In co-operation with Austria Tourist Board
The Austrian town of Zell am See may be best known as a ski resort, but don't miss out on experiencing Zell am See in the summer! The town is surrounded by high alpine peaks and sits on the beautiful Lake Zell. Here you can take lifts up to the peaks for hiking or summer skiing, as well as sunbathing, swimming or taking boat trips on the lake.
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Dramatic nature experiences
Zell am See is made for dramatic nature experiences. To start with, we recommend taking a cable car ride up to the top of the Kitzsteinhorn, for breathtaking views and perhaps for hiking or summer skiing. Not far from here there are also water reservoirs at high altitude, which we didn't have time to visit but which should be well worth a visit.
In Zell am See there is also the mountain Schmittenhöhe. You can take a cable car up and, for example, hike a few kilometres before going down again with another cable car. Another activity (which we happened to see from the car!) is tandem paragliding. Nothing for me (Helena), but certainly fantastic if you are not afraid of heights!
Sigmund Thun Gorge
Sigmund Thun Gorge, or Sigmund Thun Klamm, is a gorge in Kaprun, in the district of Zell am See. The gorge is 32 metres deep and 320 metres long, with beautiful rock formations and rushing water. You can walk inside the gorge, on built wooden bridges and wooden stairs, and it is extremely beautiful. This gorge was within walking distance from our campsite, so it was perfect for us to go for a walk here. What an amazing nature!
When you come out of the ravine, you come to a small green-blue lake. Going around this is a nice and easy little walk, and on one side there is also a beach and a small restaurant where you can buy ice cream, beer or something simple to eat.
Lovely boat trip on Lake Zeller
Lake Zeller is a beautiful lake and in the summer it is a busy place, with small boats and people getting around in kayaks, pedal boats or on stand up paddle boards. Many people also swim!
You may not think of Austria as a country where you can swim, but in the summer it is great to swim here. For us there was no swimming, but instead we went on a boat trip. Full time (see the tourist office's webpage for current times), the boat departs right next to the Grand Hotel in the centre of Zell am See.
The boat ride around the lake takes 50 minutes and is a really relaxing ride in beautiful surroundings. We chose to pay an extra five euros per person to sit at the top, with the best view. A regular ticket otherwise costs 15 euros.
On the way around the lake you pass beautiful Austrian houses, cosy hotels, beaches, marinas and a beachside campsite.
Mushroom and blueberry feast
One of the evenings in Zell am See we had dinner at the hotel. To the deer. We have mostly eaten quite simply throughout the trip, so it felt really luxurious and nice to sit down on the hotel's outdoor terrace. There were all sorts of dishes in the menu, but we chose to go for "local specialities". It was an orgy of mushrooms and blueberries! For starters, we had an insanely good potato soup with salmon tartar and chanterelles.
For the main course, Peter chose to continue with chanterelles. If you love chanterelles, it is pure heaven to have an entire main course consisting of a crazy amount of chanterelles in cream! Since I (Helena) was somewhat suspicious of "bread dumplings", I chose a pasta with the mushroom porcinis. Could it be a Karl Johan mushroom? In any case, it was delicious!
For dessert we were encouraged to try "blueberry dumplings", which was an interesting and compact dessert made with blueberries and eggs. Great with ice cream and coffee!
Evening in Zell am See in summer
You can imagine that there are even more people in town in the evenings in winter, when there is "after ski" here, but there is a nice atmosphere even in the summer evenings. There are people sitting in the cafes and bars, and in the central square a band was playing, while some were dancing.
Looking for a vantage point?
If you want a view of the whole of Zell am See, you can take your car to the top of Mitterbergweg. We took the campervan up and it gobut you shouldn't be nervous about steep roads with hairpin bends... This road winds steeply upwards until you can see the whole lake and city. It was a bit foggy when we were up here so the photos didn't turn out so well, but the view was amazing! It is also possible to cycle or hike up (but it seems tough).
Campsites in Zell am See
There are two campsites in Zell am See and another one in nearby Kaprun. The Seecamp campsite is beautifully located on the shores of Lake Zell, with the possibility of swimming directly at the campsite. If you want to stay here in the high season, you should book in advance, because it is popular! The slightly smaller Panorama campsite may also need to be booked in advance. There are no pitches and free camping is not allowed.
Since we hadn't booked in advance, we couldn't choose, so we were lucky that there was room on the bus. Camping Zur Mühle in Kaprun. In fact, it was not bad at all. From this campsite we had walking distance to Sigmund Thun Gorge, and we were also close to Kitzsteinhorn by bus.
It was also very easy to get to and from Zell am See by bus. The campsite was also excellent. The families with children around us used the pool and we used the campsite's WiFi for two euros per day.
Video from Zell am See
Have you been to Zell am See in summer - or maybe in winter? What are your top tips?
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This post is written in co-operation with the Austria Tourist Board. The texts, images and opinions are, as usual, our own.
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Steve says:
Zell am see, what a gem. Stunningly beautiful. As always, a lovely film where you undeniably seem to be having a "pretty" good time.
22 July 2018 - 6:53
Helena says:
Truly a gem! We fell in love with this place! 🙂
22 July 2018 - 9:02
Deciree says:
It looks really nice där☺️Fina Pictures as usual.
