Top 7 Things To Do In Zell am See, Austria

things to do in zell am see
Rienz Althron
Rienz Althron 
Updated
| 3 min read

Austria is one of the most famous destinations in Europe. It is known to have castles, palaces, and many architectural works that will blow any traveler’s mind. One particular destination in Austria that you shouldn’t miss is the Zell am See region, a town that is located in the west-central part of Austria, near the Zeller See Lake. The town was founded by monks back in the eighth century and is home to many skiing spots and several hiking trails. The Zell Am See Lightshow is an event that you shouldn’t miss when you’re here! Whether it’s summer or winter, you’ll find many things to do in Zell am See, Austria! Read on to learn more.

1. Explore Zell am See's hiking spots

Schmittenhöhe - Zell am See
Source: Photo by Flickr user Cristian Bortes w... used under CC BY 2.0

Zell am See is rich in nature, verdant forests, and majestic mountains. Because of these natural features, it’s no wonder that there are also many hiking spots to explore in this part of Austria. There are over 130 hiking trails in this town and some of the most popular trails are the Schmittenhöhe - Hochsonnbergalm - Pinzgauer Hütte, Pinzgauer Spaziergang, and the Areitweg. These trails are but three and there are still over 127 other trails for you to explore!

Zell am See - Schmittenhöhe

Address: Schmittenstraße 119, 5700 Zell am See, Austria

Website: Zell am See - Schmittenhöhe

Opening hours: 8.30am - 4.30pm (daily)

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2. Enjoy snow sports, like skiing and snowboarding

Zell am See - panoramio (12)
Source: Photo by user Ainars Brūvelis used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Zell am See is a popular spot for people who love playing in the snow. Whether it be skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, or sledging, this town will surely satisfy the snow enthusiast in you. There are several ski resorts in this town and, whether you’re with your family, friends, or if you’re a solo skier, you’re welcome to challenge their ski routes. Some of the most popular ski resorts in Zell am See are Hochmais and Ebenbergbahn.

Hochmais

Address: 5751 Zell am See, Austria

Website: Hochmais

Opening hours: 7am - 5pm (daily)

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3. Get wet with some water sports at Lake Zell

Lake Zell
Source: Pxfuel

Lake Zell is a freshwater lake located in the Austrian Alps and was named after the city of Zell am See. It is 4 kilometers long (about 2.5 miles) and 1.5 kilometers wide (about a mile). It is one of the city’s main tourist attractions because of its beauty and the many water activities that can be done here, such as boating, sailing, surfing, water skiing, and wakeboarding. You can even play sports here, such as beach volleyball or mini-golf, on the lake’s shore! Who says that Zell am See is all about skiing and hiking?

Lake Zell

Address: 5700 Zell am See, Austria

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4. Casino Zell Am See


When you get tired of water sports, snow sports, and hiking, there’s a place in front of Lake Zell where you can enjoy one of the most thrilling activities man has ever invented: gambling. The name of this site is Casino Zell Am See! Play poker, blackjack, slots, and roulette with your friends and, if you’re lucky, you may bag some extra pocket money! The casino doesn’t only offer games, they also have several in-house restaurants that serve sumptuous food and fine alcoholic beverages.

Casino Zell Am See

Address: Esplanade 4-6, 5700 Zell am See, Austria

Website: Casino Zell Am See

Opening hours: 2pm - 2am (daily)

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5. Explore the mountains by bike

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


Because Zell am See has a lot of mountainous terrain, there are many chances for its visitors, especially tourists with a natural affinity for the mountains, to do some mountain biking! The Kaprun to Kitzsteinhorn route is a great trail to conquer on a mountain bike, as it has an uphill part which gives veteran cyclists a bit of a challenge.

The beauty of cycling on a mountain, besides being an excellent way to exercise, is that you’ll be entertained by the beautiful views that surround you and completing the trail will give you a great sense of accomplishment! And, because there are many trails in Zell am See, once you’ve conquered one, there several other trails to target next!

Kitzsteinhorn

Address: 5723, Austria

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6. Make your jogging routine even more fun with some trail running

Trail Running
Source: Pxfuel

If you’re not into riding bikes and you’re more into trail running instead, there are many running trails for you to explore in Zell am See. Nothing beats being exposed to nature, so make your early morning jogging routine even healthier by running one of the 130+ trails. Some of the most famous running routes in the city are the Porscheallee Run, Schüttbach Challenge, and around Kaprun. The shores of Lake Zell itself are a perfect route to run on!

Schüttbach

Address: 5700 Zell am See, Austria

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7. Join or watch an Ironman 70.3 Triathlon

Triathlon
Source: Pixabay

The Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, also called the Half Ironman, is a long-distance triathlon. It tests each participant’s endurance and mental fortitude. The 70.3 is referring to the total distance of the trail in miles (113 km), which is typically divided into three parts: a 1.2-mile (1.9-kilometer) swim, a 56-mile (90.1-kilometer) cycling course, and a 13.1-mile (21-kilometer) run.

This famous athletic competition is held in Salzburgerland. If you’d like to take on this challenge and get the title of Ironman, then definitely register for the event. Or, you can just watch the participants and cheer with the crowd! Either way, it’s going to be a lot of fun!

Ironman 70.3 Triathlon

Address: Salzburgerland, Austria

Website: Ironman 70.3 Triathlon

Price: starts at 295 USD

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Enjoy as much of Zell am See as you can!

Zell am See

Whether you want to jog, hike, swim, play sports, or just enjoy nature, Zell am See can cater to your needs. And, if these activities aren’t enough, there are still a lot of things to do in Zell am See for you to discover!

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Rienz is a former office-based employee who entered the world of travel writing. His ultimate dream is to be able to travel the world and experience as much of it as he can. By pursuing his dreams,...Read more

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