The complete year-round holiday destination at Zell Am See, Austria

The lovely town of Zell Am See is the headquarters of Austria’s Zell Am See district. This district is part of the Salzburg state. The city is home to some 10,000 people and also is the second largest city in the Pinzgau region of the state. The place is in a very unique location and is in close proximity to some of the neighboring nation’s major cities such as Munich.

The city of Zell Am See is a major tourist destination and has attractions aplenty for its visitors. The place is known the world over for its skiing activities. The area boasts of a huge 68 kms of ski runs along with 60 snow cannons.

The region also boasts of 28 ski lifts and they are capable of carrying 40,000 skiers and snowboarders in an hour.

The city has also made its mark in two super hits of the last millennium. The movie Ein Mann gehört ins Haus, which was directed by Hubert Marischka in 1944/45 was shot in the city. Another major film, the Franz Marischka directed Allotria in Zell am See of 1963 was also shot in the city.

Besides the city is full of historical places to visit and the places only give us a glimpse of the glorious past of the city. The landscape of the region is also spectacular. Let’s go through some of the Zell Am See attractions of the place in brief.

St. Hippolyte’s Church:

The St Hippolyte’s Church is home to some of the oldest ruins of the entire Pinzgau region. The church is a Romanesque style masterpiece and is made of 3 naves and dates back to the 18th century.

Zeller See Lake:

The Zeller See Lake appears to one and all like a peanut and is spread over an area of 4.7 sq. kms.

Kastnerturm:

This ancient building is also popularly known as Constable’s Tower. This tower has the distinction of being the oldest in the entire town and dates back to the 12th century.

Pfarrkirche:

This Romanesque structure goes back to the 11th century and is the parish church of the town. The structure houses the 16th century late-Gothic choir.

Castle Rosenberg:

The Castle Rosenberg is the home of the Rathaus or town hall and includes a lovely gallery. The castle has a very rich history which started in the 16th century. This southern Bavarian style masterpiece has acted as the residence of the Salzburg state in the past.

The Folklore Museum:

This museum is housed in the old tower of Vogtturm. The tower is estimated to be some 1,200 years old. The exhibits of display in the museum include old artifacts and costumes used by the traditional natives of the land. The museum puts the spotlight on the traditional way of life of native inhabitants of the state of Salzburg. The museum remains open only during the months of May through October, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Schmittenhöhe:

This Mountain is the ideal place for hiking and having some adventure. The mountain is located at the west of the town of Zell Am See. The best part here is there are four different ways to climb the heights of this 1,967m high natural wonder. Besides, there are definitely more than just 4 options to get down, sounds cool, doesn’t it.

It is recommended you use the cableway amongst the various options at your disposal as the view is one of the best.

Kitzsteinhorn:

This is the place for fun. The Kitzsteinhorn was primarily meant to be a ski resort. However, that’s not the case as it can be termed as an all-season and all year- round place for fun. Besides, the winter snow activities, which the resort is world-renowned for, the resort is also a very popular spot during the summers and boasts some of the best activities one can think of. The resort is known for its hiking and cycling opportunities. The rates of the resort are also quite affordable and I can assure you will only get a good deal here.

Ginhouse:

The Ginhouse is a place for fun after the sun has gone to sleep at night. This pub is famous for its martinis. The pub has a relaxed atmosphere ideal for best workout at night and the friendly staff only compliments the place.

The Freizeitzentrum:

The Freizeitzentrum is a leisure club and the perfect place to relax. The best part in the club is you need not worry about the kids as there are special facilities available for them also. The place is full of healthy activities and you need not walk from pillar to post as all the activities are housed under one single roof.

The club includes a sports pool of around 25 meters, besides, there is a separate children’s area along with water chute besides the other facilities such as sauna and solarium.

The waters of the pool make the minimum use of chlorine and are specially conditioned for the purpose. Every Tuesday, the temperature of the water is raised to 31 degrees Celsius and the air temperature is raised to 33 degrees Celsius, the club marks this day as “Warm Bath Day.”

That’s not all, there’s a poolside restaurant which specializes in all the local dishes.

Bacchuskeller:

This is a rustic alpine tavern of the city and is housed in the Hotel Waldhof of Schmittenstrasse. A common feature here is the performances of local musicians besides the dance floor is definitely not the biggest but adequate to have some fun.

Gasthof Alpenblick:

This is an Austrian Bierstüberl in the Schüttdorf area. The tavern boasts of  a good restaurant and is a very popular place for the hiking community, who prefer to spend some time here after a hard day’s climb.

Listed below are some of the questions which may be on your mind.

How do I reach Zell Am See?

The Innsbruck Airport is the nearest to the Zell Am See area. It is recommended you hire the services of a private cab to reach you to your destination. The entire journey should take you around 2 hours.

Where do I stay during my Zell Am See adventure?

The resort area and town boast of the best accommodation facilities. Besides, there are a variety of options to choose from. Some of the more popular landmarks of the place include Grand Hotel, Schloss Prielau Hotel, Hotel Zum Hirschen, Hotel St. Hubertushof, Hotel St. George and Hotel Salzburgerhof.

When is the best time of the year to visit Zell Am See?

You can visit the town throughout the year as I am sure your visit will always be an adventure as the place is full of activities that run throughout the year. Nevertheless, the peak tourist season here is the months of November through April.

These months are ideal for snow fun and all other activities. However, you need to keep in mind the fact that this being the tourist season; the rates will be on the higher side especially during the Christmas week.

Hence you need to be ready to shell those extra bucks.

In conclusion, Zell Am See is a wonderful year-round holiday destination. The place is full of history, lakes, mountains, snow and a vibrant night life. What else does one require for an ideal holiday? Probably the place has it all. So, what are you waiting for, just go ahead and plan that all important trip to Zell Am See.