a new Tauern spa Kaprun complex was scheduled to built in a couple of years time made our decision easier to decide upon, another reason to buy in the area, was the adjacent 36 hole championship golf course of Zellamsee-Kaprun

Further we liked the area, and the contrast between holidaying in the summer and then returning in the winter was something that we would not have got in Cyprus or the Canary islands, i.e. swimming in the Zell am See lake in the summer and then walking across the frozen lake in the winter!

In looking for actual properties in Austria, the internet made life a little easier, we liked the "Live Austria" site. "Amazing Austria" was another website that gave us a good overview and plenty of information. But in the end we went with Ellmer an estate / developer based at the aerodrome between Kaprun and Zell am See, we found the approach of Christian very helpful and liked the build quality that he and Austria offered.

So after much thought, chats with friendly bank managers in the UK and Austria ( we even get birthday cards from the Volksbank at Zell am See!) after a 18 month search we found ourselves moving into our holiday rental home in Kaprun. There are still the occasional worry, drop in the £ sterling against the Euro, and the absence of bookings, with bills to be paid. But overall we are delighted with the apartment, area. Running a holiday rental business is challenging but the rewards of an appreciation from a content guest makes it more the worthwhile.

We have publicised the apartment with our website (see below and we also run two blogs Austria-holiday-apartment-blogspot ( we could have come up with a snappier title) and another based on Austrian spas and in particular the new Tauern Spa Kaprun, which is just the other side of the village from our apartment in Kaprun.

So do your research, do your sums, be prepared to put in the hours to market the apartment, it quite a journey to take, not without worries, but great scenery to look at on the way!!



View from the terrace of the Apartment we eventually brought of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier


If you  looking for some where to stay for 3-9 persons then please consider staying with us at www.austria-holiday-apartment.com

Finding a flight to Austria?



There are numerous places to find summer flights and winter ski flights to Austria on the internet.

The Austrian Tourist board website keeps an updated list of  flight options in and around Austria. With separate pages for summer flights and winter flights, with convenient additional links on railway  information.



Click on the links below to find further Austrian ski / summer flight information.




  • Salzburg Airport flight info lists all the departures and arrivals. Access straight onto the motorway, and it is possible to be for example to be in Kaprun or Zell am See in around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. With a rail transfer from Salzburg taking a similar period of time.
  • Innsbruck Airport flight information  cover the western part of Austria, in the Tyrol it lists the charter and scheduled flights. An alternative airport is to get your ski flight to Munich in Germany. Around a 2 hour transfer time depending upon your resort location in Austria, with a convenient motorway direct from the airport  to Innsbruck and Salzburg and beyond.
  • Graz Airport flight information easy to use site which lists destinations by country and airport. Just off the motorway and about 1 hour from Salzburg, covering the central parts of Austria


  • Vienna International Airport flight information this site available in a number of different languages. Vienna being the historic capital of Austria, located close to the Slovakian border has excellent interconnecting links with the rest of the country, by rail, road and river!

Other alternatives are flights to northern Italy, Venice Marco Polo Airport which is around a 3-4 hour drive to Austria.

Another choice is Munich International Airport there are plenty of flights to this "hub" airport from around the world. This airport / flugplatz is around a one to one and half hours away from the Austrian border linked by motorway.

Austria has a great road network, making for easy driving or easy transfers to your chosen resort. Along with a modern railway system making  which i have heard described is like a figure of " 8"  around the country with trains going in both directions, it is convenient and reliable mode of transport, with the added benefit of some fantastic views, it makes getting around Austria a joy.

 I have put in the following links to help you find that Austrian holiday flight booking

1) Ryanair.com 2) Easyjet.com 3) Thomsonfly.com 4) Jet2.com  and  5) flybe.com 6) Air Berlin 7) German wings

do regular flights to and from Austria. The mjost convenient for Zell am See and Kaprun are Salzburg with a resort transfer time of around 1 hour 15 minutes.  Innsbruck and Munich have slightly longer transfer times.



For further information on accommodation, if you are looking for somewhere for 3-9 persons to stay please consider looking at :- www.austria-holiday-apartment.com 


Austria Holiday Apartment in the Kaprun - Zell am See Salzburg Area

What's new in Zell am See and Kaprun?.

The Austrians  are a hard working nation, and  looking to improve and enhance facilities, on an annual basis,  from the upgrading of ski lift,  the provision of new cycle lanes, extension and modernization of hotels, with new infrastructure being constructed each year.

The major recent changes for  for Kaprun and the Zell am See area include:-

1) New Tauern Spa Kaprun now open

The new 85 million Euro spa complex opened  November 2010, and will enhance any stay in the area, the attached blog link gives more information http://austria-spa-world.blogspot.com/.  Great for a session of relaxation after a hard days skiing, or perhaps in the summer after a strenuous day of hiking / cycling, or just go and relax and unwind, after 36 holes on the adjacent golf course!

Tauern Spa Kaprun opens late at night.

Stop by at Tauern Spa Kaprun, hotel rooftop infinity pool.
The Tauern Spa website English website can be found at this spa link.  The German version of the same website can also be found via this link, If you visit have a great time and let us know how you get on!




2) New  Kitzsteinhorn new lift station

On the top of the Kitzsteinhorn mountain at 3000+ metres and famous for its glacier,  a new cinema complex!, viewing galleries and  refurbished restaurant has opened in December 2010  the attached article from the Zell am See - Kaprun tourist board provides further information.Go on a sunny day to take in all the views.

Kitzsteinhorn Gipfelwert 3000



The Kitzsteinhorn company run their  own website to find out the latest, prices, weather reports or events click on the link.


3)  New  Maiskogel toboggan run

The Maiskogel ski lift which comes right down into the middle of Kaprun, (is about a 10 minute walk from Austria-Holiday-Apartment) is benefiting from the extra facility of a brand new toboggan run,  it  opened in the middle of December 2010, ready for the Christmas and New year holiday period. It is designed to be used summer and winter. For further information click on the Maiskogel website link 

Maiskogel  toboggan run open winter and summer opened December 2010
The start point for the ride is in the car park adjacent to the Maiskogel ski lift close to the centre of Kaprun.  The ride starts from the valley bottom with a "tow" up the the hillside, before the ride starts for proper with an exhilarating ride back down to the start point with plenty of twists and turns on the way.

Future Developments planned
     
For the future plans in Zell am See and Kaprun, it is reported that:-

This would take you up from the valley bottom at Piesendorf, up to the top of the Schmitten, with a view down onto Zell am See. Click on the above link to see the proposals in a map form
  • A new multi-screen cinema close to the aerodrome is being planned,for the area between Zell am See and Kaprun

  • Along with an extension to the 36 hole Zell am See - Kaprun by a further 9 holes!

Zell am See - Kaprun Golf course, fantastic views and adjacent to Tauern Spa Kaprun
So if you are considering visiting Austria again please consider staying with us
Austria Holiday Kaprun apartment
If you are looking for somewhere to stay for 3-9 people in the Kaprun and Zell-am See areas?  With the benefit of three bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms. For further information on the area, please see www.austria-holiday-apartment.com