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This winter I visited three of Austria’s best ski resorts: Zell am See, Kaprun, and Saalbach. I had a great vacation.
Let’s Visit Austria’s Best Ski Resorts
A few days ago, I came back from my very spontaneous ski-less ski vacation in Zell am See, Austria. Why ski-less? Because I never learned how to ski and was not going to start learning right now. But despite this limitation, I had a wonderful time hiking in the snow, eating great food, and photographing the stunning landscape. Let me show you some of the beautiful sights I’ve seen.
Zell am See – Ski Resort in Austria
Zell am See is located in Kitzbühel Alps, on the shores of Zeller See (Lake Zell). The town is a major tourist attraction in both winter and summer. I came for a visit during early March, and enjoyed the beautiful winter atmosphere, snow (up the mountains only) and the view of the lake. But seeing the clear blue water made me think of swimming in Lake Como, and I wished it was summer so I could just jump in and swim.
Birds of The Zeller Lake
Zeller See is a small freshwater lake, 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) long and 1.5 kilometers (0.93 mi) wide. If you like bird watching, you can take a walk along its shore and watch swans, ducks, coots, cormorants, and other birds. If you go up the mountain in the nearby skiing areas, you’ll be able to see the lake from there, too.
Ski In The Alps
If you visit Zell am See or the area, you can ski in various locations. Check out his map to see the tram plans, ski routes, and view the webcams. During a week in Zell am See, we visited three locations (some more than once).
Zell am See
On the first day, we took the Areitbahn. This ski location was the closet to our hotel in Zell am See, and offered a beautiful view.
Kaprun
Kaprun is a town near Zell am See. One day, we took the bus and went to Kaprun to go up the glacier Kitzsteinhorn. This mountain reaches a height of 3,203 m (10,509 ft). You can easily reach near its summit using the tramway. There, we enjoyed the restaurant and the panoramic terrace. The way down was stunning as well. Luckily, I found out my mild fear of heights is not activated in cable cars. Phew!!!
Saalbach
On the last day, we took a bus to the north-east and visited Saalbach. As usual, we went up the mountain, had a great lunch, and walked a bit. Afterwards, we went back down and continued for a short walk on a hiking trail, nearby.
Let’s Eat
I’m a city girl and live in the flat urban landscape of Düsseldorf, Germany. Therefore, I was not used to walking so much, especially not in a sloppy or snowy terrain. So, of course, I was ravenous after these winter walks. As expected, the Austrian cuisine did not let me down. I tried Spätzle (noodles with cheese), Gröstl (a bacon, onion, and potato dish), and of course, apple Strudel as desert. One of my favorite culinary surprises was the Germknödel, a sweet yeast dough dumpling, served with butter or vanilla sauce (I chose butter) and poppy seeds. Simply amazing.
Other Places Around The World
Visit Austria’s Ski Resorts
In the upcoming weeks, I will publish my videos from Austria’s ski resorts on YouTube. Make sure to subscribe, so you won’t miss it.
Check it out: