Ski at Austria Holiday Apartment

Kaprun – the perfect base for a winter adventure

Austrian  Alps

While our apartment is brilliantly situated for a beautiful summer holiday – and you can still even include a little sledging if you fancy thanks to the glacier - it is of course the most perfect base for an exciting winter adventure. Once the weather in the UK starts to change – with the light evenings fading and the warm air replaced by cooler mornings and a fair bit of rain and wind, it can mean only one thing; autumn has arrived! For many of us the start of autumn is super exciting and no, it’s not because Christmas is only round the corner, it because it’s the start of the ski season. For those who love the crisp, clean mountain air this time of year is special as it means the countdown has begun to your big trip away. Whether it is for a long weekend, a week or if you’re really lucky, ten days, keen skiers look forward to their annual trip with great excitement. If you’ve already booked with us we can promise you a fantastic experience - the apartment is just perfect; brilliantly comfortable, in a great location and with plenty to do right on your doorstep. With a bit of something for everyone, here are just some of the great winter activities to enjoy near the apartment.



Kaprun – beginners slopes

The area has a pretty good reputation for beginner’s slopes; up on the Maiskogel the atmosphere is just perfect – really relaxed and the runs are mostly tree lined and gentle in nature. Once you’ve built up a bit more confidence there are some great progression slopes where you can practice your turns and stops to perfection. Although these slopes are on the lower side they are brilliantly easy to reach from the accommodation. If, at the start of the season, the snow down low is looking a little on the thin side then head on up to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier which is the snow sure plateau further up the mountain. Up here you are guaranteed to get fantastic snow coverage and the facilities all round are just excellent. If you are heading up the glacier or out for the day skiing and are new to the slopes then make sure you have packed all your essentials in a small rucksack so that you can fully enjoy the day – have a look this checklist from Iglu Ski for some great tips and advice.


Great for snow boarders – big and small

The Snowpark Kitsteinhorn, Kaprun boasts Austria’s biggest super pipe along with mogul slopes and ski trails – so enough to keep most boarders and freestyle skiers happy. Situated nice and high at 2,900 metres the park has loads of space to practice those manoeuvres in. The half pipe is an amazing 160 metre long and 6 metres high. Not quite up to that standard yet? Well grab a drink and sit in the spectator area to enjoy watching the exploits of those giving it a go. There are two other great snow parks too - Schmittenhöhe at the Hahnkopflift and the Park on Maiskogel – both of which can offer kids (and those still young at heart) a safe environment in which to have fantastic fun.

Kitzsteinhorn snowpark

Fancy a bit of cross-country?

If boarding or downhill skiing isn’t your thing then how about trying cross country? Kaprun has a number of beginners and medium difficulty loops for you to set off on. For those a little more advanced there are over 200 km of trails in the area to work your way round and if you fancy a little skiing at night, how about the 5 km track up on the Kitzsteinhorn plateau – the track is floodlit. Beginners should head for the easiest trail that starts in Karpun and is called West trail.


Time for some après ski?

So you’ve enjoyed some great runs and are feeling pretty pleased with yourself – now it’s time to enjoy some of the nightlife Kaprun has to offer. Stop off at one of the many ski huts on the slopes and sample some mulled wine or the Austrian specialty Kasnocken and enjoy the stunning light as it begins to fade across the mountains. Down in the town things are slightly livelier and there is great choice of ski pubs and bars to get the party started in.



Beginner or old pro, young or old, boarder or cross country lover, Kaprun and the surrounding area has some truly great winter activities to keep you busy this season. Make the most of your holiday and come to our beautiful Austrian resort of Kaprun, and savour that fantastic mountain scenery and air. Have a great holiday.   

Melissa Sutter.

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

1. Skiing Altitude 755m-3000m
2. Resort Altitude 755m (Zell am See)
3. Piste length 138km
4. Number of runs 53
5. Nursery Slopes 13%
6. Blue 40%
7. Red 34%
8. Black 13%
9. Number of Lifts 57
10. Drag lifts 30
11. Chair lifts 15
12. Cable Cars 12
13. Direction of predominately slopes N/S/E
14. Terrain Parks yes
15. Half Pipe yes
16. Cross Country Trails 200km
17. Glacier skiing yes (October to June)
18. Night Skiing yes
19. Mountain Restaurants 20
20. Snow making 80% of runs covered
21. Resort Ski Bus yes, included in ski pass price
22. Bus Linked Resorts Zell am See, Kaprun, Schuttdorf to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier
23. Traditional Après Ski yes in both resorts
24. Austrian Alpine atmosphere yes.
25. 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

22 to 23 reasons to have a winter / ski holiday in Kaprun, Zell am See in Austria.

