Resort Guide to Zell am See & Kaprun, Austria

The charming lakeside town of Zell am See and it's smaller neighbour; Kaprun form the popular Europa Sport Region.

 

Skiing & Boarding

There is a good variation of slopes in the Europa Sport region and with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ascending high above Kaprun there is always somewhere to ski even if the snowfall has been minimal.

 

Beginners

Beginners should enjoy the runs from the top of the Schmittenhöhe where great vies of the valley can be taken in. There are also some good nursery slopes around the Areitaim area.

 

Intermediates

The slopes around the Europa Sport region offer some fantastic terrain for intermediate skiers and boarders. The Schmittenhöhe has a good number of red runs descending from it's peak, including an 8km descent with a vertical drop in excess of 1,200m. There are also some excellent intermediate slopes to be found on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier above Kaprun.

 

Advanced

Zell am See and Kaprun both offer some good advanced slopes, including many tight tree runs, some steep and deep powder runs (when conditions are right) from the Schmittenhöhe and a few areas the get moguled very well. All in all there are 9 official black runs though some of the Schmittenhöhe could be classed as red/black.

 

Snowboarders

The Europa Sport region has achieved world recognition as a good snowboarder resort and with an abundance of wide groomed pistes for the freeriders and an excellent terrain park for the freestylers it is easy to see why.

 

Off Piste

Despite the availability of some quite good opportunities, off piste is not really an option here. The local authorities have decided to almost completely ban off piste skiing and boarding throughout the region and if caught, you can have your lift pass revoked.

 

 

Zell am See

Zell am See is a picturesque, traditional Austrian town set on the edge of a beautiful lake. There are a good range of bars, restaurants and shops in the town and breathtaking views all around. The medieval town centre is now almost all pedestrianised, with through traffic being diverted via a tunnel under the lake. The lake itself is the centre of many activities in the town throughout the winter season. It freezes over completely and is used for curling, ice-skating and walking to the town of Thumersbach.

 

Kaprun

The charming village of Kaprun sits at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and although smaller than Zell am See offers visitors a good selection of amenities, bars and restaurants, as well as quite a lively nightlife.

 

There is a regular free bus that runs between Zell am See and Kaprun.

 

Glacier Skiing

Lively Nightlife

Family Friendly

Good Snow Record

 

Après Ski   Zell am See boasts a lively après ski scene. There are many busy bars dispersed through the town nestling beside some of the rather more relaxing and quiet hotel bars.   Recommended are; Crazy daisy (very British crowd), Diele, Insider and Evergreen. Also recommended is the Viva nightclub which stays open until the small hours.   Kaprun is quieter than it's bigger brother but still offers a good selection of bars. Recommended are; Baum Bar, Café Ninde and Charly's Bar.	Activities   There are a good number of activities in both Zell am See and Kaprun.   Including; Curling and Ice skating on the frozen lake, tobogganing, bowling (Kaprun), Indoor pool (Zell), Indoor tennis and squash (Kaprun), gym (Kaprun), horse drawn sleighs, daily excursions to Salzburg, helicopter tours of the valleys.	Eating Out   Zell am See offers a wide range of restaurants to suite all tastes and budgets.   Kaprun has a good number of reasonibly priced restaurants in the town centre offering good food.
Ski/Board Tuition   There are several ski schools in the Europa Sport region. All offer English speaking instruction.   Below are some example prices based on prices from the 05-06 winter season.   Ski- 5 days x 4hrs €150 Board- 5 days x 2hrs €115 Board- 3 day x 2hrs €92	Ski/Board Hire   There are a good number of ski/boot and board hire companies offering competitive rates in both Zell am See and Kaprun.   Ask your holiday rep/host for their recommendations and any special offers or have a look round the towns when you arrive to get the best deals.	Childcare   Zell am See Ski kindergarten for children from 2 years. Costs around €125 for 5 days of 2 hrs.   Day Kindergarten for children from 2-5 years. Costs around €170 for 5 days (9:30 - 15:30)   Both can be found at the top of the Areitbahn gondola.   Kaprun Day kindergarten for children aged 2-4 years. Costs around €65 for a full day (9:30 -14:30). Price includes lunch.