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38 things to do on an Austrian winter holiday - and 79 Austrian things to be thankful for!

Skiing above the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier near Kaprun

Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun where it possible to ski in the Summer months.

Thinking about winter holidays? or skiing holidays in Austria? I started a list off to count up the options, of things to do, places to go, got to twenty suggestions and the ideas still came flooding out. But it is reasonable to say that there is plenty to do and see on a winter / ski holiday in Austria.

If you are looking for a list of events and happenings in the Kaprun and Zell am See ( On the internet sometimes spelt ZellamSee ) ski area click on the link here.

Salzburg a superb city to visit whatever the time of the year.

Salzburg in winter, a fantastic city to visit, explore and to shop in.

36 things to do on a winter holiday in Austria

Go in search of Apre Ski. (what you do after a day on the slopes, eat, drink & party).
Visit an Art gallery in Salzburg, Vienna, Linz, or Innsbruck, cities of culture.
Visit a local museum Bad Gastien, Kaprun, Zell am See or Saalfalden are pretty interesting ones.
Visit a Wellness, Spa or Beauty centers, relax, unwind, ease away aches and pains. Tauern Spa Kaprun and the spas in the Gastein valley are fantastic places to chill.
Skittles or indoor Bowling great with a beer!
Children's playgrounds, children still like them in the snow!
Visit the cinema, improve your German! some have international day showings.
Cleared footpath walks to follow, stopping at a mountain restaurant for a hot chocolate or something stronger!.
Cross Country Skiing across the valley bottom.
Curling on ice or even on a frozen lake?
Horse riding in the snow, or maybe a sleigh ride.
Ice-skating inside or outside
Ice-sailing something different
Ice-surfing?
Indoor tennis at Zell am see.
Outdoor fitness course, take a run
Nordic Walking - walking with poles, give that body a workout.
Top up the sun tan, bright and sunny in the snow.
Spa, sauna, steam room, Spa-World-Kaprun well worth a visit, or try the Gastein valley with 2 fantastic thermal spas, at Bad Hofgastein the alpentherme.com or at Badgastein Felsentherme.
? Make this one up for your self? or go and see an ice hockey match in Zell am See
Snow shoeing, walking across snowy slopes through trees and across snow covered meadows.
Have a ride on a horse drawn sleigh
Skiing an independent view point
Sit have a coffee or a Glühwein and soak soak up the atmosphere and history of the place.
Snow-boarding.
Snow-tubing.
Snow Kiting
Parascending
Visit a Sports centre with a gym.
Squash or tennis.
Swimming pool inside or out?
Sledging or tobogganing there is a great one in Kaprun
Winter markets, shopping at Zell am See or Salzburg market in the snow.
Sit down have a hot chocolate, take in the views and relax, you are on holiday.
Have a meal to remember having burnt off the calories.
Hot air ballooning over snowy mountains! Balloon festival at the end of January (now moved into January) in Kaprun and Zell am See
Take a cable car to the top of a mountain and take in the view. Schmitten views, history and activities
You are on holiday you decide?

Winter Ski map of the Kaprun and Zell am See area.

Looking for somewhere to stay in the Kaprun area then please consider looking at

austria-holiday-apartments.https://booking.zellamsee-kaprun.co.at/rentals/apartment-kaprun-apartment-tauernblick-ii-with-garden-in-kaprun-197681.html?FRMAdultos=8

Convenient and Spacious accommodation for your holiday stay in Kaprun

Attached was added at a later date and is copied with permission from an interesting blog found / written by an American teaching assistant by the name of Rebecca, who was based in the Austrian City of Graz, on her work experience trip in Austria.

"Under the heading I'm thankful" it adds to quite a list of 79 things about Austria.

for a city that's safe at night
for a city that's safe during the day
for a fantastic church home
for a rich national history
for accessible and affordable operas
for affordable housing
for an abundance of castles
for an orderly and cheap laundry system in my apartment building
for Austrian school and office supplies -- so much cooler!
for balls (i.e. dancing balls, like Cinderella went to a ball)
for bike paths
for cheap but good wine and beer
for cheap sparkling mineral water
for cheap, convenient and reliable train travel within Austria
for cheap/easy/convenient opportunities to travel within Europe
for church bells that ring at 7 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, and 7 pm
for consistently good coffee
for cute, quaint villages
for dialect and its accompanying amusements, puzzles and challenges
for everyone who helped me and/or made phone calls to figure out all the bureaucratic visa stuff
for everything pumpkin out of Styria: pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin cream soup, pumpkin bread, etc.
for exclusively Austrian Sturm, Glühwein, Christmas markets, and Buschenschanks
for ex-pats
for friends
for good bread and cheese
for good health insurance and no referrals
for good places to run and bike
for having 38 public holidays
for having the Mur river running though town
for hospitality
for how Austrians will really pull through for you
for incredible scenery
for kebabs
for Labello
for lackadaisical passport control officials
for living in a bike-friendly city
for meeting so many cool people from all over the world
for my connections
for my fellow foreigners
for old European streets, houses, and architecture in general; especially how this everyday cityscape stayed fresh and new for me
for reliable public transportation
for skiing and Austrian-style sledding
for so much free/leisure time
for sturdy toilet paper and tissues
for the abundance and coexistence of kitsch, history, and design
for the Austrians who adopted me and introduced me to Austrian life and culture
for the comfortable pace and quality of life
for the coziness of Graz
for the insanely cheap price of a chunk of fresh mozzarella
for the lack of cockroaches, poison ivy, and poisonous spiders and snakes
for the ubiquitous ice cream stands in the summer
for traditional clothing and accordion music
for tram and bus drivers who will stop the vehicle and wait for you if they see you running to catch a ride
for wearing slippers at home or as a guest in someone's home
for wonderful room mates and a flexible landlady
that Austria takes care of its people
that dogs are so well-behaved here and are allowed to go everywhere
that even in Austria I can be BFF with my bank teller(s)
that Graz was the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003 and therefore has lots of spiffy new buildings and such
that having a car is so unnecessary
that having a real Christmas tree with real candles is the only tree most of them have ever known
that I can leave my bike simply standing and loosely locked anywhere in the city and it will still be there when I come back
that I can understand German on the phone
that I can walk in to the doctor's office without an appointment and actually be seen
that I could live in the same apartment for over 2 years - longer than any other apartment I've ever had
that I had so many visitors in the past couple years!
that I lived for 2 years without a deadbolt and it never bothered me
that I'm no longer pre-judged on the basis of my president
that it is so easy to split the bill in a restaurant
that my room doesn't face a street
that nearly everything you ever use is recycled
that people have stopped introducing me as, "This is Rebecca. She's American."
that receiving phone calls is free on your mobile phone
that Styria has it all -- mountains, hills, vineyards, thermal baths…
that tax is included in all your purchases and tipping is practically nonexistent
that the country is very stable and doesn't have any severe political or international problems
that there are so many old people who are out and about
that there are very few Americans in comparison with other Austrian cities
that there are very few tourists in comparison with the other Austrian cities"

Quite a list, we would welcome other suggestions about what is good about Austria.

Winter Skiing Kaprun- Zell am See the Europa Ski area.

Chapel next to Kaprun Castle

The lake side market town of Zell am See and the alpine village of Kaprun have teamed up together for the past 40 years and were aptly collectively known as the "Europa Sport Region". They have now recently changed the focus on the joint marketing of the names of Zell am See and Kaprun.

Between the the lively medieval lakeside resort town of Zell am See and the spectacular Kitzsteinhorn glacier, lies Kaprun. Which is a traditional Austrian village with a pretty church and interesting castle. It is convenient for nursery slopes, pistes for all levels and fast links to near all year round snow sure slopes on the glacier so good for November to June ski holidays and beyond. For some night life check out the Austrian scene oompah bars always turn out to be very special nights!

