Krampus, Christmas or New Year in Austria?

   










Austria Christmas and the New Year


Austria is a great place to enjoy the Christmas and New year festivities.

The snow adds to the atmosphere, the hot mulled wines, the Christmas markets, the Christmas Carol singing, traditional music, Christmas trees, the idea of a white Christmas all add to the appeal of a Christmas in Austria.

The Christmas tree has been a Germanic tradition for at least the last 300 - 400 years, but many areas across Europe pagan traditions have held evergreens to be a symbol of life during the long winter months. This symbol was adopted by early Christians and the decorated trees have become symbol of eternal life.

In 1841 Prince Albert, German husband of Britain s Queen Victoria, introduced the the custom of the Christmas tree to the British royal family.  From there the idea the tradition of having Christmas Tree appears to have spread far and wide across the world.

In 1850, a coloured etching of a decorated tree at Windsor Castle was published and the "Tannenbaum" became a necessity for every fashionable Victorian home. It was a tradition quickly embraced by Victorian England. Trees were set up for the Christmas season decorated with lighted candles, covered with tinsel, ribbon, paper chains, and sweets.

Christmas in Austria in some ways takes you back to the Victorian traditional Christmas, wooden toys, with wooden letters, fun filled sledging, ice skating on a frozen lake, a snow ball fight on the garden, a log fire to warm yourself around, mulled wine.

Krampus

Krampus in Austria

In certain areas of the Alps there is still the "Krampus" tradition a mix of pagan and the Christian Saint Nicholas, (Father Christmas, Santa Claus), bearing gifts for the children,  with  ornate Krampus costumes  of ghoulish figures, with frightening masks, carrying ringing bells on on their belts, and with whips to "beat"the occasional passerby!!

The "Krampus runs" take place in the first week of December but in particular on the 5th December.
While St. Nicholas brings presents to those children who haven been good during the course of the year, it could be said that the Krampus figures frighten the ones who have been bad! They quite often arrive together in an open slay being pulled by horses, to a village square, with an open fire, thumping music and an expectant crowd.

The two of them are a curious couple, good and evil traveling together!  but Advent times wouldn't be complete without them in Austria, or Christmas trees, decorations and an Advent wreath either.

In the Gastien area the celebrations rotate round different villages each year.

The Zell am See-Kaprun area holds fast to the tradition of the Krampus' run, for more photographs click on the link. The following events are typical  but will vary from year to year:-

03/12 6:00 p.m Krampus run for children, village square Thumersbach
04/12 7:00 p.m Krampus run, village square Thumersbach
05/12 6:00 p.m Krampus run, Salzburgerplatz Kaprun
05/12 7:00 p.m Krampus run, centre Zell am See

"Run" times for Krampus will be publicised by the local tourist office, and a list of other events in Kaprun  and Zell am See given can be found  here.

In some ways the tradition of Krampus has similarities with the Halloween celebrations else where in the world, they perhaps share the same Ghoulish, heathen origins.

The idea of Austrian Christingle markets, Skiing or snow boarding over Christmas and into the New Year will also appeal to many.  It is well worth thinking about, but if you wish to go, you will need to book early.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay please consider staying at  austria holiday apartment it can sleep from 3 to 9 persons in comfort.

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

Family holidays in Kaprun and Zell am See - Rafting - on white Water

Family holidays in Kaprun and Zell am See click on the link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/austriansummer/7563315/Family-activities-in-Austria.html

White Water Rafting

White water rafting along with other outdoor activities including Canyoning, which involves walking up a river / stream the wrong way in a wet suit.  One  rafting centre is based on the Salzach in the village of Taxenbach which is around 10 miles to the East of Zell am See on the main road down to Salzburg, close to Rauris and the Gastein valley  It is a well established  company, with the owner Trevor an ex outward bound instructor with the American army, with friendly and well trained staff in a scenic setting.

On the Lofer to the north of Zell am See there is a further white water river available.

White Water Rafting on the Salzach in Austria

Trevor & Crew at the rafting centre at Taxenbach

Who visits Zell am See and Kaprun?

