Travel: Ski whizz! Thrills on and off the piste in Austria

Zell Am See is a delightful medieval town just south of Salzburg, located at the foot of the Schmittenhöhe mountain and on the shores of Lake Zell.

It is situated at the edge of Austria’s largest national park, the Hohe Tauern, and topped by the glacier – guardian of the Zell am See-Kaprun ski region.

The combination of stunning geography and the variety of activities makes it the perfect destination for a blended holiday for skiers and non-skiers.

The town itself has a historic pedestrianised centre, with a wide selection of shops and restaurants, fun sports facilities, including an ice rink, and indoor swimming pool. And afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel, overlooking the lake, is unmissable. There are several museums and attractions and a train station – ideal for those venturing further afield.

The Vogtturm Museum, in the centre of Zell Am See, has an extensive display of artefacts and paintings. And there is currently an additional exhibition, The Porsche Design Principle, which spotlights the work of FA Porsche Design Studio. While best known for cars, the German design studio has created many other innovative products including ski lifts, skyscrapers, airline interiors, wrist watches and hi-tech gadgetry.

Meanwhile, at the top of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, 3,029 metres above sea level, you will find the National Park Gallery, the region’s highest viewing platform.

Travel by cable car to the summit terminus and a 360-metre-long tunnel leads through the interior of the mountain to a second viewing platform. From here you can see Austria’s highest mountain – the Grossglockner.

Non-skiers can enjoy the views and a coffee, skiers can take off across the glacier pistes.

In nearby Kaprun, a museum housed in an old farmhouse chronicles the area’s development from a farming community to holiday destination. Plus, Vötter’s Oldtimer Museum displays 200 vehicles from the 1950 to the 1970s, including tractors, cars, motorbikes and the world’s largest convertible.

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The luxurious Tauern Spa has several indoor and outdoor pools with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier as a stunning backdrop. Do remember that sauna and wellness facilities are usually mixed.

The area is sponsored by Audi and the car designer’s latest model is displayed in a large igloo in Kaprun, with an ice bar, serving vodkas in ice glasses. You can even try ice driving with an instructor.

Skiers, meanwhile, will also be entertained. You can buy a Ski Circus Alpin card which covers three areas: Kaprun, Zell Am See and Saalbach. There is also a Super Ski card, which is not much more expensive and includes 21 resorts throughout the Salzburg region, most less than an hour’s drive away.

In the Saalbach ski area, however, colour coding for the pistes is unexpected, with some of “blue” runs quite demanding – not to be explored unless you are an experienced skier.

There are several local ski schools and Zell Am See has a ski school for children with additional needs called Skiing 4 All (it’s on Facebook). There are also guided snowshoe walks three times a week, free of charge to all lift pass holders.

Advanced skiers can join the Ski Club of Great Britain. Membership is £70 a year and you will find a guide in all major ski resorts, leading a group of like-minded people.

Après starts at 4pm in Austria, with thumping tunes and drinks on the slopes. After dinner, head to any number of fun bars in Zell: Crazy Daisy, Cabrio or Off Piste.

We travelled with Crystal Ski and everything you need to know is on their free Explorer app, so download it when you book your holiday, to ensure you have everything you need in one place.

P.S. 

Just 90 minutes away by train is the stunning city of Salzburg – Mozart’s birthplace and the backdrop to the musical The Sound Of Music. Fans can enjoy magical horse and carriage rides or a hop-on-hop-off bus tour that includes the many film locations around the city.

Factfile: 

Crystal Ski Holidays (crystalski.co.uk or call 020 8610 3123) offers a week’s half-board holiday at the four-star VAYA Zell Am See from £1,019 per person when booked online (based on two sharing) including flights to Salzburg and transfers. Direct flights available from all major UK airports.