20, 22 and now 23 reasons, to have a winter / Skiing holiday in Zell am See / Kaprun area. It is one of those lists which will go on and on, there is the obvious skiing and snowboarding.  A trip to Salzburg by train is less obvious, and a ride down to the Gastein valley to enjoy the hot thermal waters, or a day out skiing in Sallbach and Hinterglemm, or shopping in Innsbruck. Anyway it is a list for starters and others may want to contribute ideas and suggestions of their own.

So 20+ reasons to holiday in the Europa Ski area of Zell am See and Kaprun here goes:-

1.Quick transfer times from the nearest local airport of Salzburg which is just over 1 hour away,  just over the German border is Munich airport at just over 2 hours away, Innsbruck airport is a little closer, making the holiday area easy to get to and from.
2.Plenty of flights out to and back from Austria from a wide range of airports.
3.Skiing in three distinctive areas of Schmittenhohe above Zell am See, the Maiskogel where you can ski direct down into the village centre of Kaprun, and the Kitzsteinhorn where at a height of 3204 metres the snow is guaranteed, and the glacier allows for all year round skiing. For a ski map on the area and further ski info click on the link, it is worth looking on the map and identifying the 3 lifts with the heated seats!
4.Skiing for all abilities, a mix of slopes and varied terrain to cater for beginners, intermediate, and expert making it an excellent family ski area.
5. Lovely Austrian village of Kaprun and the ancient lakeside market town (Fridays) of Zell am See.
6. Walking, skating, horse riding or curling on the frozen lake (see) at Zell, which normally freezes in the middle of winter.
7.Walking across the frozen lake to Thumersbach for a coffee and cake.
8.Having a hot chocolate or mocha in the Grand Hotel at Zell am See.
9.Three acclaimed snow parks up on the Kitzsteinhorn for you to show off your snowboarding stuff.
10.Marked walking paths, tree lined slopes to help you find your way about.
11.Marked and maintained cross country skiing trails.
12.For something a little different why not try snow shoeing?
13.Two toboggan runs one for Kaprun and another for Zell am See.
14.Try curling on the frozen lake or outside a hostelry!
15.Swimming or having a sauna in Zell am See, or at the new 85 million Euro Tauern Spa Kaprun or take in the thermal waters of the  the two spas in the Gastein valley only a short ride by train, car or taxi.
16.Go and watch a ice hockey match in Zell am See, very competitive and great fun.
17.Walk the 7 miles around the lake, stopping for a mulled wine.
18.Enjoy the alpine apres Ski activities, the Austrians know how to enjoy themselves.
19.Go up on the cable cars and enjoy a meal and take in the views.
20.Glacier skiing your guarantee of snow.
21.Shopping in the market in Zell am See, every Friday, and Christmas markets as well.
22.Relax you are on holiday and enjoy yourself.
23.Enjoy the Austrian scenery and winter sun you will not be disappointed.

Another item to embellish on is spa-world-kaprun, which at a 83 million Euro investment, covering an area 18,600 metres square and with a water area of 2060 metres square, it promises to be quite an all year round attraction, in a stunning location, making the area even more of a all season resort. To see further information on this blog about Tauren Spa World Kaprun please click on the link or here.

• The final link is of a video from the Kitzsteinhorn glacier enjoy it for yourself, at your own pace.

• For 30+ reasons to visit Kaprun and Zell am See in the summer, or for that matter in the spring or autumn please click on the reasons to visit link.

Looking for somewhere to stay? then please consider staying at Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun it sleeps from 3 - 9 persons in comfort, and has the added benefit of 3 bath / shower rooms as well.

Convenient location close to Supermarket, Ski bus stop and Kaprun center

Summer family holiday in Kaprun Austria.