The skiing area of Zell am See and Kaprun is varied with three distinct Ski areas of:-

i) Maiskogel, where it is possible to ski down into the center of Kaprun and it is only a 10-12 minute walk away from Austria holiday apartment where up to 9 persons can sleep in comfort.

ii) The second area is above Zell am See down from the 2000 meter high Schmittenhoe, topped by a chapel and restaurant. This area has fantastic views down onto the frozen lake of Zell am See, where in the right conditions people will be found walking and skating. There is consideration to the possibility to linking up this ski area to meet up with the adjacent ski resorts of Sallbach and Hinterglemm. It is also possible to upgrade your Zell am See / Ski pass for a few Euros include this additional area on top of the 3 ski areas in Zell am See and Kaprun. There is speculation of new ski lifts and slopes down into Piesendorf extending the ski area even further.

Austrian Traditional Holiday Poster.

iii) The third area is above Kaprun on the Kitzsteinhorn which rises to 3203 metres in height. Below the summit there is the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which is open all year round and normally subject to weather it sometimes only closes for 2-3 weeks in the summer for maintenance to the ski lifts. So it is possible to ski throughout most of the year, creating the possibility of a longer ski season for visitors and locals alike. This mountain area also has the benefit of a snow park for the ski boarders. For the recent season a new lift had been installed the "Kristallbahn" which had the benefit of heated seats! which made the ride up, nearly as much fun as the ski down! With upgrades and improvements being made year on year to the facilities provided.

Joint Ski resort area Map of Zell am See and Kaprun

The valley bottom between Kaprun and Zell am See is the location of a cross country ski course for an alternative form of skiing the Nordic type.

Tauern Spa Kaprun

New from November 2010 is the fantastic Tauern Spa Kaprun, it is located just to the north of Kaprun, on the road out of the village to Zell am See. Our sister blog at Austria-Spa-World provides further information on this 85 million Euro project, which will enhance any holiday by a visit and the use of its extensive facilities. There is a fantastic spa area, split into a "textile" and none textile (nudist) areas to suit.

Tauern Spa Kaprun close to Zell am See

As mentioned there are further additional ski areas in the immediate area the joint resort of Saalbach Hinterglemm and Kitzbuhel. Around 30 minutes away is the Gastein valley, where there is further additional extensive skiing, and it also the benefit of 2 (yes two) world class spa complexes at Bad Gastein and at Bad Hofgastein. Both are thermally thermally heated ( natural) and are definitely worth a visit what ever the time of the year.

Pisendorf and Niedernsill are just a few miles away from Zell am See and Kaprun, and are compact resorts, they tend to be a little quieter and cheaper, than their busier neighbours. A ski map of the area can be found via this link, can be used as a great base to commute to the larger ski areas. It is a good base, along with Kaprun for cross Country skiing with extensive routes along the valley bottom in all directions.

The holiday region Zell am See-Kaprun attracts 2 million overnight stays every year is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Austria. During the summer months you can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities like rafting, golf and hiking. And also in the cold season there is never a dull moment thanks to the possibilities of sleigh rides and hiking tours in snowshoes. Skiers can comfortably reach the 132 kilometres of slopes with powder snow on one of the 56 lifts. Snowboarders also enjoy the perfect high altitude conditions of the Snow-parks on the 2,600 metre high glacier plateau. Even in the summer you can swish down the slopes there.

Ski passes can be brought at a variety of locations in Kaprun and Zell am See, with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier comes a snow guarantee as well!! with an extended ski season into June and October starts for a new ski season possibilities.

Ski slope Cameras

Many holiday resort destinations have internet cameras, for example via the attached Zell am See / Kaprun link the site lead to cameras covering the areas of Maisikogel, the Kitzsteinhorn ( more than one camera to cover different areas of the glacier), the Schmitten, with further cameras looking over the lake at Zell am See. It is a useful resource to see perhaps the weather conditions, visibility, numbers skiing, or if there are and swimmers or skaters in or on the lake.

The renowned German publishing house of 'Falk Verlag' awarded Zell am See and Kaprun the high accolade of the voting the area the most family-friendly holiday region in Europe!

Looking for somewhere to stay? for 3 - 9 persons then consider Austria Holiday Apartment

Austria holiday apartment - Kaprun comfort and convenience

Kaprun information and Trips from Kaprun - Zell am See 12+ things to do

Kaprun Information

In 931 it is reported that the village of Kaprun was founded
Kaprun has around 3000 residents
Kaprun is at a altitude of around 800m above sea level
Around 1200 Kaprun castle is built
1828 The date of the first reported climb to the top of the 3029m high Kitzsteinhorn is reported
1938 Start date of the construction of dams and hydro power plant Glockner – Kaprun
1965 The Kitzsteinhorn glacier area opens for public Skiing
2010 Kaprun has 3000 inhabitants it also has accommodation for 8000 visitors.

Extract of a map showing Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn mountain area, alpine walks

Part map of the Kaprun valley showing village, walks, dams, cable cars and reservoir locations

Thing to do a see in and around Kaprun & Zell am See.

There is lots to see and do in the immediate area of Kaprun and Zell am See. But for those who would like to spread their wings a little further how about these for a few idea:-

(Journey times are from the Kaprun / Zell am See area.)

1) Visit to Salzburg about 1 hours and 20 minutes by car also accessible by train with a similar journey time.

2) A visit to the Krimml waterfalls about 50 minutes by car / bus, it is also possible to get there by the quaint local train from Zell, and a further possibility is to hire some bikes, put them on the train and cycle back down the valley, there is a superb cycling network, but I would advise book your place on the train in advance of hire of the bikes.

3) Visit the Ice caves above Werfen Castle, they are the largest in Austria, very worthy of the climb / cable car ride to the top. Located just off the motorway to the South of Salzburg

Werfen castle "Where Eagles Dare" was filmed worth a visit with falconry display.

4) Werfen castle around 40 Km to the south of Salzburg, is a truly awesome setting, if you don't fancy the the walk from the town, there is a funicular railway from the back of the castle. Both the ice cave and Werfen castle can be visited quite easily in one outing.

5) The Olympic city of Innsbruck, again by car, bus or train at just under two hours away. Plenty to see and do, at any time of the year.

6) Close to Innsbruck is Crystal World home of the Swarovski Crystal business.

7) Visit the Gastein valley, famous for it naturally heated thermal springs / spas. There is Ski, mountain Gastein spa complex at the head of the valley in the interesting Victorian spa town of Bad Gastein, accessible by train from Zell am See.

8) If you don't want to travel as far up the valley at Hofgastein there is the Alpentherme spa complex. In terms of both spas set aside 3/4 hours to get the full enjoyment of the "wellness experience. To find out a bit more about the Tauern Spa world Kaprun click on the link to get to the blog, it opened in November 2010, and a great place visit all year round.

9) Grossglockner Valley pass (the peak of the mountain), starts just a few minutes drive away from Kaprun and Zell am See, from the traditional village of Bruck. To get the most from the trip, aim to do the trip on a day when there is good visibility, there is certainly plenty to see, and different places to stop. The trip up the side road up to the glacier, complete with museum and multi-storey car-park is well worth the effort.

10) A day trip to Venice is not out of the question but an early start is recommended because the car journey comes in at 4 hours! But if you set off at 6.00 am you will be there for 10.00 Am. The quickest route is via Mittersill.

11) Kaprun dams not too far for an outing, open from late May until the Autumn, in a stunning setting and awe inspiring engineering work, to get a better picture of the attraction click on the dam video link

12) Liechtenstein Gorge is not only one of the beautiful gorges, it is also one of the deepest and wildest chasms in the Alps. It is a magnificent natural phenomenon and very much worth a visit. It is close to the alpine town of St Johann im Pongau and the alpine resort of Alpendorf.

13) Another possibility is to take a flight from the Aerodrome which is located on the local road between Zell am See and Kaprun. Parachuting is even a further possibility!

14) In Kaprun there is the castle, village church, village museum and a motor museum all worth a visit in their own right.

Fantastic mountain walk in and around Zell am See - Kaprun

There is lots more to see and do in and around the area, there are mountain walks galore, plenty of cable cars to take in the views, glacier skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn, where it is possible to ski all year round. A trip to Munich, perhaps for the beer festival, or to Hitler's Eagle nest are all extra possibilities.

For sporting possibilities, to give you a clue the area was formerly know as the Europa-Sports region, which does give you a direct idea to the further possibilities. There are too many to list, a separate article would be required.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay for between 3 - 9 persons, then please consider staying at Austrian holiday apartments in Kaprun

What a view of the lake at Zell am See

Parachuting above the lake at Zell am See, Austria

Summer holiday in Austria

We love Austria and just had to return to Zell am See and Kaprun! This was our 4^th summer visit since 2009 and even now there are plenty of things for us still to do and new places to go such is the variety on offer in the area for all ages. ( For further information on two of our previous visits see the following links second visit and our third visit ) .

In fact to make even more of our holiday this time we again stayed at Austria Holiday Apartment wonderfully located apartment in Kaprun for ten nights.

This is an account of what we did as a family - that’s a mum, dad and two girls aged 8 and 10.

What we get most enjoyment from is walking in the mountains and swimming…lots of swimming! So we checked the weather forecast, via the apartment’s WiFi and the local TV channels, and decided to immediately go for the ‘hike and swim’ card again which is perfect for us. For a family of 4 it costs €205.50 for 6 days and provides unlimited use of the cable cars, gondolas and; chairlifts at the Kitzsteinhorn, Schmittenhohe and Maiskogel mountains and the three outdoor swimming areas around Lake Zell and the indoor pool in Zell am See. This is a great economic way of using the facilities.

Dragons Walk on the Schmitten great for children and dragons / adults alike

We asked the children what they’d like to do first, both immediately responded “the Schmidolin walk!” This is a great way of getting into the mountains and keeping the children entertained. The circular walk has over 12 different activity stations, some of which change from year to year, for children to have fun and help the dragon Schmidolin in his quest. It’s best to start at the Areitbahn gondola where the parking is free and the ticket office is in the Intersport shop. The staff are very helpful, they will give the children a card to mark off at each activity station, and with all the right answers on return they will be given something to remember the occasion.

New! This year at the top of the Areitbahn lift, there is a motocross course on e-bikes which boys might like, have a look here at the Freeride E-center

Swimming in a Lake with Mountain views

Lake a Zell am See beautifully clean with great views

It was sooooo hot on this our first day (obviously the fire breathing dragon had been busy!), that the temperature gauge in the car was reading 42°c! So we just had to go to the lido and jump in Lake Zell to cool off, aaaaaaahhhhhhh.

The lido can be busy but it has a heated pool with a slide, a pool for the very little ones, a café and is right next to the lake and with stunning scenery too.

Sledging on a Mountain in the Summer

View from the top of the Kitzstienhorn with glacier above Kaprun

‘What would you like to do next?’ we asked. “Can we go sledging?” was the response. Why not it’s only August! Our second day we ascended the Kitzsteinhorn which is just a few kilometres drive up the road from the apartment. Two gondolas and a cable car take you to the summit station – the Gipfelwelt 3000 – where there is a fantastic café/restaurant, a cinema and a panoramic platform at 3029m. On a clear day the views are unbelievable. We made our way to the Ice Arena on the glacier where everyone, young & old, can go tobogganing / sledging and have fantastic fun. The less energetic can watch from a deckchair with a hot or cold drink.

Summer Sledging on the Kitzsteinhorn in August

In fact we had so much fun that we went back a few days later and when we arrived at the summit this time it was actually -2°c and snowing! As always its best to be prepared for the conditions but winter clothes can be bought or hired from the Intersport shops that are at each gondola station.