Kitzsteinhorn glacier ( note the snow!)  where it is possible to ski  throughout the year.

 Kaprun and Zell am See are popular tourist destinations within Austria.  With the opening of Tauern Spa Kaprun, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a 36 hole championship golf course,  winter sports,  cycling and the lake at Zell am Zee the area is seen very much as an all season all destination what ever the time of the year you visit.
Around 2 million visitors  holiday in the area in each,  with slightly more than half of these visiting in the November through to April ski season.

A great place to visit

 Winter Visitors

For this six month period taking advantage of the winter sports and the extended ski season with the glacier on the Kitzsteinhorn, around a quarter of visitors are from Germany, followed closely at arpound 15% of the total being Dutch guests, after that around 10% are Austrian and another 10% visitors from the United Kingdom, closely and in more recent years an increasing number of Polish and Rumanian visitors, followed by Scandinavian visitors.  English is widely spoken across Austria, and Austrians are famous for their hospitality.

Visitors come for the winter sports, Christmas markets, wellness breaks, culinary experiences and just to relax unwind and to soak up the scenery


Summer Visitors

In the months from  May through to October around 900,000 take advantage of the area in and around Kaprun and Zell am See booking accommodation.  Again unsurprisingly German visitors are most popular about a third of the overall total. Next most popular at about 1/8th  of visitors is the home market for Austria, with the British taking up around 10%  with the Dutch taking in excess of 7% of the accommodation.

Krimml waterfalls awe inspiring

Over the last few years there has been an increase in the number of visitors to the area. With the new spa complex opening in Kaprun in November 2010, at a cost in excess of 85 million, and the extended ski season allowed by the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, it  it is expected as a driver to confirm Zell am See and Kaprun as an all year resort.

The area has been marketed as the Europa Sports Region, and the name sums up the abundance of sporting activities which includes :-wild water rafting, canyoning, golf, cycling, walking  and numerous water sports on the lake at Zell am See, and summer skiing also a possibility on the glacier

If you are looking for somewhere to stay in the area  for 3-9 people? With the benefit of three bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms. Please consider staying at  www.austria-holiday-apartment.com ?

Safe places to holiday in? - Austria

Interesting link listing the 10 safest places in the world for travelers. The list is a bit objective but comes up with the following countries:-  New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Austria, Sweden, Japan, Canada, Finland and Slovenia.

The list seems to pick up on the best places with some common themes:- i) Nordic countries ii), Alpine countries, or iii) Tundra countries. The top ten  list comes from a survey of 144 countries and they look at 23 specific areas as indicators to come up with their favourites.

Political Map of Austria, showing adjacent countries

When it comes to Austria, it has the following in favour, a  politically stable country, population community orientated (as opposed to "my" rights orientated), Austria is a religious county counting on the number of beautiful Catholic churches, secondary indicators include the absence of litter and  the "graffiti" index, the  Austrians come over as friendly, honest, kind law abiding, and are very proud of their nationality. 

If you  are going to visit Austria? and are looking for somewhere to stay? for 3 - 9 guests, then please please consider staying at Austrian Holiday Apartment - Kaprun.

White water rafting in Austria

Just been checking the site and noticed that the links were not interactive and linking through to the sites suggested. So by clicking on the title above you should get through to an interesting article on white water rafting and similar sports / hobbies.

So putting in another story link to test out the tweak, the article relates to white water, rafting and canoeing.

Close to Kaprun there is a couple of rivers where your can practice your nautical skills, they even organise canyoning ( walking up a river the wrong way in a wet suit). Adventure Service, who are based in Zell am See do a variety of adventure water sports as well as organising par-ascending trips accompanied you will be pleased to know. Adventure service offer a 10% discount for guests who stay Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun.



At Taxenbach on the road down to Salzburg there is the rafting centre, it has been established a number of years and comes with a good reputation, and are a friendly professional set-up, they also organize other outward bound activities, check out their site for more information.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay  take a look at Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun, it sleeps from 3 to 9 persons, and with 110 square metres of space plenty of room for all.

Best wishes Derek

Layout of Austria holiday Apartment in Kaprun 3 bedroom 3 shower-rooms