Sunsets in the alps are a beautiful thing, but even more so when they’re enjoyed while soaking your travel-weary bones in a panoramic thermal pool with jaw-dropping views of the majestic Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, one of Austria’s most iconic Ice Age wonders.

This was my introduction to Zell am See-Kaprun’s spectacular Kitzsteinhorn ski area, and it’s cross-valley neighbor, the magnificent TAUERN SPA Zell am See-Kaprun hotel and resort, the starting point of a pre-Christmas trip through the Austrian Alps, and a great place to shed the shackles of jet lag with some therapeutic spa time before switching into full-on ski beast mode.

I pulled into Zell am See, a stunning lakeside, mountain town located in the very heart of Austria, after a five hour train journey from Germany’s Munich Airport. A short 10-minute taxi ride later, I was deposited at the TAUERN SPA Zell am See-Kaprun, which is located in Kaprun, Zell am See’s neighboring town, and home to the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. After a very quick check-in, I zipped off to “take the waters” at the resort’s renowned Skyline Pool, which is much, much, more than your run-of-the-mill hotel pool, but more on that soon.

Here then is a look at how I spent my 72 hours in Zell am See-Kaprun…

Itinerary

Austria has quite a few glaciers, but the only one you can see from a town, city, or luxurious panoramic infinity pool, is the Kitzsteinhorn, which winds its way down from the mountain’s 10,500 foot peak.

TAUERN SPA has several beautiful, very generously heated thermal pools with great views, but the most fabulous is the resort’s famed Skyline Pool, which is only open to hotel guests.

As mentioned earlier, this is no random hotel infinity swimming pool with a nice view – it’s more like a massive, luxury-yacht-sized (80 feet long), triangular hot pool with coloured mood lighting, an assortment of variable jets, volcanic bubble blasts, and a million dollar view of the Kitzsteinhorn ski area and its gorgeous Egyptian pyramid-shaped peak that radiates in glorious golden alpenglow when the sun drops behind the mountains. Oh and did I mention it’s open ‘til midnight on Saturdays for moonlight soaks?

Festive “Christkindl” or Advent holiday markets are a magical way to experience Austria in the winter, and take place all over the country from late November up to Christmas or even New Year’s. There are multiple Christkindlmarkts in bigger cities like Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck, and they are huge!

Some, like the Kirchbichl Advent Market in Kaprun, situated next to the gleaming white spire of the Church of St. Margarethen, only happen two weekends a year, and are far more intimate than markets in larger cities. I loved it because it was much less crowded, which made the experience more peaceful and contemplative, which is probably a really good thing given it’s the season of peace on earth.

I had a wonderful time sipping piping hot gluhwein under a starry sky, by a roaring outdoor wood fire, after buying some homemade pasta noodles and handpainted Christmas tree ornaments during my visit!

Self-described as a “modern rustic” restaurant, Hilberger’s Beisl is a great choice for dinner right in the center of Kaprun (a 2 minute walk from the Kirchbichl Advent Market).

The super chill vibe and cozy “woody” Austrian alpine design make for relaxed dining, and they’ve got lots of comfort food on the menu (BBQ ribs, burgers, fish & chips, Wiener schnitzel) that is delicious – I loved the ribs!

But the real draw is the restaurant’s massive selection of Austrian wine made from the country’s wonderful indigenous grape varieties. If you’re a lover of Austrian wine, Hilberger’s Beisl has enough Frühroter Veltliner, Green Veltliner, Neuburger, Rotgipfler, Rot Veltliner, Zierfandler, Blauer Wildbacher, Blaufränkisch, and St. Laurent to keep you well lubricated for a long time!

Forget booze, the best nightcap you’ll ever have is a warm moonlight swim under the stars as you gaze at the silvery silhouette of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier on the horizon as you dangle your arms off the side of the most sensuous pool in the alps! Oh the sweet velvety slumber I had after my midnight soak, pure perfection! But a reminder, this amazing pool with a view is only open ‘til midnight on Saturdays.

The best way to fuel up for a day on the slopes is with a hearty Austrian breakfast, and the buffet on offer to guests at TAUERN SPA is vast! Everything imaginable, both hot and cold are available, my personal faves were the crèpes and pancakes I paired with freshly made mushroom and cheese omelets. Insider tip: don’t miss the fresh squeeze, self-serve orange juice machine, it’s absolutely amazing!

If you’re skiing in Austria in early December, resorts with glaciers are the best way to go for guaranteed snow. One of the most scenic is the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier in Kaprun, right next door to Zell am See. Easily accessible via car or public transport (I took the 660 bus right from TAUERN SPA). This fabulous ski resort usually opens in October, and closes down in May not long after it hosts the giant slalom portion of Ski&Golf World Championship.