Once again we were tempted back to the Austria-Holiday-Apartment in Kaprun for the third year in succession, which speaks for itself!

Our two girls are now 6 and 8 years old and we also brought along a set of grandparents too as we knew they’d love the area, with the apartment being spacious enough to comfortably accommodate us all.

 

We were all really excited at the prospect of returning as we’d previously had two really good trips and knew that there was plenty for us all to do, young and not so young. 

This year we traveled to Munich by Easyjet from Manchester the night before and stayed in the Novotel at Munich airport – very impressed, felt like 5*, and for only €99 for a family room with breakfast recommended! It was so comfortable we set off too late and so arrived in Kaprun much later than planned. But the Holiday apartment looked great again and on the girls made swift use of the garden and outdoor swing.

Dorffest Kaprun

Dorffest Kaprun

We didn’t stay in for long though as we had been had informed, in advance of our stay of the Kapruner-Trachten-Dorffest (Festival) which was to take place on Friday 12^th and Saturday 13^th August so we headed into the town to see all the festivities.  It seemed the entire town was there having a great time eating, drinking and enjoying the music. All the local organizations and clubs had beer/food stands and I was particularly impressed at the chap who hit the Kitzsteinhorn on the ‘test your strength’ stall.  We all found a bench and had some excellent local food, plus a beer or two.

As the weather forecast was looking promising for the week we decided to go for a ‘hike & swim’ card again, providing access to the cable cars on the three mountains:- the Kitzsteinhorn, Schmittenhohe and Maiskogel plus the indoor swimming pool & lido in Zell am See, which for 6 consecutive days was approx €190 (2 adults and 1 child with 1 child free).  This was ideal for us as we wanted a mixture mountain and water activity.

Map  plan  of  Zell am See  -  Kaprun  lake  and mountain areas

We were fortunate enough to have sunshine for the majority of our stay but on the one day of rain we were keen to visit the new Tauern Spa Kaprun  which opened in November 2010 – if its good enough for the Olympic downhill gold medalist Lindsey Vonn and UEFA Champions League team Lyon then its good enough for us!  

For a family of 4 it cost €60 for the whole day (a 3 hour pass was only marginally less at €52).  We made good use of the multiple heated indoor and outdoor pools, even in the rain!  The girls loved the circular fast ‘lazy’ river and small slide and Emma especially liked the salt water pool. The long water slide was fun, but mostly and scarily in total darkness, older kids would love it though!   Even though it was very busy, there were enough loungers and parts of the complex to explore. A neat touch was that the wristband provided on entry served to provide both locker security and a cashless means of paying for food & drink in the restaurant. You simply settle the bill on returning the wristband when you leave. It’s definitely worth a visit.

 

Schmidolin's Feurtaufe

Schmidolins Feurtaufe

Our first walking expedition was a return to the children’s favourite “Schmidolin’s Feuertaufe” where there are 11 action stations, some of which had been modified since last year, on a circular walk situated between the Areitbahn and City Express gondolas. This time we started from the former (the numerically correct way around) and had fun at each one. The children even managed some that the adults attempted hopelessly at!  Its great for younger kids and as always they enjoy receiving a certificate at the end.

Later in the week we awoke in the apartment to see clear blue sky over the stunning Kitzsteinhorn Peak World 3000 and decided it was to be the day to make our first ever ascent of the glacier by the three cable cars. The whole family took the trip and enjoyed the breathtaking views from the viewing platform at 3029m. It was almost t-shirt weather but we had come appropriately prepared to go tobogganing at the ice arena  and so we left granny & grandpa enjoying a coffee and taking in the scenery from the restaurant. The sledging was nothing short of fantastic fun for everyone, here’s our Youtube clip to prove it. 

The young boy in me found it exciting to sit in the cab of a Pisten-Bully machine, just wished I could have driven it! There was something to do for everyone up there, so would recommend exploring the Kitzsteinhorn website for more detail.

We eventually made our way back down the mountain and after completing our descent back down we visited the memorial to the 155 people that lost their lives in the funicular tunnel fire disaster of 11.11.2000 how sad. The tunnel is no longer in use and access to the glacier is now via two ski lifts. 

Alpine Roller Coaster in Kaprun

Maisiflitzter in Kaprun

  
We also tried out the Maisiflitzer alpine coaster  this is a new installation in Kaprun where you sit securely in a two-seater sled and are pulled up the ski slope for 700m which with a few bumps and turns runs back down the ski slope on tracks for 1.3km. It takes about 12 mins from start to finish but you can control how fast you descend. We bought a family ticket for €23 for one run down and thought it was great! Older children might like to do this more than once though so its worth considering a 3 run ticket for €60. An added attraction was the bouncy castle, play park, animals and café at the base station.

When we weren’t up in the mountains we generally spent the rest of our time at the Zell am See lido, playing in the pool/water slide and also swimming to the pontoons in the clear fresh waters of lake Zell. Maybe some day we will visit the pool at Niedersill which has come highly recommended to us, we just can’t seem to tear ourselves away from Zell am See, probably because we make daily visit to the café’s and ice cream stalls!

The last new thing we did was to take a pedalo on the lake, which we had for just under an hour for €14. I rather enjoyed our girls doing some of the work (their choice!) and it was nice to get a new perspective on the surrounding landscape. Whilst messing about in the middle of the lake a drama unfolded as the rope at the front was used for fishing (don’t ask!) and this got caught around the paddle underneath, rendering the peddles totally useless. After much pulling we managed to free it just about enough to make our return to shore, phew! Time for another ice-cream! 

Anyway all in all it was another fantastic holiday, probably the best there yet! The region in my opinion has to be up there with the best in Europe when the weather is good. It offers so much for everyone. Thanks again to the Housley's for use of their apartment, we can’t fault it!

Many thanks

J and E

Update  we  actually  stayed  again in the  area  in the  same  apartment   click  on the  Link for  further  family holiday  excursion ideas.

 

Looking for somewhere to stay for 3-9 people? With the benefit of three bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms. For further information please see www.austria-holiday-apartment.com

View from the Apartment where we stayed of the Kitzsteinhorn

Things to do in a week in Kaprun, Zell am See and the Salzburg area

 Summer  holidays  in  Austria
 
We’ve just returned from our second visit to Austria and stayed in Austria  Holiday apartment in Kaprun, which is perfectly positioned and very comfortable.

We are a young family and have two girls aged 7 and 5, so here’s a few notes from our trip in the Zell am See / Kaprun Salzburg area:-

Mountains, lake and valley to explore in Kaprun and Zell am See

1. The main activities for us this year were walking and swimming so we purchased a Kaprun Zell am See “Hike and Swim” ticket for a total of €176. It might sound expensive but one return ride on a cable car is £40 and one visit to the lido in Zell am See is £20 and as we can manage both in one day it’s cost effective,  it gave us "free" access to lots of the attractions in the immediate area.

2. Our first walk was one for the children “Schmidolin’s Feuertaufe”, it’s new this year and has a fire breathing dragon theme. There are 11 game action stations on a circular walk which is situated between the City Express (Mittelstation) and Areitbahn gondolas.  We all enjoyed this walk (route no. 56) and the children loved it especially when they each received a certificate at the end, which they were both very pleased with. If we had more time we probably would have done it again. For more info in German click here, the English link is above.


3. The next day the Schmittenhohebahn wasn’t running but the TrassExpress was which runs to its left (this isn’t shown on the summer map but is visible on the winter map). We then walked up the mountain to the St Elisabeth church at the Schmitten summit where we then followed the very short Empress Sisi walk (route no.1).

4. Our next walk was from the top of the Schmittenhohe along the ridge to the Sonnkogel chairlift (Erlebnisweg Hohenpromenade, route no. 67). This is mostly downhill and there are multiple information points along the way (including tunnels to explore) which can engage the children and at the top of the Sonnkogel there is a zip wire and slide.  Also here is a place where you can have your photo taken by the webcam, here’s ours!


We stopped off for coffee and apple strudel at the café/restaurant and then took the chairlift ride down, which the children loved, at the end of which there is another playground. From here it is the Sonnenalm cable car back to the car park.

Klamsee above Sigmund Thum Klamm gorge near Kaprun

5. On a cloudy and wet day we drove the one mile up the road from the apartment and paid  €8, for 4 of us to walk through the Sigmund-Thun-Klamm gorge which is very impressive. From the top of the gorge we walked around the Klamsee (lake) and then drove a very short distance to take the Maiskogelbahn cable car. This is like stepping back in time and at the top by the café there are swings, a number of animals for the children to see (goats, ponies, chickens) and also great views looking down to Kaprun towards Zell am See.


