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Summer Activities Hiking
 You will find an unbelievable array of hiking trails available in the Zell am See area. The two main mountains in the immediate vicinity - the Schmittenhöhe and the Kitzsteinhorn offer a combined hiking and bathing ticket. These are available from the base station of the Areitbahn cable car, which less than 10 minutes walk from the apartment, and allow unlimited use of the cable cars on either mountain, plus free access to any of the 4 outdoor and 2 indoor pools in Zell am See or Kaprun for 6 days. The ticket also entitles you to free travel on buses in the Zell am See or Kaprun area. It costs about €60 for adults and €30 for a child (6 years or over). Also, once you have paid for 2 adults and 1 child, other children go free. You can get free trail maps for both mountains, with each route rated according to its difficulty.  A network of 2,000 km of cycle paths and mountain bike trails criss-crosses the Pinzgau region. 550 km of these are cycle paths through the valleys, suitable for families and casual bikers. Of these, the most famous is undoubtedly the Tauern Cycle Path, which follows the banks of the Salzach river from Krimml to Salzburg, before continuing on to Passau. The Tauern Bike Path makes its way through the magnificent landscapes and imposing high valleys on the fringes of the Hohe Tauern National Park. The variant along the Saalach river, from Zell am See via Saalfelden, Lofer and Bad Reichenhall, draws cyclists - especially the younger ones - with adventure-packed gorges and a famous cave right next to the bike path.
As family-friendly as they come, you can make your way down clearly marked bike paths, safe from busy traffic, along crystal-clear streams and through tranquil villages.
There is a narrow gauge railway running from Zell am See to Krimml - the Pinzgaubahn - that pulls a special bike carriage in the summer (the end of April to the beginning of October). This allows you to take your bike to Krimml to start your ride, or bring you home if you do not want to cycle the whole way. The cost is about €3 for a day ticket for your bike and you can find the local Pinzgaubahn stop (Kitzsteinhorn Strasse) around the corner from the apartment. The Tauernradweg cycle route passes right by the apartment. Bikes can be hired from numerous shops for around €16 a day or €45 for 5 days. Golf
 Golfers have a choice of two championship courses at the Golf Club Zell am See which affords spectacular views of the Kitzsteinhorn. The golf courses are open for play from April through November and are the largest facility in the Austrian Alps. No other region in Central Europe can compete when combining golf and skiing as activities, although the views from the golf course are certainly distracting and may add a few strokes to your score!
The par 72 "Schmittenhöhe" course measures 6,837 yards for the men, and women play it from 5,881 yards. Although the "Kitzsteinhorn" layout is shorter than the "Schmittenhöhe" at 6,565 yards for the men and 5,844 yards for the ladies it plays one shot more with 73 as par. Both courses are heavily sand trapped with water coming into play on several holes. ("Kitzsteinhorn" has 46 traps and you can drown a ball on at least 13 water holes). There is an excellent pro shop, full service restaurant and bar where alcohol can counter-act all the previous water. The Pinzgaubahn narrow-gauge railway is 2 minutes from the apartment, and this will take you directly to the Golf Club. Horse Riding
The Porsche Riding Club of Zell am See can be found at the end of Porscheallee which runs past the apartment. Unfortunately their web site ( www.sbg.at/porsche-reitclub) is only in German, but they speak English if you phone them with any queries. Tennis & Squash
 Indoor and outdoor tennis courts can be found a short walk from the apartment. Prices for outdoor courts are €12. The indoor courts, depending on the time, are either €14 or €16. Squash is available at the Grand Hotel, not far from the main Zell am See station. This is best reached by travelling on the Pinzgaubahn narrow-gauge railway, which can be found a few minutes from the apartment. Squash costs €9 for 30 minutes and it is possible to hire rackets. Windsurfing
Zeller lake is an excellent place to learn to windsurf. Unlike the sea, there are very few waves to contend with and with the lake temperature reaching 23 degrees, you won't mind falling in. Board hire is available at the Zell am See Windsurfcenter from €8 per hour or €130 for a week. Lessons are also available. Swimming
 Zell am See and Kaprun have 2 indoor and 4 outdoor pools. The 4 outdoor pools are located at various points around the lake. At each location you will find outdoor pools with access to swim in the lake. The closest of these is a short walk from the apartment. The Zell am See indoor pool has huge windows at one end, giving fantastic views of the mountains while you swim, with windows along the side that allow you to see into the ice rink. There is a sauna, a steam room and it is possible to get massages. Water Skiing
Water skiing on Zeller lake is available next to the outdoor pool in Zell am See town. White Water Rafting / Family Rafting / Childrens Rafting
 It is possible to go rafting with several companies in the Zell am See area, including: Summer Skiing
With the glacier on the Kitzsteinhorn at 3000m, it is possible to ski throughout the year, even in the summer! Rock Climbing, Abseiling and Canyoning
 Several companies organise these activities, including: Paragliding
It is possible to take tandem paragliding flights from the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See. It costs between €50 to €100, depending on the height at which the flight starts. Outdoor Karting
 Outdoor karting is available in nearby Leogang. It can be reached in about 30 minutes - take the train to Saalfelden and then the 690 bus to Leogang. Adventure Playgrounds (for Children)
There are several children's adventure playgrounds dotted around the Zell am See area, two of which are very close to the apartment. The first is located on Schutbachweg, two minutes from the apartment, and the other, which is much bigger and has a zip line, is about 5 minutes away, next to the Schuttdorf tennis centre. Bummelzug
The Bummelzug takes you on a trip around the lake, giving you opportunity to enjoy the views from a different perspective. The nearest pick up takes place at Hotel Latini, a few minutes walk from the apartment at 10am. It costs €6 for adults and €3 for children. It is recommended that you reserve a place by phoning them on 06542 55100 or 0664 1341906. Lake Cruises
 Lake cruises are available from mid-May to mid-October. They run hourly and last for about 45 minutes, taking you to various points around the lake. It costs €9 for adults and €4.50 for children although you get a discount if you have bought a Hiking/Swimming 6 day cable car pass. Alpine Flights
Scenic flights are available from Zell am See airport. These give you fantastic views of the mountains and range in price from €45 for 20 minutes to €112 for an hour. You can get further details by phoning 06542 57937. Steam Train
Every Thursday, from the end of June to mid-September, a steam train runs along the Pinzgaubahn narrow-gauge railway from Zell am See to Mittersill. The Pizgaubahn stop is a few minutes walk from the apartment and return tickets cost €16 for adults and €8 for children. Sigmund Thun Gorge
This is an impressive and picturesque gorge near Kaprun, about 15 minutes bus ride away on the 660. The following web sites have more details: Alpine Reservoirs and Hydroelectric Power Station
 Holding 16 million cubic meters of water the two alpine reservoirs and power station at Kaprun are well worth a visit. To get there take the 660 bus to the end of the line at Kesselfall. Werfen Ice Caves
 Just over an hour away from Zell am See, Werfen claims to be home to the largest system of ice caves on our planet. You can get there by train, after which a bus will transfer you to the ice caves. Krimmler Falls
These are the highest waterfalls in the Austrian Alps, with a fall of 1,247 feet (380m), in three stages - upper, middle and lower. Its upper fall is the most impressive, with a 460-foot (140m) drop. The falls can be reached by foot trail or bridle path from the nearby village.
To get there, you take either the Pinzgaubahn narrow-gauge railway or the 670 bus to Krimml. |
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