Why you Must Visit Zell am See-Kaprun in Summer

8 Reasons to Visit Zell am See-Kaprun in Summer

Learn the 8 reasons why you must visit Zell am See-Kaprun in Summer.

The beautiful villages of Zell am See and Kaprun are located in the Pinzgau region of Salzburgerland- home of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and Schmittenhöhe mountain.

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Grüße! I am Tammy, the chief Wanderlust’er. I am lucky to live in Zell am See-Kaprun. I am excited to share my passion for this wonderful region of Austria and help you plan your most epic Alpine Holiday.

1. Location

It’s easy to get to Zell am See -Kaprun

Zell am See-Kaprun is easily accessible by car, train, or bus. Zell am See-Kaprun is located 85 km south of Salzburg, 167 km south of Munich and approximately 380km southwest of Vienna. Hourly trains depart Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (the main train station) for Zell am See.

How to get to Zell am See-Kaprun

2. Spectacular Alpine Scenery – Glacier and Mountains

Picture of Lake Zell, Zell am See and Kaprun

The unbelievably beautiful alpine scenery is the main reason why you should visit Zell am See-Kaprun. If you dream of a perfect alpine panorama, you will love Zell am See-Kaprun. Zell am See-Kaprun has the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, Schmittenhöhe Mountain and the Maiskogel.

The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, at 3,203m (10508 feet), is the highest mountain in Salzburgerland. There are many walks and hikes, as well as the National Park Gallery, the Top of Salzburg skywalk, and the Gifpel Restaurant. The Summer Ice Arena, located at ~3,000 m (9850 feet), allows you to experience snow in summer, and you can even go tobogganing in July and August.

Schmittenhöhe Mountain provides a bird’s-eye view of Lake Zell and thirty 3,000m mountains, including the Kitzsteinhorn, Groβglockner Groβvenediger, and Steinernes Meer.

The Maiskogel Mountain is a starting point for several hiking routes, from leisurely to a full-scale ascent of the Maiskogel or Kitzsteinhorn.

3. A Pristine Mountain Lake

If your dream summer alpine holiday also has a beautiful lake, then we have you covered.
Zeller See (Lake Zell) is a crystal-clear glacial alpine lake located at the base of the Schmittenhöhe Mountain, and it is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe. There are daily boat cruises on Lake Zell, or you can rent a paddle boat or sailboat to explore independently. The lake also has several lidos (public beaches), each with facilities and cafes providing the perfect spots to swim in the lake, whose average summer water temperature is 21 °C.

4. Skiing in spring, early summer and late Autumn

When it is warm in the valley, and most other European Ski resorts have closed, Kaprun’s Kitzsteinhorn Glacier still has snow-covered slopes.
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is the only place in Salzburger Land where skiing in May and early June is possible.
The Glacier Ski resort also opens in mid-October.

5. Hiking and Walking

Zell am See-Kaprun is a hikers and walkers nirvana. Glacier summits, gentle grassy mountains, and scenic forest trails, provide a variety of varied routes for all levels of difficulty from leisurely family walks to challenging summit climbs and multiday hikes.

Kaprun, home of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, lies in the Kaprunertal (Kaprun valley) and is part of the Hohe Tauern Mountain range. The Hohe Tauern National Park was established in 1981 and covers a landscape of high mountains, deep valleys and lakes with many walking and hiking trails.

Hiking on the Maiskogel mountian in Kaprun

A leisurely hike on the Maiskogel Mountain in Kaprun.

Zell am See’s Schmittenhöhe Mountain (1,965m) is on the eastern edge of the Kitzbühel Alps, separated from the Hohe Tauern range (Kitzsteinhorn) by the Salzach valley. The panorama from the summit wows with must-see Instagrammable views of the lush green valley down to glistening Lake Zell. In the distance up to thirty 3,000m mountains can be seen including: Kitzsteinhorn, Groβglockner and Groβvenediger of the Hohe Tauren Range and to the east the Steinernes Meer.

6. Explore Zell am See-Kaprun by bike

Zell am See-Kaprun is the perfect location to explore by bike. Many leisurely and easy-paced cycling trails will take you around Kaprun, Piesendorf, Bruck, and Zell am See. In addition to 100s of trails that wind their way through the mountains with epic panoramas.
Kaprun is also on the 300 km Tauern Cycling Trail (Tauernradweg) that follows the Salzach River from Salzburg to the Krimml Waterfalls.
The Zell am See-Kaprun region also has over 30 mountain bike trails catering from easy to difficult terrains. A bit further afield in Saalbach- Hinterglemm-Leogang (28 km from Kaprun) is a mountain biker’s paradise with over 400 km of mountain biking trails to explore.

7. Epic Mountain Drive- the Großglockner High Alpine Road

Zell am See-Kaprun is a starting point for the Groβglockner High Alpine Road (Großglockner Hochalpenstraße). It is one of the greatest alpine drives.
The Großglockner High Alpine Road has 48 km of 36 hairpin turns and serpentine bends and ascends to 2,504 m to its glacier, the Pasterze. The Groβglockner High Alpine Road can be travelled by car, bus, motorbike or bike.

Open from early May to early November (weather permitting) from 6 am to 8 pm.

Driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road

8. Relaxation

Although Zell am See-Kaprun has many activities and adventures, it is also the perfect location to relax.

Kaprun’s Tauern Spa resort is Austria’s largest spa and wellness centre. A highlight is the outdoor swimming pools (heated in winter) with views of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.
Relax and massage away your worries and aches in the spa, aqua, and sauna world. Kids can also have a ‘Spa day’ in the children’s area, which has an outdoor water park with water slides, a play pool, a baby pool, a youth pool, a volleyball court, and a climbing wall.