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

1. Go in search of Apre Ski. (what you do after a day on the slopes, eat, drink & party).
   
2. Visit an Art gallery in Salzburg, Vienna, Linz, or Innsbruck, cities of culture.
3. Visit a local museum Bad Gastien, Kaprun, Zell am See or Saalfalden  are pretty interesting ones.
   
4. 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.
5. Skittles or indoor Bowling  great with a beer!
   
6. Children's playgrounds, children still like them in the snow!
   
7. Visit the cinema, improve your German! some have international day showings.
8. Cleared footpath walks to follow, stopping at a mountain restaurant for a hot chocolate or something stronger!.
   
9. Cross Country Skiing across the valley bottom.
   
10. Curling on ice or even on a frozen lake?
11. Horse riding in the snow, or maybe a sleigh ride.
    
12. Ice-skating inside or outside
    
13. Ice-sailing something different
    
14. Ice-surfing?
15. Indoor tennis at Zell am see.
16. Outdoor fitness course, take a run
17. Nordic Walking - walking with poles, give that body a workout.
    
18. Top up the sun tan, bright and sunny in the snow.
19. 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.
20. ? Make  this one up for your self? or go and see an ice hockey match in Zell am See
21. Snow shoeing,  walking  across  snowy  slopes  through  trees  and  across  snow  covered  meadows.
22.  Have a ride on a horse drawn sleigh
23. Skiing an independent view point 
24. Sit  have  a coffee  or  a   Glühwein  and  soak  soak  up the  atmosphere and  history  of  the  place. 
25. Snow-boarding.
    
26. Snow-tubing.
27. Snow Kiting
28. Parascending
    
29. Visit a Sports centre with a gym.
30. Squash or tennis.
31. Swimming pool inside or out?
    
32. Sledging or tobogganing there is a great one in Kaprun
33. Winter markets, shopping at Zell am See or Salzburg market in the snow.
34. Sit down have a hot chocolate, take in the views and relax, you are on holiday.
35. Have a meal to remember having burnt off the calories.
    
36. Hot air ballooning over snowy mountains! Balloon festival at the end of January (now  moved  into  January) in Kaprun and Zell am See
37. Take a cable car to the top of a mountain and take in the view. Schmitten views, history and activities
    
38. 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.

1.     for a city that's safe at night
2.     for a city that's safe during the day
3.     for a fantastic church home
4.     for a rich national history
5.     for accessible and affordable operas
6.     for affordable housing
7.     for an abundance of castles
8.     for an orderly and cheap laundry system in my apartment building
9.     for Austrian school and office supplies -- so much cooler!
10.     for balls (i.e. dancing balls, like Cinderella went to a ball)
11.     for bike paths
12.     for cheap but good wine and beer
13.     for cheap sparkling mineral water
14.     for cheap, convenient and reliable train travel within Austria
15.     for cheap/easy/convenient opportunities to travel within Europe
16.     for church bells that ring at 7 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, and 7 pm
17.     for consistently good coffee
18.     for cute, quaint villages
19.     for dialect and its accompanying amusements, puzzles and challenges
20.     for everyone who helped me and/or made phone calls to figure out all the bureaucratic visa stuff
21.     for everything pumpkin out of Styria: pumpkin seed oil, pumpkin cream soup, pumpkin bread, etc.
22.     for exclusively Austrian Sturm, Glühwein, Christmas markets, and Buschenschanks
23.     for ex-pats
24.     for friends
25.     for good bread and cheese
26.     for good health insurance and no referrals
27.     for good places to run and bike
28.     for having 38 public holidays
29.     for having the Mur river running though town
30.     for hospitality
31.     for how Austrians will really pull through for you
32.     for incredible scenery
33.     for kebabs
34.     for Labello
35.     for lackadaisical passport control officials
36.     for living in a bike-friendly city
37.     for meeting so many cool people from all over the world
38.     for my connections
39.     for my fellow foreigners
40.     for old European streets, houses, and architecture in general; especially how this everyday cityscape stayed fresh and new for me
41.     for reliable public transportation
42.     for skiing and Austrian-style sledding
43.     for so much free/leisure time
44.     for sturdy toilet paper and tissues
45.     for the abundance and coexistence of kitsch, history, and design
46.     for the Austrians who adopted me and introduced me to Austrian life and culture
47.     for the comfortable pace and quality of life
48.     for the coziness of Graz
49.     for the insanely cheap price of a chunk of fresh mozzarella
50.     for the lack of cockroaches, poison ivy, and poisonous spiders and snakes
51.     for the ubiquitous ice cream stands in the summer
52.     for traditional clothing and accordion music
53.     for tram and bus drivers who will stop the vehicle and wait for you if they see you running to catch a ride
54.     for wearing slippers at home or as a guest in someone's home
55.     for wonderful room mates and a flexible landlady
56.     that Austria takes care of its people
57.     that dogs are so well-behaved here and are allowed to go everywhere
58.     that even in Austria I can be BFF with my bank teller(s)
59.     that Graz was the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2003 and therefore has lots of spiffy new buildings and such
60.     that having a car is so unnecessary
61.     that having a real Christmas tree with real candles is the only tree most of them have ever known
62.     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
63.     that I can understand German on the phone
64.     that I can walk in to the doctor's office without an appointment and actually be seen
65.     that I could live in the same apartment for over 2 years - longer than any other apartment I've ever had
66.     that I had so many visitors in the past couple years!
67.     that I lived for 2 years without a deadbolt and it never bothered me
68.     that I'm no longer pre-judged on the basis of my president
69.     that it is so easy to split the bill in a restaurant
70.     that my room doesn't face a street
71.     that nearly everything you ever use is recycled
72.     that people have stopped introducing me as, "This is Rebecca. She's American."
73.     that receiving phone calls is free on your mobile phone
74.     that Styria has it all -- mountains, hills, vineyards, thermal baths…
75.     that tax is included in all your purchases and tipping is practically nonexistent
76.     that the country is very stable and doesn't have any severe political or international problems
77.     that there are so many old people who are out and about
78.     that there are very few Americans in comparison with other Austrian cities
79.     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.

