Zell am See: A Gentle Guide to Austria's Lake and Peaks

Zell am See sits on the western shore of the Zeller See in the Pinzgau valley, in the state of Salzburg. The lake is small and calm, about 4 km long and 1.5 km wide. Mountains rise behind it on every side, and the water reflects them on still mornings.

What makes the town good for slower travellers is how close everything is. The old centre, the lake promenade and the railway station are all within a short stroll of each other. Cable cars lift you to big views without a hard climb, and the walks beside the water are mostly flat.

This guide covers the best viewpoints, the gentlest paths and the easiest ways to enjoy the scenery by boat, cable car, train or car. It also says plainly where the effort starts.

A little history

The story starts early. Sources date the donation of the site, then called Bisonzio, to the Church of Salzburg to 743, and a monastic settlement (a cella, which gave the town its name) was founded around then. The parish church of St. Hippolytus grew from that beginning. A crypt survives from a 10th-century church, and the present building is largely Romanesque, with a Gothic west tower about 36 m high that is still the town's landmark.

The modern era began in 1927–28. The Schmittenhöhe cable car, the first in the state of Salzburg, opened in 1928. In the same ceremony, on 24 January 1928, Zell am See was raised from market town to town. Tourism has shaped it ever since.

St. Hippolytus' Church in Zell am See, the town's oldest landmark.

What to see

The Schmittenhöhe by cable car

The Schmittenhöhebahn rises from the edge of the old town to the summit station at about 1,955 m. The gondolas were renewed in 2022. From the top you can see the Zeller See far below, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and, on clear days, the Grossglockner and the Wilder Kaiser range. The ride is smooth and the terraces are easy to reach. Choose a clear morning, because clouds can hide the high peaks by afternoon.

The lake and its boats

Combustion-engine boats are generally not allowed on the Zeller See, apart from the ferries that cross to Thumersbach. That keeps the water quiet. You can take a ferry across, or hire an electric boat and drift. Seen from the water, the old town and the church tower make a good picture.

St. Hippolytus' Church

Step inside the church for a few quiet minutes. It is in the centre, on level ground, and you can see it in about half an hour.

The Schmittenhöhebahn in Zell am See, the cable car to the town's own mountain.

Easy and gentle walks

The lake promenade

A path runs all the way round the lake, about 11 km. The western side hugs the shore and is almost flat. The eastern side mostly follows a pavement beside the lakeside road, which is less pretty. You do not have to do the whole circuit. A stroll south from the centre along the water, then back, gives plenty of views.

Thumersbach high promenade

On the eastern side, a forest path with information boards and a viewing platform with loungers climbs briefly above the road. It is a short climb rather than a steep one, and it has the best view back to the town. Take your time and use the benches.

Countryside lanes

Quiet roads around the lake, such as the Thomas-Bernhard-Weg near Zell am See, are good for relaxed walks with mountain views. Check the surface and the gradient with the tourist office first.

Thomas-Bernhardweg, a road near Zell am See, with the landscape around it.

A day trip nearby

Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn. Kaprun is close by. Its Kitzsteinhorn glacier rises to 3,203 m. The Kaprun reservoirs, Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden, are another draw, and you can walk across a dam wall at more than 2,000 m. Go on a clear day and wrap up warmly, because it is much colder up there.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road. This is often called one of the most scenic mountain roads in the world. It starts at Ferleiten, reached through the Fuschertal valley. It is closed in winter and charges its own toll, so check dates and conditions before you go. Start in the morning, because it closes at night.

Krimml Waterfalls. At about 380 m, these are Austria's highest falls. A path of roughly 4 km with viewpoints climbs alongside them. The climb is long, so go as far as feels comfortable and turn back.

Honest advice for comfortable travel

• Stay central. A hotel near the lake or the old town keeps the promenade, the station and the cable car within a short walk. The town centre is compact and largely flat.
• Use lifts for height. Let the cable cars do the climbing. Mountain paths at the top can be steep and stony, so walking poles and sturdy shoes help.
• Mind the altitude and the cold. It can be 10 degrees or more cooler at the summit stations than in town. Bring layers and sun protection.
• Check the weather. Views are the point, so pick a clear day, and note that lifts can pause in wind or storms.
• Choose the lake's west shore. It is flatter and prettier than the road side.
• Plan drives early. Mountain roads are slow and a day of driving is tiring, so share it if you can.
• Book ahead in peak weeks. Midsummer and the ski season are busy.

What to eat

Pinzgau cooking is hearty and mountain-style. Look for Pinzgauer Käsnocken, cheese dumplings made with local beer cheese and served hot in an iron pan. Kasnudeln, filled pasta pockets, are a valley speciality that is rarely found elsewhere. Lake and river trout is often served pan-fried and whole. Try Kaiserschmarrn, a caramelised shredded pancake with raisins, dusted with sugar and served with fruit compote. Mountain huts at the top of the lifts are good places to try them with a view.

Getting there

The railway station is a short distance from the lake. A narrow-gauge local railway, the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, also leaves from Zell am See station and runs up the valley.

A Pinzgauer Lokalbahn train leaving Zell am See station.

Our verdict

Zell am See is an easy place to love. The lake gives you flat, scenic walks, and the cable car gives you the high Alps without a hard climb. If you want mountain views without much effort, it is a very good choice. Come in the clearer months, stay near the water, and let the cable cars and ferries do the work.

Zell am See in the evening light.

“Here the mountains come to the water's edge and ask nothing of you but to sit and look.”

Photo credits

• Zell am see zeller see: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons
• St. Hippolyte's Church in Zell am See 5: Chmee2, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• 2017-07-21 222 Schmittenhöhebahn in Zell am See, Austria: GT1976, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Thomas-Bernhardweg near Zell am See 5: Chmee2, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Pinzgauer Lokalbahn Zug fährt von Zell am See Bahnhof: Austin Ring, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
• Zell am See Abendsonne 02: Fl.schmitt, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons