Zell am See - Kaprun has around 135 kilometres of pistes, spread out along the Schmittenhöhe and the Kitzsteinhorn/Maiskogel . Thanks to the new zellamseeXpress, it's also easy to reach the Skicircus. Zell am See - Kaprun offers reliable snow cover thanks to the glacier pistes on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. But it's not just about the skiing here - in this article we've laid out 10 things you can't miss on your next ski holiday in Zell am See - Kaprun.
From January through mid-April there is an Ice Bar at the Kitzsteinhorn, consisting of an igloo with a bar that serves cold drinks accompanied by music and ice sculptures. It's never exactly the same from one year to the next, so don't miss your chance to see it this winter!
The new zellamseeXpress that brings skiers and snowboarders from Viehhofen to the Schmittenhöhe has "jukebox gondolas" where you can play your own music in the gondola! With a bit of luck you can also score a jukebox gondola by skiing red slope #21, the Tannwaldabfahrt, and taking the gondola from the midstation.
If you're still full of energy when the sun goes down, why not keep skiing into the night? This is possible on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on the 1.5km-long Ebenberg piste, which stays open from 6:30pm til 9pm. From here you'll have lovely views of Zell am See and the surrounding mountain peaks. Night skiing is free for people who hold a valid ski pass.
Skiing takes a lot out of your body, so why not give yourself some TLC and take a yoga lesson during your ski holiday? In such a beautiful natural setting you'd be crazy to head to an indoor yoga studio, which is why there are outdoor yoga classes offered. Spread your mat, enjoy the view and stretch your muscles to prepare for another day on the slopes!
At the Hochmaisbahn top station (1765m) you'll find the Funslope XXL, which measures 1.3 kilometres long and weaves its way through tunnels, steep curves, bumps, bridges and boxes, among other things. A piste for young and old!
Starting in 2019/2020, the Ski Alpin Card also gives access to skiing in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, opening up possibilities for a lovely day trip. From the Schmittenhöhe, take the zellamseeXpress or the ski touring route to Viehhofen and then take bus #7 to the Skicircus. On the way back, you can take blue piste #168 in the Skicircus and it will lead you back down to the zellamseeXpress valley station.
If you're in Zell am See between February 1 and 9, 2020 you're in luck, because it's Balloonalps time! Watch as the skies fill up with hot-air balloons, a truly amazing spectacle!
You might be wondering why this hut specifically, when there are so many mountain restaurants to choose from? Well, the Pinzgauer Hütte is not just any old restaurant. To reach the restaurant, you must ski a little ways down from the Kapellenbahn valley station, where you'll see an adorable mountain hut with scrumptious food. This might sound like your typical alpine lunch experience, but it's not over yet: after you're done eating, you'll have to ride on a rope behind a snowmobile which will take you back up to the ski area!
The Trass piste requires strength, endurance and technique. A long piste on the Schmittenhöhe with a gradient of 70%, this is best attempted by experts only. It starts out calmly enough on blue slope #1 but soon turns into the black slope #1. The descent measures 4150m in total, with an altitude loss of 1000m that will put your legs to the test!
There's nothing like the feeling of complete relaxation after a hard day on the slopes! For your daily wellness hit, head to the Tauern Spa in Kaprun and plunk yourself into one of the indoor or outdoor pools. The Tauern Spa also proposes a full range of massages and saunas - the perfect place to rejuvenate for the next day of skiing.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
