pinterest pin An Alpine Weekend in Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria

Prologue

In the Easter of 2019, we decided to set off for a marathon road run, An Easter in Eastern Europe | A 6000 km Road Trip across Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Austria from the Netherlands, which was our first marathon road trip across the Eastern European countries before our second road trip A Summer in Eastern Europe | An 8000 km Road Trip across Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia from the Netherlands in summer 2019. So based on our experience, today I’m going to take you along with me across the picturesque Zell am See-Kaprun district of Austria, which is just a 12-hour drive away from the Netherlands and is perfect for a family weekend getaway. Let the journey begin!

Welcome to Zell am See-Kaprun

Even if you don't like skiing, Zell am See and the nearby town of Kaprun, located in the heart of the Salzburger Land, are well-known all over the world. This is undoubtedly owing to the landscape's distinctive beauty: the green mountains, which are part of the Schieferalps, give Zell am See a welcoming feel, while the Hohe Tauern in the background of Kaprun, with its three thousand meter high peaks and glacier plateaus, provide a dramatic backdrop. The Kitzsteinhorn's ski area is almost 3,000 meters long, while Zell am See's is roughly 800 meters long. On the state of Salzburg's lone glacier, skiing is possible virtually all year; on the other slopes, snow is assured starting in December thanks to new snow cannons.

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Zell am See

Zell am See is a quaint alpine town on Lake Zell, around 100 km south of Salzburg. Trails and lifts lead to the ski slopes of Schmittenhöhe mountain and Gipfelwelt 3000 panoramic platform at the top of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.

Kaprun

Kaprun is an alpine village located in the Zell am See district at an altitude of 786 m. It is home to the popular ski resort of Kitzsteinhorn. When we reached Kaprun, we had the whole day raining alongside a thick blanket of clouds enveloping the mountains. However, even in such circumstances, the beauty of Kaprun was unparalleled.

landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun fog

The next day, when the fog lifted, clouds cleared and the sun came out, we got the long-awaited opportunity to capture the mesmerizing beauty of Kaprun through our lens.

landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun

landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun cows grazing

portrait of lady walking amidst landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun

Kitzsteinhorn

The Kitzsteinhorn is a mountain in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria. It is part of the Glockner Group and reaches a height of 3,203 m (10,505 feet). The Kitzsteinhorn glacier region is a popular ski resort. From Zell am See we drove to Kaprun Kitzsteinhorn Bergbahn Talstation and parked our car there. From there, we changed 4 cable cars to reach Gipfelwelt 3000 (Kaprun National Park Panoramic Viewing Platform), also known as Top of Salzburg Viewpoint on top of the Kitzsteinhorn mountains with a view of the Kitzsteinhorn glaciers. After that, we spent the whole day on the Kitzsteinhorn mountain and had lunch in the restaurant at the top of the mountain.

portrait of boy standing amidst landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun

restaurant with view of landscape of alps tyrol valley austria kitzsteinhorn zell am see kaprun man skiing on snowy slopes

Visiting Zell am See-Kaprun

Best Time to Visit: Depending on your interests, there is an optimal time to visit Zell am See-Kaprun. Summer (June to September) is perfect for cycling, hiking, and taking in the stunning views of the mountains and lakes. There are lots of outside activities and events due to the warm and nice weather.
Winter (December through March) is ideal for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. The region is well known for its top-notch ski resorts and picturesque scenes blanketed in snow. While some facilities may have limited hours, spring (April to May) and autumn (October to November) are quieter seasons with fewer visitors and nice weather for hiking and sightseeing. As mentioned earlier, we visited Zell am See-Kaprun during the Easter holidays in April.

Number of Days to Stay: To properly experience Zell am See-Kaprun's activities and attractions, a stay of four to seven days is advised. This gives you time to see the great sights and spend time outside relaxing and having adventures. However, from neighboring countries like the Netherlands, a 12-hour drive for a weekend getaway is also an extremely popular option.

Best Place to Stay: With lots of restaurants, shops, and easy access to water activities, Zell am See is the perfect place for anyone who love to be near to lakes. The town is quaint and has beautiful views of the mountains and lake. For people who love to ski and wish to be nearer the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier and the Tauern Spa, Kaprun is ideal. The hamlet environment of Kaprun is pleasant and there are plenty of winter sports facilities nearby. Between Zell am See and Kaprun, Schüttdorf is a more tranquil neighborhood with more reasonably priced lodging alternatives and convenient access to transportation. We stayed in Kaprun.

Best Way to Arrive: The best way to get there is by plane to Salzburg Airport, which is located around 80 kilometers from Zell am See-Kaprun. You can travel to the Kaprun area by train, bus, or rental car from the airport. Salzburg, Innsbruck, and other significant Austrian cities have frequent train connections to Zell am See, which is a well-connected train station. You can see beautiful views of the Austrian landscape during the train ride. If you want to explore the nearby areas, driving is a good alternative. Roads across the area are well-connected, and major cities and airports offer car rentals. We drove into Austria from Slovenia, on the return leg of our ‘An Easter in Eastern Europe’ journey.

Best Local Mode of Conveyance: Buses connect Zell am See-Kaprun, and neighboring places as part of the area's effective public transportation system. The convenient local buses are frequently covered by tourist passes. Alternatively, renting a bike is a popular summertime choice, with so many bike roads and trails accessible. Hiring a car gives you the freedom to see the area at your own pace, particularly if you intend to venture outside of the major cities or to more isolated locations. In order to get to the ski slopes during the winter, you need to take ski lifts and cable cars. During summer, they provide convenient access to hiking trails and expansive views.

Epilogue

So that brings us to the end of our journey across the picturesque Zell am See-Kaprun district of Austria. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.

If you wish to read the day-by-day account of our complete 6000 km road run across Eastern Europe during Easter 2019, please visit our article An Easter in Eastern Europe | A 6000 km Road Trip across Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Austria from the Netherlands. And if you want to read the day-by-day account of our 8000 km road run across Eastern Europe during Summer 2019, please visit our article A Summer in Eastern Europe | An 8000 km Road Trip across Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia from the Netherlands. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!