Things To Do in Zell am See

Unlike most resorts in Land Salzburg, Zell am See has some old buildings worth exploring. These include the Kastnerturm, or Constable's Tower, the oldest building in town, dating from the 12th century. It was once used as a grain silo. The town's Pfarrkirche (Parish Church) is an 11th-century Romanesque structure. Inside is a late-Gothic choir from the 16th century. Castle Rosenberg, also from the 16th century, was once an elegant residence of the free state of Salzburg, built in the southern Bavarian style. Today it houses the Rathaus (town hall) with a gallery.

The folklore museum is in the old tower, the Vogtturm, near the town square. The tower is about 1,200 years old. In the museum, old costumes are displayed, and exhibited artifacts show the traditional way of life in old Land Salzburg. From May to October, the museum is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 1:30 to 5:30pm. Admission is 2.80€ ($4.50) for adults and 1.50€ ($2.40) children ages 6 to 15; family ticket 4.50€ ($7.20).

Going Up The Schmittenhöhe

Schmittenhöhe, at 1,967m (6,453 ft.), towers to the west of Zell am See. There are four different ways to ascend the mountain, with even more options for getting down. In summer, the hardy have been known to climb it in 4 hours. We suggest, however, that you take the cableway. The view from here is one of the finest in the Kitzbühel Alps, the majestic glacial peaks of the Grossglockner range. You can have lunch at the Berghotel at the upper station. From the west side of Zell am See, you can also take a four-seat cableway to the middle station. From here you can connect with several lifts that will take you to the upper platform. A sun terrace at the upper station is popular in both summer and winter. Don't be surprised to see bare breasts, even in February. It's about 1.5km (1 mile) up Schmittenhöhe. Figure on at least 1 3/4 hours for your round-trip, plus another 18 minutes by cable car. In summer, service is every half-hour.

You can also take the Sonnalm cableway (entrance near the Schmittenhöhe terminus) to Sonnalm at 1,385m (4,544 ft.). Another restaurant is perched here. From Sonnalm, it's possible to go by chairlift to Sonnkogel (1,836m/6,024 ft.) and by surface lift to Hochmais (1,728m/5,669 ft.). From the eastern part of Lake Zell, you can take the chairlift up to Ronachkopf (1,487m/4,879 ft.).

From Zell am See, you can also take a funicular to Kaprun), at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn, for glacier and year-round skiing. In fact, some of the most spectacular excursions possible from Kaprun can be made easily from Zell am See (refer to the Kaprun section for more details).