Zell am See: Hiking, mountain views and culture

Zell am See-Kaprun lies between the gentle grassy mountains of the Pinzgau and the rugged peaks of the Hohe Tauern. From the Schmittenhöhe, the view stretches across Lake Zell and the town of Zell am See to 30 peaks over 3,000 metres high. The choice of trails is just as varied, ranging from short circular routes to long high-altitude trails.

Hiking trails for every amount of time

Zell am See-Kaprun offers more than 400 kilometres of marked hiking trails, mountain tours and paths. The Hohe Tauern Panorama Trail runs from the foot of the Krimml Waterfalls to the Schmittenhöhe above Zell am See. It comprises 17 stages and is 275 kilometres long in total.

Specific distances and walking times show the difference between two tours: The Sisi Circular Trail around the summit of the Schmitten is about one kilometre long, takes approximately 30 minutes, and starts and ends at Elisabeth Chapel. At around 17 kilometres and approximately six hours, the Pinzgau Walk is a much longer route. This high-altitude trail leads from the Schmittenhöhe to the Schattberg in Saalbach.

Schmittenhöhe: Slopes, panoramas and themed trails

The Schmittenhöhe ski area has 77 kilometres of pistes: 30 kilometres of blue runs, 28 kilometres of red runs and 19 kilometres of black runs. This breakdown shows the different piste categories without suggesting that any one figure represents the entire selection. The Schmittenhöhe Panorama Trail features special viewing telescopes, information boards about the diverse animal and plant life, viewing platforms and play stations.

Schmidolin’s “Feuertaufe” adventure trail is designed for children, with tricky questions, tests of courage and challenges. The E-motocross park at the mountain station of the areitXpress is for riders aged 6 to 17. Art is also part of the mountain experience: the “Art on the Mountain” initiative, launched in 1995, includes the 4 Lakes Art Hike.

In summer, mountain huts and restaurants on the Schmittenhöhe serve Austrian cuisine, regional specialities and homemade desserts. The seasonal selection combines a break in the mountains with locally inspired dishes.

The town’s history at the Vogtturm Museum

The Vogtturm was probably built around the middle of the 12th century. Its interactive permanent exhibition, “Mythos Zell am See,” explores the history, art and culture of the town and its region, from the first human settlement to the present day. The collection ranges from archaeology, everyday culture and folklore to economic and tourism history, architecture and visual art. It also includes painting, drawing, printmaking and photography, with a particular focus on objects connected to Lake Zell.

Kaprun and alpine excursions

Kaprun Castle was built in the 12th century as a fortress and residence for noble families. A medieval festival is held there every summer. At the high-altitude reservoirs of Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden, the dams are at an altitude of 2,036 metres; guided tours of the dams are offered in summer.

At the Kitzsteinhorn, modern mountain lifts take visitors to an altitude of over 3,000 metres. Gipfelwelt 3000 includes the National Park Gallery: at the end of a 360-metre-long tunnel, there is a panoramic viewing platform. Another striking natural attraction is the Sigmund-Thun Gorge, which is over 30 metres deep and 320 metres long.

Things to do on Lake Zell

On the northern shore of Lake Zell, the Vettermann sailing and surfing school offers introductory and beginner courses in sailing and surfing. Excursion boats on the lake offer views of Zell am See’s historic old town and the alpine landscape of peaks and green meadows.

There are three lidos around Lake Zell in Zell am See-Kaprun: Strandbad Zell am See, Strandbad Thumersbach and Strandbad Schüttdorf. All three offer direct access to the lake, sunbathing lawns, diving towers and slides, water trampolines, children’s playgrounds and heated pools. Market stalls set up in Zell am See’s town square every Friday morning from March to September. They sell regional specialities as well as fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers.

Getting here and finding your way around

The nearest airport is Salzburg W. A. Mozart Airport. Bus and train connections to Zell am See are available from Salzburg; check the latest timetables before travelling. Visitors staying overnight in Zell am See-Kaprun can use the Guest Mobility Ticket to travel on all public transport in the state of Salzburg. Check the validity conditions for your travel dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Reitlehen, Krössenbach, Bruck An Der Großglocknerstraße, Schüttdorf, Zell am See, Wald Im Pinzgau, Viehhofen, Uttendorf, Unken, Taxenbach, Stuhlfelden, Sankt Martin Bei Lofer, Saalfelden Am Steinernen Meer, Rauris, Piesendorf, Niedernsill, Neukirchen Am Großvenediger, Mittersill, Maria Alm Am Steinernen Meer, Maishofen, Lofer, Krimml, Leogang, Kaprun, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Bramberg, Fusch An Der Grossglocknerstrasse, Enzingerboden, Bucheben, Dienten Am Hochkönig, Embach, Almdorf Königsleiten, Walchen, Oberkrimml, Hollersbach Im Pinzgau, Thumersbach, Berg, Großsonnberg, Gries Im Pinzgau, Hasenbach, Lend, Paßthurn, Mühlberg, Sulzau, Lengdorf, Aufhausen, Almdorf, Högmoos, Reith, Hinterthal, Sankt Georgen, Vorderglemm, Königsleiten, Hintermoos, Rain, Hütten, Jochbergthurn, Lenzing, Gföll, Aisdorf, Gumping, Igelsberg, Thalbach, Grubing, Niederland, Weißbach Bei Lofer, Vorstanddorf, Erlberg.

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