With 38 miles of marked pistes, five freeride lines, and four snowparks (one of which has a sick superpipe) the Kitzsteinhorn ski area is roomy and lift lines are usually very short, if they exist at all. If you’re skiing with young children, the Maiskogel area is very kid-friendly with gentle slopes and a great beginner area for skiing newbies.

My first experience on the glacier was a picture perfect day under bluebird skies, and a blazing sun. I skied with a local friend, and a very knowledgeable instructor/guide who knew where the freshest lines would be even as the day wore on. We skied virtually untracked corduroy all morning long, before stopping for a fabulous lunch, and some well deserved après ski beverages.

Traditional mountain restaurants are one of the biggest reasons why I love skiing in Austria, and usually I opt for classics like Wiener schnitzel, or Tiroler Gröstl. One of the best on-mountain restaurants in the Zell am See-Kaprun area is the Gletschermühle on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, and one of their specialities is Pinzgauer Kasnock’n im Pfandl Serviert (Pan-served Pinzgau Cheese Spaetzle Noodles) which was absolutely fabulous. Another great pick, if you’re a fan of pork, is the Gletschermühle’s scrumptious BBQ spare ribs, that are gently cooked for 16 hours! Excellent, fast service, very reasonable prices, and all kinds of beer and other beverages on tap, make payingGletschermühle a visit an absolute must if you’re skiing the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier.!

Having previously enjoyed a wonderful summertime boat cruise around Lake Zell, I was excited to hear the MS Schmittenhöhe was operating holiday season cruises starting in early December before the lake freezes over.

For the price of a ticket (27 Euros) I rode around beautiful Lake Zell drinking complimentary schnapps and hot glühwein, while munching on delicious traditional Austrian Christmas cookies – and pro tip: the Vanillekipferl crescent shaped ones are to die for! The boat ride takes about 45 minutes, and serves up incredible panoramic views of the nearby Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, the Schmittenhöhe peak that rises directly above Zell am See, and the stately Steinernes Meer mountain range. Oh and December sunsets on the lake…are amazing!

Turn left as you disembark from the MS Schmittenhöhe and after a 30 second walk you’ll find yourself engulfed by the sights, sounds, and scents of an authentic Austrian “Christkindl” Advent season holiday market. The Sternenadvent Zell am See-Kaprun market is open Thursday-Sunday from late November right up til about Christmas Eve, and then open daily from December 25 to December 31st. Much bigger than Kaprun’s Kirchbichl Advent Market, this fantastic Christkindlmarkt is full of delicious food and beverage huts, and has a really huge selection of local merchants selling holiday season wares. I scored some really cute piggy and sheep votive candle holders, homemade wooden Christmas tree ornaments, and celebrated my successful holiday shopping spree by inhaling some delicious bratwurst sausages, and homemade Kaiserschmarrn which pretty much took care of me for dinner.

Once I was done at the lakeside holiday market, I shuffled my way into Zell am See’s “Stadtplatz” main pedestrian area to admire the town’s giant Christmas tree, and continued to shop at the Zeller-Sternen Advent market. I will say the confluence of shopping stalls and outdoor bars selling alcoholic beverages did put me in a more generous gift-giving mood, so my family is going to be spoiled this Christmas!

By 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night I came to the distinct realization that I was becoming addicted to the TAUERN SPA’s amazingly gorgeous Skyline Pool, and it was a very clear night, so I spent most of it looking at the stars while lounging in the pool when I wasn’t dashing off for a schvitz in the sauna. Watching TV or scrolling through Tik Tok is definitely the wrong way to spend an evening when you’ve got a gigantic, outdoor thermal pool with a view at your disposal!

If you show up at your hotel for breakfast in ski clothing, and get on the right bus, you can easily be up at the top of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier on a powder day to poach some sick first tracks! This was the case on my second ski day in Zell am See-Kaprun, when the mountain received about 15 cm of fresh white gold overnight, and I got to claim some of it as my own.

Visibility can be less than perfect when you’re above the treeline, as is the case up on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, which is basically a giant alpine ski bowl – so make sure to bring extra goggles or lenses that will help you see better when the wind begins to blow, the snow begins to fly, and the light turns flat.

Thanks to my guide, Onno Polman, a level-four ski instructor with the best superpower in the ski world – the ability to find untracked snow even when you think everything’s been skied out already – I spent the morning slaying powder in places others clearly missed!

And for those of you looking for something a little more intense, the Kitzsteinhorn ski area is home to the world famous “Black Mamba” black piste. This super badass run has a 63% incline that will get your attention in a hurry if you’ve spent the day floating down groomers.