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.

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

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.

Finding a flight to Austria?

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

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



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

• Salzburg Airport flight info lists all the departures and arrivals. Access straight onto the motorway, and it is possible to be for example to be in Kaprun or Zell am See in around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. With a rail transfer from Salzburg taking a similar period of time.

• Innsbruck Airport flight information  cover the western part of Austria, in the Tyrol it lists the charter and scheduled flights. An alternative airport is to get your ski flight to Munich in Germany. Around a 2 hour transfer time depending upon your resort location in Austria, with a convenient motorway direct from the airport  to Innsbruck and Salzburg and beyond.

• Graz Airport flight information easy to use site which lists destinations by country and airport. Just off the motorway and about 1 hour from Salzburg, covering the central parts of Austria
  

• Klagenfurt Airport flight information site not so user friendly, but takes you to southern Austria closer to the  Slovenian and Italian borders.

• Blue Danube Linz Airport flight information handy again for Southern Austria ski resorts and getting to Slovenia.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ryanair.com flights

Easyjet.com flights

Thomson flights

Jet2.com flights

Flybe.com flights

Air Berlin  

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

GermanWings.com

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

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

Ski and Snowboarding Schools in Kaprun

Learn to Ski or improve your skiing in Kaprun Austria

Ski - Snow boarding Schools in Kaprun Austria

Updated ski school list for Kaprun.  Most of the ski schools will be able to provide English speaking instructors along with provision for instruction in French, German and Italian, check out their websites for further information, or the joint Zell am See / Kaprun tourist office can be found at
http://www.zellamsee-kaprun.com

 

• Ski and Snowboard School Sport-Alpin Kaprun
• office@skischule-kaprun.com           Tel. 06542 550 733       0676 841805220

• Ski- and Racing School Oberschneider                                 
• office@ski-kaprun.com                     Tel. 06547 8232

• Ski- and Snowboarding School Kaprun, Gernot . Schermer
• skischool@kaprun.at                         Tel. 06547 8070            0664 3414638

Kaprun Ski and Snowboarding School Recognized by their yellow Jackets

• Hartweger`s Ski & Board with us! 
• ski@snowboard-kaprun.at                 Tel. 0664 3381 582

• Ski School Maresa Handl-Kaprun 
• handl.ski@sbg.at                               Tel. 06547 7562            0664 4026955

• Ski- Racing school Thayer        
• skischule@thayer-kaprun.at              Tel. 06547 7361           0664 34 25 317

The oldest Ski school and the one we are happy to recommend to our guests is run by Gernot Schermer, and is the Ski and Snowboarding Kaprun School  the 30 - 45 experienced Ski instructors are easily recognized by their Yellow Jackets,  The instructors cater for all abilities with a range of languages to match their clients.

 

For further information don’t hesitate to contact the local tourist office on the following telephone number 43 6542 770

  
If you are 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

Austria holiday Apartment - Kaprun holiday rental for up to 9 guests

Snow Park Mellow Park on the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun opens.

The Mellow Park ski park on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun opens its doors for  the "White  out"  of  the  official  ski  season in Kaprun,  this normally  takes place around the  first or second weekend  in November.  With  the benefit  of  the glacier the  start  of  the ski season is  almost guaranteed.

Planet snow  along  with other weather forecasts  can give  a good  prediction of  snow conditions  With reports of snow "Snow looking Pretty good" across Europe, it sets a white back cloth to build on.

Planet Ski reports that RyanAir is offering a free ski transfer with flights booked over the next few days. Looks like an extra incentive to get that ski holiday booked?

If you are looking for somewhere to stay, please consider looking at www.austria-holiday-apartment.com