Let us be honest: a winter holiday in a ski resort can feel a little intimidating if you do not ski. The brochures are full of powder turns and ski passes, and at some point you may wonder whether Zell am See is really for you. It certainly is. Zell am See and neighbouring Kaprun are among the finest Alpine towns in Austria, and the good news is this: the mountains, the lake, the food and the atmosphere are just as spectacular from the valley. Here are 12 great things to do in Zell am See in winter, entirely without ski boots.<\/p>\n
Snowshoeing is the perfect mountain activity for non-skiers: no skill, no lessons, no queues at the lift station. Strap a pair of wide snowshoes to your walking boots and head out at your own pace into the snowy forests above the town. Several marked snowshoe routes start directly in Zell am See, from easy circuits by the lake to more demanding tours up to the treeline towards the Schmittenh\u00f6he. Guided snowshoe tours are offered almost daily in winter and usually cost around 25 to 40 euros per person including equipment hire. Find guided tours through the local tourist information or directly at your hotel reception.<\/p>\n
Zell am See-Kaprun maintains an impressive network of cleared and gritted winter walking paths all season. These are not token routes: the region has over 60 km of maintained winter walking trails leading along panoramic ridges, through forests and across the valley floor. The lake promenade on Lake Zell is cleared daily and makes for a beautiful wintry morning walk with views across the ice-fringed lake to the peaks of the Hohe Tauern. Wear insulated, waterproof boots and pick up a free walking map at the tourist information office. No registration needed and completely free.<\/p>\n
This is the Zell am See-Kaprun experience no non-skier should miss. The Kitzsteinhorn<\/a> is Austria highest cable car destination and takes you to 3,029 metres with a state-of-the-art gondola system, with no ski pass or skiing ability required. At the top you will find a breathtaking panorama of the Hohe Tauern National Park, the TOP OF SALZBURG viewing platform with a glass-floored viewing bridge, and the remarkable Ice Arena, an underground world carved into the living glacier. Allow at least half a day. A return ticket costs roughly 51 to 58 euros per adult in winter (current prices on the operator site). Dress warmly in layers, as it is genuinely cold at that altitude.<\/p>\n The open-air ice rink in the centre of Zell am See is one of those quintessential Alpine moments that looks like a film set. Against the backdrop of the old town and the church tower, it is open all winter from late November to the end of February depending on conditions. Skates can be hired on site; reckon on around 8 to 12 euros per person including hire. There are sessions throughout the day and into the evening, when the rink is floodlit and the atmosphere becomes especially magical. No advance booking needed, just turn up and take your laps.<\/p>\n A horse-drawn sleigh ride through a snow-covered Alpine valley is exactly as romantic and wonderful as it sounds. Local operators in Kaprun and Piesendorf offer traditional sleigh rides across the valley floor, the horses breath steaming in the cold air and the bells carrying across the snow. Rides usually last 30 to 60 minutes and cost roughly 20 to 40 euros per person depending on the route and group size. Book through your accommodation or the regional tourist information, as rides depend on the weather so a little flexibility helps. This is one of the loveliest winter activities in Zell am See for couples and families alike.<\/p>\n The TAUERN SPA Zell am See-Kaprun<\/a> is one of the finest thermal and wellness complexes in Austria, and on a clear winter afternoon a visit is simply heavenly. The centrepiece is the spectacular outdoor thermal pool, where you float in warm mineral water while snow falls on the surrounding mountains, a genuine bucket-list experience. The complex includes indoor pools, steam rooms, saunas and an extensive spa offering. Day admission starts at around 38 to 48 euros per adult for the full bathing and sauna world. Book online in advance, as the spa is popular and often fully booked at weekends. Bring swimwear and a little relaxation; everything else is provided.<\/p>\n Zell am See hosts one of the most atmospheric Advent and Christmas markets in the Salzburg region, usually running from late November to the end of December. The market spreads around the town square and through the lanes of the old town, filling the air with the scent of mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and freshly baked gingerbread. You will find handmade wooden decorations, regional schnapps, alpine cheese and craft gifts, with far more character than the big city markets. Entry is free. Check exact dates each year on the official tourism website, as the market calendar shifts slightly from season to season.<\/p>\n Tobogganing is one of the great Austrian winter traditions and a wonderful alternative to skiing. The Zell am See-Kaprun region has several toboggan runs, from gentle family routes to the thrilling night toboggan run on the Schmittenh\u00f6he, where you race down a floodlit track under the stars. Toboggan hire is available at the start at the top. A combined lift and toboggan ticket usually costs 18 to 28 euros, and the evening runs have a particularly festive character. It is fast, it is loud, and you need no skill whatsoever.