During my visit, Black Mamba was not fully snow covered, so it wasn’t open. I was soooooo disappointed as I would have skied it at full speed at least 25 times and done some Stan Rey-style backflips…and for those of you out there who know me please stop laughing and making insulting remarks behind my back because you know I’m a chicken who would only ever ski a run like Black Mamba if there was no other way of getting down the mountain! (Editor’s Note: the writer of this story still bought a “ Black Mamba – I skied it” T-shirt despite never having skied it…but claims he would have skied it if it was open, and is thus allowed to wear the shirt on that technicality/loophole…something we don’t condone or agree with.)

The Brundl sporting goods chain is a great place to go shopping for the latest, and coolest ski clothing and equipment when you’re in this part of Austria. The company has shops all over Zell am See-Kaprun, but the flagship store in Kaprun is THE PLACE to go, as you can shop and then have lunch at Weitblick, their rooftop lounge and bistro.

Sustainability is the philosophy behind this super cool bistro, and the food is organic, seasonal, locally sourced, and focussed on reinterpreting traditional dishes in a healthy and creative manner. After you’ve filled your tummy at Weitblick, and spent some dough at Brundl Sports, wander back into the center of Kaprun and shop there too, so many fantastic shops to discover!

Pro tip: Order Weitblick’s  “Kartoffelsuppe” which is a creamy potato and leek culinary masterpiece served up with some of the most delectable artisanal breads you’ll ever have! A perfect small lunch if you’re not in the mood for a big meal after skiing.

Besides the two gorgeous thermal pools that are for hotel guests only, TAUERN SPA has 12 other pools open to the public in their Water World section, and a ton of different saunas, treatment areas, and relaxation zones. Not trying to experience as many as you can during your stay would be foolish!

If you’re only going to go out for dinner one time while in Zell am See-Kaprun, make a reservation at Restaurant Margarethenstein by Magdalena Schwarz in the center of Kaprun.

Helmed by one of Austria’s most talented young female chefs, Magdalena Schwarz, this remarkable restaurant pays homage to nature and the culinary traditions of the region by reinventing classic local dishes, and almost every item on the menu tells a story about the area. The  fresh herbs and other seasonings Schwarz works her culinary magic with are all grown and picked from local meadows and forests. Almost all the fish and game are local too, and are caught or harvested from nearby lakes, rivers, and the surrounding mountains.

The mangoes and avocados used in Margarethenstein’s heavenly  “Jakobsmuschel” scallop dish are not local, but the inspiration definitely is, as Schwarz grew up in Kaprun dreaming of becoming a chef one day. After going to hairdressing school, Schwarz discovered she preferred life as a restauranteur, and worked her way up the food-making chain, from server, to chef’s apprentice, and finally to head chef and restaurant general manager. Now considered by many as one of Austria’s most talented, original, inspired young culinary artists, Schwarz’s menu’s change weekly, much to the delight of her patrons who are excited to see what she’s going to come up with next.   

Oh, and with regard to the wild game at Margarethenstein, there is zero doubt that it is locally sourced, as the restaurant’s one and only supplier of wild game is Schwarz’s father, who is an avid, and accomplished local hunter. I love to try wild game, so I ordered the “Gamsrücken” (Chamois back steak) which was served au jus with a delicious polenta on the side – it was absolutely  phenomenal.

Pro tip: If you order Kaiserschmarrn for dessert at Margarethenstein, plan on sharing it with someone as the portion is HUGE!

A great way to enjoy the beauty of Lake Zell is a hike around the lake where you can take in the view from higher up. I took a morning bus (Bus 660) from TAUERN SPA to the route’s last stop “Postplatz” and from there made my way to the “Dr. Müller Promenade” which was about an hour long, 120 feet up and down, easy level hike (despite a little steep pitch at the start) that wasn’t more than a mile long.

Another hike you can take is called the “Lake Promenade” which is about 7 miles long, and takes about 3 hours to complete. It has less elevation changes, and is very scenic. You can go for the entire hike, or just walk back at any given point on your walk if you don’t want to go all the way.

Pro tip: Sturdy and warm shoes with good treads or hiking boots are recommended.

I spent the last few hours of my visit to Zell am See exploring the old part of town which has a huge number of very beautiful medieval buildings – which look even more magical when decorated for the holiday season. The massive Christmas tree in the main square is a real beauty, and should not be missed!

My favorite little shop was Feinkost Schmiderer, which specializes in cured meats, wine, spirits, baked goods, fine chocolate, gourmet salt, and an exceptional assortment of olive oils and vinegars. I can’t imagine ever being Zell am See-Kaprun again without paying this exquisite little shop a visit.