Zell am See: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Zell am See is small: a square, a church, a medieval tower and a lake, all within ten minutes on foot. This walk goes from the square to the water and then up the town's own mountain by gondola. Allow two to three hours, most of it at the top. Check the last gondola down before you go up.
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A short history of Zell am See
Zell am See is first mentioned at the end of the 8th century in documents of the Archbishopric of Salzburg, as a small monastic cell on the shore of Lake Zell. For centuries it was a market town of farmers and merchants belonging to Salzburg, until the principality was annexed to Austria in the 19th century. In 1875 the railway reached the town, and with it came tourism, first in summer by the lake and later in winter on the slopes. In 1935 the Grossglockner High Alpine Road opened nearby, and in 1965 the Kitzsteinhorn glacier opened for skiing, since when it has been possible to ski in the area almost all year round.
The ten best sights in Zell am See
1St. Hippolyte Parish ChurchRomanesque core with a heavy Gothic tower; quiet and cool on a hot afternoon
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2Vogtturm Museum
The medieval tower on the square, now a small town museum; open in summer
3Kaprun CastleMedieval castle at the entrance to Kaprun, used for concerts and markets
4Hohe Tauern National Park CentreInteractive exhibition in Mittersill; the best rainy-day stop of the valley
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5Kitzsteinhorn Memorial
Memorial to the 155 victims of the 2000 funicular fire, near the glacier valley station
6Lake ZellSwim, rent a boat or walk the promenade; in summer the water is warm enough for a long swim
7Elisabeth ParkLakeside park a few steps from the station, with benches facing the mountains
8Zell am See LidoThe town beach with lawns, a diving board and a paid entry; busy on hot weekends
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9cityXpress gondola
Gondola from the edge of town up the Schmitten; no need to drive to the valley station
10SchmittenhöheThe town's own mountain at 1,965 m: easy walks, views of the glacier and the lake below
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Zell am See →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Zell am See:
Free walking tours in Zell am See
Town by the lake
Zell am See is small: a square, a church, a medieval tower and a lake, all within ten minutes on foot. This walk goes from the square to the water and then up the town's own mountain by gondola. Allow two to three hours, most of it at the top. Check the last gondola down before you go up.
- Stadtplatz · The town's name comes from Latin cella, a monks' cell: around 790 a document already records 'Cella in Bisontio', a small church house in the Pinzgau, and the town grew around it.
- St. Hippolyte Parish Church · The nave is Romanesque, and the massive tower was added in the late Gothic period; inside, the gallery is carved with late-Gothic tracery.
- Vogtturm · The tower is named after the Vogt, the bailiff who collected dues and kept order for the lords here in the Middle Ages; today its floors hold the town museum.
- Elisabeth Park · The park is named after Empress Elisabeth of Austria, 'Sisi', a passionate walker who came to the Pinzgau mountains.
- cityXpress · Most ski towns make you drive to the lifts; here the gondola starts at the edge of the old town, and in winter a run leads back down into the streets.
- Schmittenhöhe · The first cable car to the top opened in 1927, one of the earliest in Austria. A small chapel near the summit is named after Empress Elisabeth, who climbed the mountain.
Up to the glacier
Kaprun, ten minutes south, is the gate to the high mountains: a castle, a gorge, a glacier and two reservoirs above 1,600 m. This is a full day by car and lifts, and the reservoir part runs only in summer. On the glacier it can snow in July, so pack a warm layer and sunglasses. Start with the lifts in the morning, when the views are clearest.
- Kaprun Castle · The castle guarded the way up the Kaprun valley toward the Tauern passes; today its courtyard hosts concerts and a Christmas market.
- Sigmund Thun Gorge · The gorge is named after Count Sigmund Thun, governor of Salzburg in the late 19th century, when the walkway was built for the first summer tourists.
- Kitzsteinhorn Memorial · On 11 November 2000 a fire broke out in the tunnel funicular to the glacier and 155 people died, most of them skiers. The tunnel railway never ran again; cable cars carry everyone up today.
- Kitzsteinhorn · The summit is 3,203 m, and the viewing platform at the top station sits at 3,029 m, from where on a clear day you see the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain.
- Wasserfallboden · The Kaprun dams were started in 1938 and finished only in the mid-1950s; forced labourers and prisoners of war worked here during the war, and after it the project became a symbol of Austria's rebuilding.
- Mooserboden · Private cars stop at Kesselfall; from there a bus and the Lärchwand inclined lift, one of the largest open inclined lifts in Europe, climb to the upper reservoir at about 2,000 m.
