Zell am See-Kaprun
An Alpine lakeside town and glacier ski area, where Lake Zell mirrors snowy peaks and the Grossglockner High Alpine Road leads to Austria's highest mountain, with gorges and waterfalls all around.
Zell am See-Kaprun is in the Pinzgau region of southern Salzburg state, Austria, about 100 km from the city of Salzburg. Zell am See is a lakeside town on the west shore of Lake Zell; Kaprun lies about 7 km to the south at the mouth of a valley, backed by the Hohe Tauern range and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. Together they form one holiday region where lake, mountains and glacier are all within half an hour's drive. The year has two seasons: December–April is ski season, with one lift pass covering Schmittenhöhe, Maiskogel and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area, and the glacier stays skiable from autumn into early summer; June–September is for lake cruises, swimming and Alpine hiking, when the Kaprun High Mountain Reservoirs and the Grossglockner High Alpine Road are also open (roughly May to October/November). Suggested itinerary: Day 1, the lakeside old town, a boat trip and lake views from Schmittenhöhe; Day 2, Kaprun—ride up the Kitzsteinhorn to the "Top of Salzburg" and walk the Sigmund-Thun Gorge; Day 3, drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road to Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe; Day 4, the high mountain reservoirs, or head west to the Krimml Waterfalls and the national park centre in Mittersill. Getting there: about 1.5 hours by train from Salzburg, or about 2.5 hours by car from Munich. In summer, local accommodation usually includes the Summer Card, which gives free use of some cable cars, boats and buses—well worth having. Mountain weather changes quickly; bring a warm jacket and sunglasses for the glacier.
Top sights
- Lake Zell – An alpine lake encircled by snow-capped mountains, with clear water. A lakeside loop path, sightseeing boats and lakeside beaches are the m…
- Kitzsteinhorn Glacier – Salzburg State's only glacier ski area. Cable cars climb straight up to the 3,029 m 'Top of Salzburg' viewing platform.
- Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe & Pasterze Glacier – The end point of a High Alpine Road branch, facing Austria's highest peak, the Großglockner, and the Pasterze Glacier, the longest in the E…
- Krimml Waterfalls – Austria's waterfall with the greatest total drop, 380 m across three tiers. Mist fills the air, and a trail climbs alongside the falls.
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road – A classic 48 km scenic road across the Hohe Tauern range, with 36 hairpin bends leading up to Austria's highest peak and its glaciers.
- Zell am See Old Town – A compact, pedestrian old town on the lakeshore, with two major sights: the Romanesque St. Hippolytus Church and the medieval Vogt Tower.
- Schmittenhöhe – Zell am See's home mountain. A cable car reaches the 2,000 m summit, where in summer you can enjoy views over the lake and more than 30 pea…
- Maiskogel – A family-friendly mountain on the edge of Kaprun, with a mountain coaster in summer and gentle slopes for beginners in winter.
- Kaprun High Mountain Reservoirs – A chain of emerald reservoirs at 2,000 m, where a massive arch dam meets glacier peaks. Reached by bus and Europe's largest open-air inclin…
- Sigmund Thun Gorge – A narrow gorge carved by the Kaprun River through rock walls, with a wooden walkway suspended above the rushing water. The walk takes about…
- Kaprun Castle – A medieval castle on a hill at the edge of Kaprun. After restoration, it now hosts concerts, medieval festivals and weddings.
- Tauern Spa Kaprun – A large spa in Kaprun with indoor and outdoor pools, where you can soak while looking out at the snowy peaks of the Kitzsteinhorn.
- Edelweissspitze – The highest point on the Großglockner High Alpine Road reachable by car (2,571 m), with 360-degree views of more than 30 snow-capped peaks…
- Heiligenblut am Großglockner – A mountain village at the southern end of the Großglockner High Alpine Road, where a pointed church tower stands against the Großglockner…
- Wildpark Ferleiten – An Alpine wildlife park beside the northern entrance of the Großglockner High Alpine Road, where you can see marmots, ibex, lynx and bears.
- Hohe Tauern National Park Centre (Nationalparkwelten) – The main visitor centre of the Hohe Tauern National Park, with immersive exhibition rooms and a 360-degree cinema explaining glaciers, moun…
- Liechtenstein Gorge – One of the deepest and longest gorges in the Eastern Alps, with steel walkways and a spiral staircase running between rock walls 300 m high.
- Kitzloch Gorge – A wild gorge near Taxenbach, where tunnels, walkways and waterfalls alternate. Fewer visitors make it quieter than the more famous gorges.
- Saalbach-Hinterglemm (Skicircus) – One of Austria's largest interconnected ski areas. The 'Ski Circus' offers about 270 km of pistes, and the resorts have a lively après-ski…
- Fuscher Törl – A viewpoint on the northern section of the Großglockner High Alpine Road at 2,428 m, with a road-building memorial and Fuscher Lacke below.
Where to eat
- Steinerwirt – Long-established hotel restaurant in the center of Zell am See, famous for its Wiener schnitzel and popular with locals…
- Seewirt Das Restaurant – Well-reviewed restaurant on the north shore of Lake Zell, serving modern Austrian dishes made with local trout, char, a…
- Dorfkrug Kaprun – Popular home-style restaurant in the center of Kaprun with a long menu and a large terrace, serving Austrian dishes and…
- Glocknerblick Alpine Hut – A wooden alpine hut at about 1,661 m on Maiskogel mountain, with a sunny terrace facing Grossglockner and good-value ho…
Itineraries
- Grand Austria Road Trip: Danube, Alps & Lakes – A grand loop from Vienna through the Danube, Grossglockner, Carinthian Lake District, and Graz
- Tyrol & Arlberg Alpine Road Trip – A road trip starting and ending in Innsbruck, connecting Arlberg, Ötztal, and Zillertal