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

Three night break in Austria? Salzburg City and mountain resort area.

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Austria Pre-Christmas Trip Report

Friends and i went to Austria for a long weekend staying at the Austria Holiday Apartment in Kaprun, close to Zell am See. We found the accommodation on the web and got an early cheap pre-Christmas  flight with Ryanair from Stansted at a bargain £50 return!

 Salzburg a fantastic place to visit any time of the year

We flew to Salzburg in 1 hour 40 mins (arriving 20 mins early) and hired a car from Avis (100 Euro for 4 days) and spent the day sight seeing in Salzburg. The weather was perfect, crisp and sunny with clear blue skies.

Everywhere was  trimmed up traditionally for the festive season and very tastefully too with the white lights twinkling against the frost and snow in the background. There was plenty to see:-  Christmas market, ice rink in the square, food stalls.  Make sure you try the mulled wine or schnapps or both!  The goulash soup is worth trying too,  a local dish and the meat was excellent. 

There are shops galore all tastefully decorated for those of you who want to shop, we decided to look rather than

buy and spent our time exploring all the side streets. There was also Salzburg castle, museums, galleries and casino to visit perhaps on another occasion.

I recommend you walk down by the river and have a coffee at the roof top cafe / bar at the Hotel Stein which overlooks the town and river. Great views and rugs are provided for those who feel the cold.

 Austria holiday apartment in Kaprun sleeps from 3-9

Kaprun Apartment

We arrived at the apartment in Kaprun late afternoon after a 75 minutes drive from Salzburg. The apartment was new, well appointed, clean and warm with under floor heating.  Plus a store room for boots and skis etc. The rooms are en-suite and there are views of the mountains from the front windows.There is a supermarket close by for all your needs and it is only a 5 min walk into the town centre via the bridge.You park the car in the basement and the drive is heated so there is never a problem with ice and snow to hinder your entry/exit.

The next day we woke up to 4 inches of snow.  A picture perfect Christmas card, wunderba! everywhere looked magical.  It brought the child out of us all. The roads were cleared with typical Austrian efficiency. 

The snow plough and gritters had been out during the night, so driving was not going to be a problem. 

 Europa Ski Area cover  Zellamsee and Kaprun

Zell am See

 

We headed out to Zell am See for a look round. Beautiful town, again trimmed up tastefully for Christmas (white lights only) with a Christmas fair also that opened up at 4pm with brazier fires,surrounded by cabins and bars. We headed for the lake for a walk then a hot drink at the Grand Hotel on the lakeside with great views. We didn't have time to take in the 7 mile walk around the lake

 Bad Gastein fantastic thermal spa well worth a visit

Bad Gastein

For lunch we headed for Bad Gastien, the old spa town where the German Kaiser use to holiday.  Lots of snow and a stunning waterfall run through the town, as pictured in the poster.  We didn't visit but the Towns Spa areas are something special and are also thermally heated, very spectacular. Apple strudel is a must for lunch. 

Hofgastein Spa

Late afternoon we headed for Hofgastien spa  world in the valley floor. Another pretty town with an indoor and outdoor ice rink, with tasteful Christmas lights. The spa is quite something, an experience I will never forget.  To swim outside in hot spa waters, with snow on the ground, mountains and trees in the background and the snow falling on your face while you float on the warm waters, is magical. It certainly put a smile on my face. I managed to get a 1500m swim in another outdoor 25m pool.  Stainless steel with underwater lighting - very special.

We went late in the day to savour the lighting and atmosphere, which I highly recommend.. To finish off we tried the saunas and steam room ( nude area - not for the squeamish! ).  There is also a rest room with waterbeds and a ladies only area. We opted for the 2 hour session which was not long enough  (23 euro included towels). There was also a large family area for the kids with a pool cinema in the water dome, plus slides and chutes, one of which is very fast! so fast that we had to check it out twice!

Skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn, above Kaprun open most of the year for skiing

Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area

For our last day we drove 10 mins away to the ski lifts for the Kitzsteinhorn mountain 3200m.  We headed for the summit to walk through the tunnel to the glacier and viewpoint. (You can check the weather on the web cams on the TV in the apartment) We were above the cloud level and could see for miles to the horizon. Spectacular. Don't forget your camera. Very cold so wrap up well. The cafe is excellent, or like us, you can take a picnic and eat where you like. The facilities are very good and warm.  We walked part way down the mountain, then used the lifts for the rest of the way. 