We built a snowman

The cloud soon gave way to some sunshine and it ‘warmed up’ to 7°c so we built a snowman, in fact three, which became an instant tourist attraction. Just wonderful!

In the summer months there are always many events happening, some occur each week and some are special one-off events so it’s definitely worth checking with the Tourist Information Centre as there is something for everyone.

Summer Evenings in Austria

Every Wednesday evening in Zell am See there is a festival with street bars, entertainment, food vendors and traditional music. Whilst busy the atmosphere is fabulous. We were lucky enough to go twice and the children loved the pancakes and candy floss stalls!

Great evening with Live music in Medieval town center of Zell am See

We only just missed out on Kaprun’s own festival and mountain bike extravaganza – Bike Infection which takes place in mid-August, we went in 2011 and it was well worth a visit.

Football fans will be interested to know that the area is also a magnet to top football sides who like to take training camps. One evening the top Qatari side Al-Sadd were training on the pitch opposite the apartment so I watched them for some time. When they finished I had my photograph taken with one of their players – ex-Real Madrid and Spain legend ‘Raul’. Football gold!

Mountain Views to take the breath away

View from the Schmitten above Zell am See

Anyway back to normality and the next walk we did was on the Schmitten, where we took the cable car to the summit station and walked the route from the St Elisabeth chapel down the ridge to the Sonnkogel, this is a lovely short walk, not that strenuous, with amazing views again and plenty to keep children entertained along the way. There are lots of information stations too that describe the area, the history, the wildlife and the fauna of the mountain which is interesting and of course importantly there is a café/restaurant at either end. The coffee and apfelstrudel should not be missed!

On a rainy day we wandered into Kaprun, found a lovely café at the bakery and then later visited the indoor pool in Zell am See which had a 74m water slide and diving boards. The pool is also adjacent to the ice rink, home of the EK Zeller ice hockey team, on the main road.

High Dams Above Kaprun

Kaprun Reservoirs

One place we’d not visited previously were the high altitude reservoirs at Kaprun including the Mooserboden reservoir and dams. The start of this excursion is just a few km past the Kitzsteinhorn gondola station where you park your car, get a ticket €39 per family, which includes the bus ride up to the higher reservoir.. We were fortunate enough to go on a good weather day when the power company Verbund had also organised a day specifically aimed at children with lots of activities going on. We walked along the dam walls ( you can also walk in the dam wall) and had a nice picnic next to the reservoir amongst the glacial mountains, simply stunning.

Swimming Lido at Piesendorf

When our ‘hike and swim’ card had expired we had three days to choose what to do. Firstly we decided to venture to the outdoor pool, the Hinkelsteinbad, at Piesendorf. This was a little difficult to find at first so I would advise checking the map, it’s next to FC Piesendorf (the football team), but an alternative would be to travel by the Pinzgau Lokalbahn train from Furth-Kaprun as the pool is next door to the railway station. Anyway the pool was much quieter than the lido in Zell and equipped with a heated pool, sports pool, a jacuzzi, a longer slide, a café and with a beautiful vista up the valley. Idyllic! For the family it was just €10.50 for the day and we stayed for over 5 hours. We had a fabulous time there and would definitely recommend it.

The following day was forecast to be poor, so we decided to take the train from Zell am See to visit Salzburg. This cost just €32 for a return ticket for us all and included parking in the ‘Park and Ride’ at Zell station. I would recommend going early as the journey takes 1.5 hours and the parking spaces are limited. We enjoyed walking around Salzburg and visited the house that was the birthplace of Mozart. We would like to have visited the Science and Natural History Museum science museum (again) but ran out of time(!)

Tauern Spa Kaprun

Salt / brine swimming pool at Tauern Spa Kaprun

Our final day ended on a real high where we spent virtually the whole day at the Tauern Spa, Kaprun which is described as the ‘Base Camp for Body Soul’ and that is a pretty accurate summary. The complex is 5 star and the ‘wasserwelt’ (waterworld) is nothing short of fantastic with lots of different indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis, slides and even a heated salt water pool. Very very relaxing, and lots of fun too. What was even better was that it was much less busy than our previous visit and the weather was good! A day pass cost €61.50 but it was worth it. On entry you are given a wrist band that contains a chip, which not only controls a changing room that acts as a locker but also can be used to purchase food, which is very nice, from the restaurant and cafes (note when not using cash this can be a little dangerous to the wallet!). I am looking forward to the day when we can also visit the sauna and masseuse and leave the children to entertain themselves!

Before we returned to the airport we had fun on the Maisiflitzer roller coaster at the Maiskogel in Kaprun which follows the gradient of the ski slope and has bumps and turns. At the point where the photograph is taken we were doing 42kmph, awesome! One run down the track for the four of us, in two carts, cost €24. The area has also been developed with a go-kart track €2 for 10 mins and large slides which are €0.50c per go. Plenty to keep the children entertained here!

So there it is our 4^th, and most enjoyable to date, visit to Kaprun. Many thanks to the Austria Holiday Apartment again for the hire of their apartment which looked as fresh as it did when we first arrived in 2009. It’s well equipped and very conveniently placed for walking into Kaprun, travelling by road and only a few metres from the Billa supermarket.

The dilemma is now whether to return for a winter ski trip or another amazing summer adventure. We now love Austria even more!

Richards Family

Tauern Spa Kaprun - a great place to visit throughout the year

Zell am See and the Kaprun ski areas

Skiing resort Areas Kaprun and Zell am See

Kaprun and Zell am See are located in the heart of the Alps in the province Salzburg, they sit close together in a spectacular mountain in one of the prettier ski areas of Austria.

The holiday region of Zell am See Kaprun has over 14,000 beds and two million overnight stays are recorded each year, making it one of the more popular holiday destinations in Austria. There is an abundance of fantastic views, beautiful flora and fauna in an Alpine setting. The Lake Zell offers opportunities for relaxation and well-being, golfing, hiking, and bathing are at the focus for the summer time program, but visitors can choose from many more activities as well.

During the winter seasons, 56 cable car and lift facilities take visitors up onto the mountains, with 136 kilometers of pistes. Skiers and snowboarders enjoy the perfect conditions of the Kitzsteinhorn Snow-park on the 2,600-metre-high glacier plateau. Even in the summer you there is the possibility of skiing down the glacier. Both resorts Kaprun and Zell are family friendly.

Location map of Zell am See and Kaprun.

The lakeside, ancient market town of town of Zell am See and the alpine village of Kaprun, are located about 7 kms ( 4 miles) apart, next to the Hohe Tauern mountain range, with the key ski mountains peaks of Kitzsteinhorn 3.203 m, complete with glacier. The Maiskogel at 1.675 m both located above Kaprun, back across the valley above Zellamsee is the Schmittenhöhe / Schmitten which rises to 2.000 metres, and is topped by the Empress Elizabeth Chapel.

Empress Elizabeth Chapel on top of the Schmitten Above Zell am See

These are two charming resorts come with distinct traditional Austrian features. Both resorts are well linked by bus and have access to the 138km of ski runs, in three distinct ski areas, offering a variety of changes in scenery, altitude and attitude!

For those learning to ski there is a choice of ski schools with easily accessible nursery slopes, plenty of intermediate slopes and of course challenging black runs and with off-piste areas.

View from the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, Kaprun in the valley bottom and Zell am See in the distance

Kaprun and Zell am See the Europa Sport Region Skiing Area

25 facts. For further information on the ski area and a ski map click on the link

Skiing Altitude 755m-3000m
Resort Altitude 755m (Zell am See)
Piste length 138km
Number of runs 53
Nursery Slopes 13%
Blue 40%
Red 34%
Black 13%
Number of Lifts 57
Drag lifts 30
Chair lifts 15
Cable Cars 12
Direction of predominately slopes N/S/E
Terrain Parks yes
Half Pipe yes
Cross Country Trails 200km
Glacier skiing yes (October to June)
Night Skiing yes
Mountain Restaurants 20
Snow making 80% of runs covered
Resort Ski Bus yes, included in ski pass price
Bus Linked Resorts Zell am See, Kaprun, Schuttdorf to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier
Traditional Après Ski yes in both resorts
Austrian Alpine atmosphere yes.
Spa / wellness yes Tauern Spa Kaprun opened its doors in November 2010.