Two valleys of the Tauern
From Zell two roads lead into the Hohe Tauern National Park: west along the Salzach valley to the Krimml falls, and south up the Glockner road. Each is a half day or more, so pick one or split them over two mornings. The Glockner road is a toll road and closes in winter. In summer both are busy by late morning.
- Pinzgau Local Railway · The narrow-gauge line opened in 1898 on 760 mm track and runs about 53 km up the Salzach valley to Krimml.
- Hohe Tauern National Park Centre · Hohe Tauern is the largest national park in the Alps, about 1,800 square km across three Austrian states; the centre shows it in rooms you walk through.
- Krimml Waterfalls · The water drops about 380 m in three tiers, the highest falls in Austria; the spray near the lowest step is strong enough to soak you.
- Fusch · The village marks the northern start of the Glockner road; from here the climb begins up the Fusch valley toward the toll gate.
- Ferleiten Wildlife Park · The park sits beside the toll station of the Glockner road and keeps the animals of the high Alps — marmots, ibex and chamois — that are hard to see in the wild.
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road · Opened in 1935, the road is 48 km long with 36 hairpin bends and reaches 2,504 m at the Hochtor tunnel.
Getting to Zell am See and getting around
- Zell am See Station · ÖBB trains from Salzburg take about an hour and a half; the narrow-gauge Pinzgau line to Krimml starts here too
- Postplatz bus stop · Postbuses to Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn valley station stop here, in the middle of town
- Zell am See Airfield · A small airfield for sightseeing and glider flights only; the nearest airline airport is Salzburg, over an hour's drive
Cheap eats in Zell am See
Pinzgau food is mountain food: Kasnocken, small dumplings tossed in a pan with sharp local cheese and fried onions, and Kaspressknödel, flat cheese dumplings served in soup or with salad. Bauernkrapfen, a fried dough ring with jam, is the sweet one. A quick lunch in town costs about the same as in Tel Aviv, and tap water is free and very good.
- Unterkofler bakery · Rolls, pretzels and pastries for the road, about €2-5
- Café Konditorei Mosshammer · Cake and coffee on the square, about €7-10
- Meister Burek · Burek, cheese or meat, about €4-6
- Istanbul Kebap · Döner by the station, about €7-8
- Bella Bean · Coffee and a sandwich off the square, about €5-9
- Burger Factory · Burger and fries, about €13-17
Museums in Zell am See
- Vogtturm Museum · Town history on several floors of a medieval tower
- St. Hippolyte Parish Church · Romanesque church on the square; free
- Kaprun Castle · Castle courtyard with summer events
- Vötter's Vintage Car Museum · Old cars, motorbikes and tractors in Kaprun
- Hohe Tauern National Park Centre · Walk-through exhibition on the park; good with rain
Nature and day trips near Zell am See
- Kitzsteinhorn · Glacier and viewing platform at 3,029 m
- Mooserboden reservoir · Turquoise lake at about 2,000 m; summer only
- Sigmund Thun Gorge · Short walkway over a loud gorge
- Krimml Waterfalls · Austria's highest falls, about 380 m
- Liechtenstein Gorge · Deep narrow gorge near St. Johann, 40 minutes east
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road · Toll road with 36 hairpins; summer only
Things to do in Zell am See with kids
- Ferleiten Wildlife Park · Marmots, ibex and chamois by the Glockner road
- Maiskogel · Alpine coaster and easy family trails
- Zell am See Lido · Lake beach with lawns and a diving board
- Pinzgau Local Railway · Narrow-gauge train along the valley
- Schmittenhöhe · Gondola up and easy walks on top
Where to eat in Zell am See
- Steinerwirt · Austrian dishes in an old town inn
- Zum Metzgerwirt · Hearty local cooking; book in high season
- Hotel zum Hirschen restaurant · Hotel restaurant with Pinzgau classics
- Brasserie Traube · Brasserie in the old-town lanes
- Deins & Meins · Modern bistro on Schlossplatz
- Piazza Quattro · Italian on the square, pizza and pasta
Frequently asked questions about Zell am See
What is there to see in Zell am See?
The top sights in Zell am See are St. Hippolyte Parish Church, Vogtturm Museum and Kaprun Castle. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Zell am See?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Zell am See without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Zell am See?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Zell am See, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Town by the lake.
How do you get to Zell am See and get around?
The main ways are Zell am See Station, Postplatz bus stop and Zell am See Airfield. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Zell am See, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Zell am See that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Zell am See for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.