The views were stunning, the skiing looked great, catering for all abilities and boarders, with plenty of jumps and routes. Pity we weren't skiing ourselves - there is always a next time.

 We spent the evening in Kaprun wining and dining.  The food was very good, particularly the steaks. We had 'deer'- venison well it was the festive season!  We found the the hotel bars and après ski are excellent, with plenty of choice of venues.

Krampus  celebration  take  place  in early December

Kramprus  and St Nicholas celebrations

An interesting twist to the evening was the Krampus Celebrations.  A mixture of 'good versus evil' where St. Nicholas arrives at  on a horse drawn sleigh. The evil characters look like something out of Pans Labyrinth! - quite scary. Certainly frightened some of the younger ones!

Can't recommend the the  area more highly.  Will be back to try the skiing and hiking, water sports and biking in the summer.

Nick, Scarborough.

Looking for somewhere to stay then please consider  Austria Holiday Apartment

Zell am See & Kaprun a visitors view.

 The contents of this article on Zell am See and Kaprun was written by Brian R Stevens came from "content Caboodle", where another one of Brian's articles can be found here, they  give an interesting overview of  first impressions of the Zell am See ski area. The links in the article I have put in to provide further information to the reader. Enjoy!

"The first time I visited Zell am See I was actually staying at a small town further north going back towards Saltzburg called Lofer bie Martin. I was actually staying in the Schloss Grubhoff castle 

www.panoramio.com/photo/1224116

Schloss Grubhoff castle, Austria

which was once owned by the king of Bavaria but has now been converted into luxurious apartments which can be rented out as holiday lets. I was enjoying my stay at Lofer and in particular the quaint ski facilities there, which incidentally would be no challenge for anyone who considers themselves good intermediate or advanced level but is well worth a visit for curiosity's sake, it really is oldy worldy Austrian skiing facilities and you will not find much of a presence there beyond the Austrians themselves.

The marked difference I noticed in visiting Zell am See was the level of activity there, lots more people, a thriving little town in a gorgeous setting and much more to offer the higher level skiers, still not a majorly serious challenge for the advanced skiers but certainly enough to keep them happy for quite a few days with some decent blacks and reds to go at.

The resort in my opinion is much more suited to the intermediate level skier with plenty of reds and blues plus those blacks for when you want to give yourself a bit of a challenge, you should be able to ski from the top of the mountain to the bottom without too much trouble as well. The top of the mountain (called Schmittenhohe) gives you access to a number of runs which you can circuit and if you do prefer a longer run you can ski down to Schuttdorf and get lifts all the way back, or of course you can ski back to Zell am See or to the gondola. I class myself as intermediate and there was enough there for me to visit this resort on 3 separate occasions.

It's not a bad resort for beginners either, other than if you want to ski all the way back to town then you might find it a bit tricky with some fairly steep slopes near the bottom that have to be negotiated, the alternative being some very shallow cross country tracks which can be really hard work and may put a lot of people off so they might decide to just come back to the bottom on the lift.
That aside, the slopes at the top of the mountain do cater for beginners and if I was a beginner again I certainly wouldn't rule out Zell am See particularly if you are moving towards intermediate level, it may just present you with the challenges you need to get you to that next level.

The addition of the ski lifts from the centre of town (in place for a few years now) has provided a much needed boost to the convenience level the resort has to offer, previously there was a long trek to the top of the hill going out of the town where you could get the gondola. This is still running and is serviced by a regular bus service or is accessible by people with a car available, personally I would not consider it walking distance from the town centre particularly if you are having to wear ski boots and carry skis, (although I am sure there are probably a number of people who could prove me wrong).
If you do park at the gondola there is a sort of cross country track that goes out to it from the main piste (number 4) but there are sections of it that are actually flat to uphill and no decent run that lets your speed carry you through those sections, so a lot of puffing and panting goes on. The alternative is to come down some of the steeper slopes or to ski to the bottom and then get the bus back up. If you caught the bus or walked (mad fools) then there is no problem.

View of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier above Kaprun

Another bonus of staying at Zell am See is that you are pretty close to Kaprun, where if the worst occurs and there is no snow you have a glacier, although whenever I have been there snow has not been a problem. You are also quite close to Salbaach-Hinterglemm which is another great resort that has pistes either side of the valley where it is located, it also offers a few more challenges to the experienced and advanced level skiers as does Kaprun. Both of these resorts can be reached on the ski bus which can be used off the back of your ski lift pass at no extra charge, the ski pass also gives you free parking in the ski areas. If you have your own transport you can go visit Lofer which I mentioned earlier or you are also not too far away from, Bad Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Wagrain, Schladming and Obertauern.

