Zell am See and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, accessed from the neighbouring town of Kaprun, are collectively known as the Europa Sport ski area. There are over 130 km of slopes reaching altitudes of over 3 km, and all are covered by the same lift pass.
Most Zell am See slopes are red runs, suitable for skiers with intermediate-level skills. Families with kids tend to favour Schmittenhöhe and Maiskogel. Gentler blue slopes are available in Kaprun, easy to reach thanks to a bus link.
What about cross-country and snowboarding?
Zell am See offers great facilities for cross-country skiing, with over 40 km of trails, some of them lit.
The popular evening slope, which ends directly in the town, is open until 9:30 pm three evenings a week.
For snowboarders, there is plenty of space for park snowboarding and perfecting tricks. If you are a more advanced snowboarder, head to the park at Kitzsteinhorn glacier, where you can also find Austria’s biggest super-pipe.
Lively après-ski scene
Most of the accommodation is provided by cosy guest houses that offer a hearty breakfast to fuel skiers for hours on end.
The area has a higher-than-average number of slope restaurants, and the abundant selection of eateries is enough to satisfy the most demanding of foodies. And the après-ski life, complete with traditional Alpine beverages, is sure to create a great mood, or ‘Stimmung’!
Norwegian flies direct from Helsinki Airport to Salzburg once a week from mid-January to the beginning of April. From there, you can take the bus or train for the 70+ km transfer to Zell am See.
