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Zell am See, like many settlements in Austria, was originally a way station built by monks on a trade route between north and south. The inhabitants of the area around the Zeller lake took part in the trade themselves - transporting salt and wine in alternate directions.

The construction of the Giselabahn railway in the 19th century provided an impulse for the development of the town as a tourist destination and the first lift was built to the Schmittenhöhe in the early 20th century. Since then, further expansion of the facilities in the mountains around Zell am See have boosted the number of visitors to the area to over 2 million overnight stays per year.

The town is larger than most ski resorts and best comparable to ski towns such as Kitzbühel and Chamonix. The road tunnel under the town has alleviated some traffic problems (as the town is an important transport junction) and the pedestrian centre provides some respite from vehicles.

The skiing can be accessed from the centre of the town, from the suburb of Schüttdorf (a generally cheaper option for those on a budget) and from the base of the Schmittenhöhe itself where there is also a cluster of pensions and hotels a couple of kilometres outside the town centre.

zell am see snow report

Zell am See's skiing can be accessed from a number of lifts, but the most convenient point for many people is likely to be the City Express gondola, which, as its name suggests, leaves from the centre of the town.

The lift takes skiers to an open area with an easy draglift for beginners and a mountain restaurant. The Hirschkogel chair can be taken further up the hill to link in with the Schüttdorf side or to head on up to the top of the hill. The City Express also offers access to the Schmittenhöhe cable car via a slow and flat blue run or a speedier but harder black run.

The Schüttdorf side has lengthy intermediate runs down to the village and the higher slopes can be accessed again by the different stages of the Areit gondola.

For those unfamiliar with the area, the summit of the Schmittenhöhe can seem like an unattainable goal from this side. The answer to finding the way to the top is to take the traverse to the lifts at the back of the peak, or alternatively to head down to the bottom of the cable car, since none of the lifts on the left-hand side rise high enough to reach the summit.

If heading down to the base of the Schmittenhöhebahn, care should be taken as the easiest access is via various black runs. They are often well-groomed but can be extremely icy in bad conditions.

The top of the cable car boasts an outside bar and restaurant. along with a nearby chapel, which is regularly used as a romantic setting for wedding vows.

The Sonnkogel side offers a variety of intermediate runs and can be a little less crowded than the main slopes across the valley. The run to the base of the Schmittenhöhe is another black and the centre of the town can be reached again along a lengthy blue path.

zell am see hotels

Hotel Berner ****
Nikolas-Gassner-Promenade 1
A-5700 Zell am See
Tel: 06542 779
www.bernerhotel.com

Hotel Badhaus ****
Loferer Bundesstrasse 77
A-5700 Zell am See
Tel: 06542 72862
www.hotel-badhaus.at