I have to say I really enjoyed my skiing at Zell am See but I also really enjoyed the apres ski and evenings out as well, there are loads of bars and restaurants to choose from and the place has a real buzz to it. If you are there at the right time of year you might be lucky enough to see some of the traditional Austrian celebrations, for example the seeing out of the winter and welcoming in of the spring, I have memories of the band coming into the bar dressed as chickens and playing music aimed at getting everyone to have a good time and into the street to join in with the locals dancing.

I hope you have found this review useful and that it has given you a flavour of one of my favourite ski resorts in Austria, I have skied in a few different places and countries, including Italy, Bulgaria, Germany and Canada but cannot think of anywhere that delivers the full package quite as well as Zell am See, although to be honest I would not knock any of the other places I have been to either all of them have their special characteristics and are also worth visiting in their own right"

To see another of Brian's article  please click  here on the link.


If you like the area and are looking for for somewhere to stay? then please consider Austria holiday apartment it sleeps from 3-9 in comfort, and has the benefit of three bedrooms and 3 shower rooms.

Summer Holiday in Austria -Kaprun and Zell am See

My husband , two older  teenagers and myself  flew to Munich airport and hired a car and drove to Kaprun in Austria, near to Zell am See for a 10 day holiday, in the Alps.  We had wonderful sunny weather and so for the first day, after visiting the tourist information office in Kaprun,  we  went to a lovely swimming lake at Niedersill between Mittersill and Piesendorf.  Here the grassy banks run down into the lake, and there are trees for shade and a sweet little cafe where we had a snack. In the centre of the lake is a fountain which pumped water up about 50 metres. The lake was delightful and the scenery was fantastic. I think this was much more fun than a beach swim, being able to swim and mountain watch at the same time was wonderful. 

The  lake  at  Niedersill

The following day we brought a 6 day a swim and lift  pass, which covers the area of Zell am See and Kaprun which enabled free ravel on the cable cars in the area and also swimming lakes and can be used on buses as well.  We went up into to the Tauern mountains, on the Kitzsteinhorn. Looking down from the ski lift we saw our first Marmot. Later on the nature trails we learnt  that baby Marmots are called monkeys and adult females "Cats" and adult males "Bears". Also that they are hunted for the medicinal value in the creation of ointments.




We have been swimming at Optimum Kaprun baths which is lovely but apparently going to partially close when the new Tauern Spa Kaprun opens between Zell am See and Kaprun in November this year (2010). Later in the holiday we hired cycles,   and went close past the location of the new spa, and it is in a stunning location in the valley bottom surrounded by mountains.

In the evenings we have entertained ourselves by going to a European Ice Hockey match in Zell Am See, watching Salzburg Red Bull play  a team from Switzerland. The score was 4 to 2, and it was a very exciting and fast moving game - but we gave up trying to work out all the complex rules involved. That same evening a  Wednesday we went into Zell am See centre where there is a festival on the streets every week and we watched large good natured crowds milling around listen to various musicians / bands playing a range of different music, throughout the town centre. It was all very lively and uplifting.

On Thursday  after another walk in the mountains,  at night we went to the Porche Congress conference centre in Zell am See to watch an Austrian Folk evening which included songs, dances, cow bells and the typical Austrian horn. We all ended up being dragged on stage to dance or yodel!!  It was highly entertaining and good value at 36 Euros for 4 of us. They served drinks at your table during the evening and it lasted about 1.5 hours.

Another day we hired bicycles from Kaprun for 52 Euros for 4 of us  and took them up the Maisikogel, lift, we had to pay another 2 euros for the transport of each bike, on top of the 6 day  lift passes we had.  We then cycled down the cycle route into Kaprun which was really fun. As I am not an experienced cyclist this was an easy route and enabled us to have a peaceful cycle stopping half way to a packed lunch, even though there were two mountain restaurants we could have stopped at.

Kaprun Austria holiday Apartment where we stayed

This is the view from the Austria holiday apartmentt garden where we where we stayed, we could clearly see the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

Overall we had a great time and there is lots to see and in and around the area  for all  ages, our teenage children even said they would like to come back!!

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.

Austria Skiing all year Round?

Skiing is a winter sport right? well yes but there are opportunities to ski into the winter, spring and even the summer. The skiing won't be as extensive and the weather won't be as cold, but it is certainly possible to ski outside the recognized ski season of mid December to the Easter holidays.