<\/p>\n Husky sled rides are offered in winter across the wider Salzburg and Hohe Tauern region and are an unforgettable way to travel through the snowy landscape. The husky teams are extremely well trained, and operators give a thorough briefing and safety instruction before you set off. A ride usually lasts one to two hours and costs from 60 to 120 euros per person, depending on whether you ride along or drive the sled yourself. Availability depends on the season and snow conditions, so ask at the tourist information for current operators. Early booking is strongly recommended, as places are limited.<\/p>\n One of the most unusual and memorable winter activities in Zell am See is a guided snow groomer tour, a tracked vehicle that takes you up into mountain terrain otherwise reachable only on skis. These tours mostly take place in the evening and often combine the ascent with a visit to a mountain hut for dinner, drinks and traditional Austrian mountain music. Rumbling up through fresh deep snow in a heated cab and arriving under a starry sky above the snowline is a truly unique experience. Prices are usually 40 to 70 euros per person including the hut dinner. Book through your hotel or the lift company offices.<\/p>\n Even without a ski pass you can ride the Schmittenh\u00f6he lift straight from the centre of Zell am See up to 1,965 metres and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views over Lake Zell and the surrounding peaks of the Hohe Tauern. At the summit the 360-degree viewing platform is freely accessible, and there are several mountain restaurants and cafes where you can warm up over a Kaiserschmarrn or a hot chocolate while looking out over one of the most spectacular Alpine panoramas in Austria. A return ticket costs around 25 to 35 euros. The views on a clear winter day are quite exceptional, and this belongs on every non-skier list. More in the article on the Schmittenh\u00f6he<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Huettenabend, an evening in a traditional alpine hut, is perhaps the most quintessential Austrian winter experience of all, and you need not ski a single metre for it. Many huts above Zell am See and Kaprun are reachable on foot via lit evening paths, along the toboggan run, or by snow groomer transfer. Inside you will find crackling wood stoves, long wooden tables, hearty mountain cooking (Kaesespaetzle, venison goulash, apple strudel) and regional schnapps. There is often live accordion music and exactly that warm, loud, sociable atmosphere ski resorts are famous for, which has nothing to do with skiing itself. Ask your hotel to recommend the best hut for the evening; most are happy to reserve for you and even arrange transport up the mountain.<\/p>\n Even if you do not ski, the right clothing makes an enormous difference to your enjoyment. Pack a proper waterproof outer layer (jacket and trousers), thermal base layers, a warm hat, gloves and a neck warmer. For walking and snowshoeing, insulated waterproof boots with good grip are essential, as ordinary trainers are genuinely unsuitable on snowy or icy paths. For the Kitzsteinhorn glacier take an extra layer, since temperatures at 3,000 metres are considerably colder than in the valley even on sunny days. Good sunglasses or goggles protect your eyes from the intense glare of reflected snow.<\/p>\n The mountains do not care whether you ski or not; they are magnificent either way. Zell am See in winter is a place of exceptional beauty, warmth and atmosphere, and every single activity on this list can be enjoyed without a ski pass, a lesson, or even the slightest interest in going downhill fast. From the thermal pools in Kaprun to the glacier views from the Kitzsteinhorn, from sleigh bells echoing across a snowy valley to the glow of a hut fire, winter in Zell am See offers everything you need for a holiday you will still be talking about years later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You do not have to ski to love winter in Zell am See. Discover 12 great activities for non-skiers: snowshoeing, glacier cable cars, thermal spas, sleigh rides and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,110],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-erleben-en","category-zell-am-see-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32879"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32879\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zellamseekaprun.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}4. Ice skating in the middle of town<\/h2>\n
5. Horse-drawn sleigh rides<\/h2>\n
6. Unwind at the TAUERN SPA in Kaprun<\/h2>\n
7. Christmas markets and festive atmosphere<\/h2>\n
8. Tobogganing and sledging<\/h2>\n
9. Husky sledding adventure<\/h2>\n
10. Snow groomer and snow bus tours<\/h2>\n
11. Scenic cable car rides, just for the views<\/h2>\n
12. Cosy hut evenings<\/h2>\n
What to wear for winter activities in Zell am See<\/h2>\n
Practical tips for non-skiers<\/h2>\n
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You do not need skis to love winter in Zell am See<\/h2>\n