6. Our next trip we gave the children the choice of either taking the train and; bus to the Krimml waterfall or visiting the ice cave at Werfen.

They chose the ice cave so that’s where we went. This is approx 45mins from the apartment in Kaprun. We would advise going as early as possible in the day because we had a lot of queuing. When we arrived at Werfen, near the impressive, imposing castle, we were told to park in the lower car park and take the bus to the ticket office, whilst this cost us an extra €16 in hindsight it was money well spent because the drive up the mountain to the ticket office is not for the uninitiated (steep narrow hairpins avoiding buses for 5km and a narrow busy car park at the top). We paid £50 for our cable car/ice cave ticket and took the 20 min walk to the cable car, which leaves every 3 mins but can only carry 15 people at a time (so a long queue takes time to shift). There is then another 20min walk to the ice cave which itself has hundreds of steps (I felt dizzy for a short period as we got to the top but our children didn’t complain at all). Warm clothing and good footwear is essential. The ice cave is amazing and is only lit by lamps carried by the visitors and magnesium carried by the guide who also speaks English and German.

7. When we weren’t walking we were mainly swimming at the lido in Zell am See which has great facilities. Here we all used the pools, the water slide and swam in the lake. Whilst our children aren’t old enough yet they enjoyed watching the teens being towed by the speedboat on the doughnuts and the banana (and falling off). The views around the lake from here are fantastic, I bet there aren’t many other better situated outdoor swimming pools. We also used the indoor pool in Kaprun but I expect the new Tauern Spa Kaprun resort due to open in November will be much better.

View from the lido at Zell am See swim and sail

8. There is a great atmosphere in Zell am See on Wednesday nights during the summer with music bands, lots of food and drink stalls and entertainers including clowns making balloon animals.

Summer traditional music in the town Square in Zell am See on Wednesdays nights

9. As we had a late flight back to the UK and the weather was poor we drove into Salzburg and visited the Natural History/Science museum which was fascinating for us all.  We spent approx 3 hours inside, there are a number of floors with rooms featuring dinosaurs, the ice age, science, space exploration and the Doppler effect, evolution, aquariums amongst others.

10. On a sunnier day we probably would have gone back to Hellbrunn on the outskirts of Salzburg (also adjacent to the zoo) – this has lovely gardens including the summer house from The Sound of Music (“I am 16 going on 17”), a great play area and a house with incredible fountains (see also ).


Some other interesting things that were happening at the time we were there

11. A mountain bike festival in Kaprun, "Bike infection 2010"for links for action packed cycle videos click here.

12. On the 7th August (day of our departure) there was the 2nd  lake festival at Zell am See
The date set for 2011 has already been set, and looks to become a regular occurrence.

13. For football fans there were a couple of team that were using Kaprun as a training base whilst we were there, German Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg  and Romanian Liga II side CS Concordia Chanjia


Other info

14. Parking – is free on the roadside in Zell am See on Friday afternoons, all day Saturday and Sunday and after 6pm on other weekdays.  At other times it is very cheap but the maximum stay is 3 hours. It also is very busy so spaces are rare but it is a much cheaper alternative than the underground covered car park. In Kaprun the parking is much easier and parking was free at the apartment where we stayed.

Whilst this has been our second visit we still have plenty more to do including the Kitzsteinhorn glacier  the Kaprun dams and reservoirs; the train ride upto Krimml waterfalls, cycling around and boating on the lake; the spa, walks and castle in Kaprun; Saalbach-Hinterglemm etc. etc. etc.

Looking forward to returning again sometime!

(Update  for  our  visit  in 2013,  where  we  stayed in the  same  apartment,  click  on this  link )

Jeremy  Emma and  family

View from the apartment where we stayed of the Kitzsteinhorn complete with glacier

If you are looking for somewhere to stay for 3-9 people? which has the benefit of three bedrooms and three bath / shower rooms please consider  www.austria-holiday-apartment.com.  For a down loadable brochure click on the Kaprun holiday apartment link

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