In Austria there are a number of glaciers in the Tyrol, but the only glacier ski area in the Salzburg area is the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun close to Zell am See. The facilities on the top of the mountain come newly refurbished with even  a cinema complex now added.

Summer Skiing in the Austrian Alps

If you are selective a choose an area where there is glacier skiing, the attached article "Summer Skiing in the Austrian Alps" gives plenty of suggestions to make the most of the opportunity to get in that extra ski holiday, or perhaps the start of a ski career by having a lesson or two!

A place to summer ski is on the Kitzsteinhorn rising to 3203 metres with a glacier so it is possible to extend your ski season and ski on in April, May June and beyond weather dependent further on into the year. In some years weather dependent it is possible to ski most of the year round. In the case of the Kizsteinhorn, it normally shuts down for weeks in the summer when maintenance takes place on relocating the ski lifts which have been sliding down the glacier!

Kitzsteinhorn glacier normally open from October through to June or even July for Skiing!!

 

The lifts for skiing at the Kitzsteinhorn are operating all year round - the first ascent is at around  8.15 a.m. 

Usually in April almost all lifts are open. In summer generally the main cable-cars and a few ski lifts at

 the very top (at approx 2900 metres) of the glacier are operating – approx. 3,5 piste km slopes. 

The number of open lifts and pistes is always depending on the actual snow situation.

They cannot give you an exact preview for summer skiing as this is very much weather dependent, its recommended that you contact the Kitzsteinhorn ski lift company direct to get the latest situation

Then they can tell you the exact piste situation or you can also have a look on http://en.kitzsteinhorn.at/news/openedlifts.htm.

For further information and the Live-Panorama from the Kitzsteinhorn please have a look on www.kitzsteinhorn.at.You will also find out more about events, weather, snow and the feeling, to be 3000 meters above it all.

Summer map of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area close to Kaprun and Zell am See

For an interactive map of the Kitzsteinhorn in the summer click on the attached map link where it is also possible to use it to plan your alpine walks.

Many spring and summer visitors, like to take up the opportunity of an extended ski season, but they also like the possibility of a combination of activities. Skiing, walking, a round of golf or even two for at the Zell am See, Kaprun golf courses there are two 18 hole championship golf course!

Other possibilities are cycling, swimming in a mountain lake in one of the local spas or pools. In the case of Kaprun and Zell am See there is the new Tauern-Kaprun-Spa world, which opened in  November 2010.

In Austria there are 8 glacier ski areas, where it is possible to have an extended ski season.

The majority of  of the resorts are in are in the Austrian Tyrol area, with the Kitzsteinhorn being in the Salzburg area, and the  Molltaler Gletcher being in Carinthia.

Tyrol Summer Skiing

The Tyrol summer ski areas are at Dachstein, Kaunertaler, Hintertuxer, Solden, Piztaler and the Stubaier glacier ski resorts, the Tyrol area is the area around Innsbruck. are in the Innsbruck area of Austria

For further information on somewhere to stay please see  www.austria-holiday-apartment.com   The apartment sleeps from 3 to 9 persons with a view of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier from the terrace.

With a view of the Kitzsteinhorn.

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

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

Weather in Zell am See - Kaprun and Austria

Austria enjoys a moderate continental climate featuring the four seasons. Summers are generally warm and pleasant with cool nights, if it gets too hot you can go up onto the mountain tops to cool off or visit a glacier! Its great for walking, cycling, swimming in the lakes,  outdoor adventure activities,  and sitting out over an evening meal  in a warm balmy summer evening.

Seasonal weather in Zell am See - Kaprun

Winters are sunny, with reliable and frequent snowfalls making it perfect for skiing in winter, both Kaprun and Zell am See have extensive snow making facilities enhancing the skiing.



Further weather information is available from the ski companies for the Maiskogel , the Schmitten and the Kitzsteinhorn.  The Kitzsteinhorn glacier comes with its own snow guarantee!   Also weather forecasts for the area can be downloaded via the following link

Weather updates also available from the Kitzsteinhorn website.

      In the colder years the lake at Zell am See freezes over making extra opportunities for ice skating.     

     

No matter what time of the year you are visiting, there is plenty to do and see.  If you are looking for somewhere to stay with 3 bedrooms for  up to 9 persons, with the benefit of three bath / shower rooms?. 

For further information please see www.austria-holiday-apartment.com