When attempting to describe Zell Am See, words will never come close to seeing it. I could start by describing the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding Austrian Alps. Or with the walking trails along the water. Or the food, specifically the pizza. Or the accessible public transportation that proves perfect for any day trip in or outside of town.
Perhaps one thing at a time will make all the reasons you should visit less overwhelming, but that is not at all my intention. My intention is to have you completely overwhelmed with the desire to experience a treasure hidden away in the mountains of Austria, that you may not have otherwise known even existed.
How we ended up in Zell Am See was a happy accident and it is one place I will always be, in one way or another.
Mark and I took the train from Munich, Germany to Zell Am See, Austria. About 4 hours of our lives were spent coasting through the countryside, getting to see mountains, unique and beautifully built homes and villages in the hills, and luscious green clearings in the valleys. The homes you will see are large and look like something you might only see on the backs of promotional travel magazines, taken with an expensive camera. Not even those expensive cameras could do it justice though.
When we got off the train, we were starving. Before catching the bus to Kaprun (a quaint village right outside of downtown Zell Am See), we stopped in at a Turkish restaurant called "Flame" right across the street of this seemingly whimsical little town. Mark and I had lattes and Marguerita Pizza. After experiencing pizza in Austria, I don't know how to go about enjoying food again quite the same way, in the best way possible. The crust is perfectly soft and crunchy. The herbs that are blended with the variety of cheeses are absolutely divine. I believe the pizza was 11 Euros. That converts to about $16.36 CAD, or $12.77 USD depending on the exchange rate. Austria is tantamount to Canada in terms of cost of living. It is more expensive than Germany, but it is not outrageous.
When getting public transportation to your destination, the driver needs to know what area you are going to so they can charge you the appropriate fare. As the busses go a lot further, they charge you based on your destination zone. From Zell Am See Bahnhauf (Vorplatz) to Kaprun, it was about 2.10 per person in Euros. The journey was about 12 minutes to where we got off the bus. We stayed at a small hotel called "Haus Am See". It had a small kitchen so we cooked our own meals with food bought at the local market, and lots of closet space. We booked the space for $175 CAD for the span of 3 nights. You can find the property at a great deal on Booking.com.
All of Austria was quite spectacular. If English is your first language, then you're in luck because most of Europe speaks English as a second language. However, I encourage you to learn some basic phrases in German, such as "Please", "Thank you", "Do you speak English?", etc. Oh by the way, German is the mother language in Austria, in case you didn't pick up on that just now.
Another hotel option that I would describe as lavish and notably upscale is the Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel is right in the heart of downtown Zell Am See. For such a "Grand Hotel" (Pun intended), it is very well priced and inexpensive for the type of overnight establishment it is. It is priced at an average of 300$ per night for dates in September and October, which is when we went. Nonetheless, many of you will probably like to go during the summer. During the months of July and August, you can expect the average room rate at the Grand Hotel to be around $300-500 CAD per night. Throughout the summer, prices are a tad more expensive. I am biased as we were there in the fall, and the beauty of the changing seasons in the mountains is enough to sway anyone to visit in the fall. Please keep in mind, that the Grand Hotel looks like a palace made for royalty. And breakfast is included!
The two of us walked the trail alongside Lake Zell, which is pictured above the article. From there (aside from pretty much anywhere in Zell Am See), you get a superb view of the snow-capped Alps. From where we were staying, it was a 40 minute walk along that trail to get to the main bus and train station. It is completely worth the walk, rather than grabbing the bus back to the station. You will see so many ducks and swan in the area. They are approachable (within reason), but please do not feed them as it leads to illness in the animals.
Speaking of walking beautiful trails, we actually embarked on a day trip about an hour and a half away from town, to go hiking. You heard me correctly...hiking in the Austrian Alps. There are many many trails to hike and explore the mountains. Rivers and bridges, glacier water, tiny villages way up high in the hills, and man-made wooden walkways to hike the side of the mountain. As for things to be wary of when hiking in this area if it's unfamiliar, there's not really any red-flag dangers under 2000 feet. Bears, I read, are extinct in most of Europe. However, I do recommend doing a little research on the exact area you will be hiking. If you decide to hop on a bus to take a day trip outside of town, the views become even more spectacular. The caps of snow become clearer. The gushing green glacier rivers are even more breathtaking.