22 July 2018 - 7:41
Helena says:
It's gratifying to take photos when it's this beautiful.
22 July 2018 - 9:02
Husisblogg says:
It's good for these cities that it's not only in winter that visitors come. There is certainly so much, and you have really demonstrated this to see even in the summer. Nice to travel with you again
22 July 2018 - 8:28
Helena says:
You can really come here in the summer too! And I would think it's a bit quieter then 😉.
22 July 2018 - 9:03
Ama de casa says:
What a fantastic hiking trail! Incredibly beautiful 🙂
I don't think I would even want to drive a small car up to that peak. Hairpin curves are not my thing, you know. But the view could be the reward that makes you do it anyway.
Have a wonderful journey among the beautiful surroundings!
PS: Someone seems to have gone from "phobia" to "fetishist" when it comes to cable cars... 😉.
22 July 2018 - 8:34
Helena says:
Haha, yes, there were many cable cars in the end! But now I think I'll take a break from the cable cars for a while ... 😉.
22 July 2018 - 9:04
Kors och Tvärs says:
I think it was on our first trip to Italy we ended up there in the neighbourhood, at Sportcamp Woferlgut. Back then (2002 or 2003) it was the most luxurious campsite I didn't think existed!
22 July 2018 - 8:56
Helena says:
It sounds like a wonderful memory! 🙂
22 July 2018 - 9:05
Solan says:
Yes, I remember that we crashed into the jetty with a rented electric boat. Embarrassing!
Summer skiing in Kaprun and to Zell in winter.
But I have totally missed the lovely gorge walk. Is the hiking trail a new construction?
22 July 2018 - 9:20
Helena says:
Oops, that sounded a bit dramatic!!!? I don't know if the hiking trail at the ravine is new, but the building looked pretty new, so it could be!
22 July 2018 - 18:44
Anja says:
Train journey memories come back. We slept there under the open sky... But how crowded it was on the lake in the pictures! ☺
22 July 2018 - 10:14
Helena says:
What memories! 🙂 Well, it was not crowded actually. But the lake is quite large, so paddle boards and others may not come so close in the picture 😉.
22 July 2018 - 18:50
JoY says:
Right now I want to go down immediately, after seeing your pictures. Looked nice with the ravine, we have not walked in it. However, we hiked up where you drove and continued upwards. Isn't it a beautiful place Zell?
Hugs
22 July 2018 - 10:40
Helena says:
The ravine is nice! And yes, we realised there was more to see. Didn't get it all 😉 .
22 July 2018 - 18:51
Veiken says:
Wonderful! Thanks for the post. Have stayed here for a whole holiday many years ago. We stayed privately high above Zell am See with a magnificent view.
We went up the Grossglockner a great trip!
Have a wonderful journey!
22 July 2018 - 10:43
Helena says:
But how wonderful to be here for a whole holiday! Really nice place! Grossglockner sounds exciting! We didn't have time for that ...
22 July 2018 - 18:53
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
So beautiful! The whole of Austria is like a big postcard.
What a lovely gorge. We walked in the Vintgar Gorge outside Bled and really like these gorges.
22 July 2018 - 15:50
Helena says:
Agree that these ravines are nice! Sounds interesting with the one in Bled! 🙂
22 July 2018 - 18:54
Gärdsmygen says:
So long since I was there, but it was in the summer.
Kaprun was delicious and I remember the contrast from the heat in the village to the cold at Kaprun.
22 July 2018 - 18:45
Helena says:
Yes, it's great that you have both lake and mountain, both cold and warm 🙂 .
22 July 2018 - 18:55
Matts Torebring says:
I love this country, the nature, the people, everything. Now we have received many tips
22 July 2018 - 19:14
Helena says:
We understand that you like Austria! We do too 🙂
23 July 2018 - 7:25
BP says:
What ambassadors you are for Austria! What pictures and what a great film! Incredibly beautiful views. Thanks for that:-)
Porcini is a porcini mushroom, which is much more common in Austria than here at home. My favourite mushroom actually. Like Peter, I would have chosen these mushroom dishes. Oh "semmelknödel" is the "national dish" of Austria and Bavaria. However, I have never managed to eat two, far too rich. But good!
Also, I would like to thank you Peter for sparing us readers from rumtatumta music in your films, even from lederhosen, but maybe they will come;-).
22 July 2018 - 19:57
Helena says:
Thanks for some more info about the mushrooms and the Austrian food! 🙂
31 August 2018 - 16:27
Liniz Travel says:
Wow looked crazy beautiful! I really love Austria so nice enjoy the trip hugs
22 July 2018 - 21:30
Helena says:
Austria is really beautiful!
31 August 2018 - 16:28
Susjos says:
Soooo beautiful! It really makes you want to go there, even in summer!
23 July 2018 - 0:02
Helena says:
Super nice in the summer! 🙂
31 August 2018 - 16:28
Lena - gott för själen says:
There you go. Then I had to restart my computer again to get in here. Very strange! Luckily it's easy to fix!
What a lovely and useful post about Zell am See! So so beautiful! And as usual, great film!
Hug Lena
01 August 2018 - 14:10
Helena says:
What a strange problem you had with accessing the site! I'll ask our technician if he knows what it could be!
31 August 2018 - 16:29