Tauern Spa Kaprun opened its doors in November 2010 and is well worth a visit on any day of the year

Apartment Rental Accommodation in the Zell am See - Kaprun area?

Looking for somewhere to stay for 3-9 people? With the benefit of three bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms, please consider staying at www.austria-holiday-apartment.com

Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun sleeps from 3-9 with a view of the Kitzsteinhorn

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:-

There is future talk of ski lift and a Proposed Schmitten to Piesendorf link

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

Winter Ski holidays Austria - Kaprun - Zell am See

Kaprun church worth a visit

Maiskogel ski area - great for family skiing

View from the Kitzsteinhorn glacier

Ski holidays in Kaprun and Zell am See - Austria.

The ski area at Kaprun consists of an area accessed direct from the village centre via ski lifts up the Maiskogel bahn. A much larger and higher ski area complete with glacier is on the Kitzsteinhorn which is accessed from just up the valley from Kaprun, with a regular ski bus service, from Zell am See through the village. The glacier provides the possibility of year round skiing and an extended snow reliability and a snow guarantee in early or late seasons.

The views from the glacier at Kaprun are impressive with the lake at, Zell am See and the highest mountain in Austria the Grossglockne all visible. With the snow guarantee and terrain parks for snowboarders the area caters for skiers of all abilities.

The sister resort from Kaprun is Zell am See with a magnificent lakeside location and majestic mountains all round, the ski holiday resort of Zell am See (Zell by the lake) is renowned as one of the most attractive holiday locations in Austria, with drinking quality water.

In summer the lake with a 13 km (7 mile) walk around and its many activities provide a focus for this all year round holiday resort. In winter whilst the lake is a perfect backdrop to the mountains, it provides great scenic value from all directions. and allows visitors to walk, curl or skate across on a fantastic natural ice rink. The ski resort of Zell am See directly accesses the slopes above with a number of lifts going straight up from the town resort. The attraction of of the area is the myriad of skiing opportunities that includes Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier forming jointly what is known as the Europa Sportregion.

The ski area at Zell am See offers the opportunity to ski down through the forest pistes ideally suited for beginners and intermediates with the challenges of black runs for the more experienced skier. The views from the peak at Schmitten Pfiff with its Empress Elizabeth picturesque chapel are spectacular, overlooking the lake, with the glaciers toward the Grossglockner Austria's highest mountain in the distance.

The neighbouring ski holiday resorts of Kaprun and Zell am See are inter-linked by free ski buses, for skiers and share in a common lift pass..

The holiday resorts of Zell am See and Kaprun offers lively après ski with a mix of nationalities.

Further afield around from Kaprun there is access to the extensive ski resorts of Sallbach and Hinterglemm where it is possible to ski clockwise or anti-clockwise around the valleys in the form of a ring, and a little bit further is the Gastein valley ski resorts of Hofgastein (around 30 minutes by car from Kaprun), Bad Gastein and at the very top of the valley Sports Gastein. The Gastein valley is famous for it's hot thermal spas which are naturally occurring.

A new superb spa complex "Tauren-spa-world-Kaprun" is ~~in the process of being~~ built in Kaprun, it is located in a fantastic "sunny" setting close to the village centre, with a lovely vista of the mountains around, it will be a 5-10 minute walk away from Kapruns village centre. The new spa lays claim to being one of the largest in Austria. Having visited a number of other spas in Austria, I know that you will not be disappointed, with the new spa which opened in November 2010.

For further information on the area and if you are looking for somewhere to stay, take a look at :- Austria-holiday-apartment.com it sleeps from 3-9. in comfort

Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun

Holiday Apartment Kaprun further links