Ski holidays at Zell am See

Located near the Kaprun glacier, in a beautiful lakeside setting, skiing holidays at Zell am See are a little different to other Austrian resorts. The second-largest city of the Pinzgau region, in the province of Salzburg, it is a large town packed with culture and history; as popular with summer visitors as those booking skiing breaks. We at The Co-operative Travel have ski holidays in Zell am See to suit all budgets and abilities.

Zell am See is well geared towards family ski breaks, with family packages and child-friendly hotels. The resort has won awards for its low cost family ski holidays. The wide range of snow activities includes nursery slope lessons, challenging black runs, several ski boarding parks and beautiful cross-country ski routes.

Other activities include horse riding, Nordic skiing, kite-skiing, night-tobogganing, snow-shoe hiking and sleigh rides. At Schmittenhöhe, skaters and curling enthusiasts can zing about on the scenic lake, while skiers zip down the powdery snows above them.

Skiing for every age

Whether you want to carve down the black runs, or take a gentle cross-country trek, ski breaks at Zell am See are nothing if not varied. The terrain ranges from easy to challenging, with several low-altitude resorts which are ideal for novice skiers. Although snow is less certain at these altitudes, there are buses to the ski lifts of the upper slopes. Those looking for Après Ski refreshment don’t need to go back to town – there are plenty of ski huts and cafes on the mountain slopes.

The 138 kilometres of downhill skiing runs are spread over 57 different pistes, including several challenging black runs – including the highest "Hundstein", or black route, in the Salzburg Alps. The main ski areas are Schmittenhöhe, Maiskogel and Kitzsteinhorn, where there are also three snow parks for snowboarding enthusiasts. Just like the skate parks at home, you can enjoy doing stunts – there’s even a five metre tall half pipe, and a fantastic 130 metre long full pipe!

Off-piste entertainment

Non-skiers have plenty to keep them happy in Zell am See, with swimming pools, spas and health clubs. The resort has an eclectic range of shops, bars and restaurants, while culturally there’s an attractive old town with museums, old churches and a low-key nightlife with live music events.

Skiing holidays at Zell am See are guaranteed to keep the whole family happy – especially at Christmas, when the whole town comes alive with Christmas markets and Santa sleigh rides. If you’re looking for ski holidays offering something a little special, then we at The Co-operative Travel recommend Zell am See.