Zell Am See was such a wonderful addition to our trip. Venturing off to foreign lands can be stressful, exhilarating, tiring, and loads of fun. However, it is important to take a day or two and simply relax and soak it all in. Zell Am See, Austria was exactly what we needed to accomplish that. We took the time we needed in this stunning place to breathe, think, collect our thoughts (and plenty of photos while we were at it), and rest. Take in the views and the warmth of the people here. And while you're taking hundreds of photos, enjoying the pizza, and planning tomorrow's hike into the glacial wilderness, don't forget to breathe and enjoy.
AnneMarie - Global Travel Writer
When getting public transportation to your destination, the driver needs to know what area you are going to so they can charge you the appropriate fare. As the busses go a lot further, they charge you based on your destination zone. From Zell Am See Bahnhauf (Vorplatz) to Kaprun, it was about 2.10 per person in Euros. The journey was about 12 minutes to where we got off the bus. We stayed at a small hotel called "Haus Am See". It had a small kitchen so we cooked our own meals with food bought at the local market, and lots of closet space. We booked the space for $175 CAD for the span of 3 nights. You can find the property at a great deal on Booking.com.
All of Austria was quite spectacular. If English is your first language, then you're in luck because most of Europe speaks English as a second language. However, I encourage you to learn some basic phrases in German, such as "Please", "Thank you", "Do you speak English?", etc. Oh by the way, German is the mother language in Austria, in case you didn't pick up on that just now.
Another hotel option that I would describe as lavish and notably upscale is the Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel is right in the heart of downtown Zell Am See. For such a "Grand Hotel" (Pun intended), it is very well priced and inexpensive for the type of overnight establishment it is. It is priced at an average of 300$ per night for dates in September and October, which is when we went. Nonetheless, many of you will probably like to go during the summer. During the months of July and August, you can expect the average room rate at the Grand Hotel to be around $300-500 CAD per night. Throughout the summer, prices are a tad more expensive. I am biased as we were there in the fall, and the beauty of the changing seasons in the mountains is enough to sway anyone to visit in the fall. Please keep in mind, that the Grand Hotel looks like a palace made for royalty. And breakfast is included!
The two of us walked the trail alongside Lake Zell, which is pictured above the article. From there (aside from pretty much anywhere in Zell Am See), you get a superb view of the snow-capped Alps. From where we were staying, it was a 40 minute walk along that trail to get to the main bus and train station. It is completely worth the walk, rather than grabbing the bus back to the station. You will see so many ducks and swan in the area. They are approachable (within reason), but please do not feed them as it leads to illness in the animals.
Speaking of walking beautiful trails, we actually embarked on a day trip about an hour and a half away from town, to go hiking. You heard me correctly...hiking in the Austrian Alps. There are many many trails to hike and explore the mountains. Rivers and bridges, glacier water, tiny villages way up high in the hills, and man-made wooden walkways to hike the side of the mountain. As for things to be wary of when hiking in this area if it's unfamiliar, there's not really any red-flag dangers under 2000 feet. Bears, I read, are extinct in most of Europe. However, I do recommend doing a little research on the exact area you will be hiking. If you decide to hop on a bus to take a day trip outside of town, the views become even more spectacular. The caps of snow become clearer. The gushing green glacier rivers are even more breathtaking.
Zell Am See was such a wonderful addition to our trip. Venturing off to foreign lands can be stressful, exhilarating, tiring, and loads of fun. However, it is important to take a day or two and simply relax and soak it all in. Zell Am See, Austria was exactly what we needed to accomplish that. We took the time we needed in this stunning place to breathe, think, collect our thoughts (and plenty of photos while we were at it), and rest. Take in the views and the warmth of the people here. And while you're taking hundreds of photos, enjoying the pizza, and planning tomorrow's hike into the glacial wilderness, don't forget to breathe and enjoy.
AnneMarie - Global Travel Writer
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