The Skiers' Guide to Zell am See - Schmittenhöhe: Expert Analysis & Reviews

Zell am See is the hidden gem of the Salzburgerland in the Pinzgau, a full on Austrian town with a mountain of ski slopes and a glacier attached, for the days when the snow is so bad you don't want to get your skipants dirty with mud. The full on town has everything you would need from 5* hotels on the lake that dominates the views to cute BnB's, and shops for everything you forgot to pack. Packs of Uno cards? Contact lens fluids? woolly socks? saucepans? it's all there. Good to go before Christmas as well to enjoy the ample Weihnachtsmarkt. And if you have energy to spare at the end of the day, then the town leisure centre has a full swimming pool, spa, gym and ice rink that means you can catch an ice hockey match there on the weekend as well after a swim. Skiing is everything from wide, gentle blues to gnarly blacks which host the Trassabfahrt in March. There is an extensive snow cannon network which covers the Schmittenhohe from top to bottom, from the Berghotel to the gondola which runs right from the middle of the town. The ski buses are also extensive to other entries to the mountain as well as across the valley to Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, a complete area at altitudes which gurantees snow for all types as well as a large terrain park . Slopes open from December to Easter, and the efficient lift system will get you to the right part of the mountain when you need it. Food options on the mountain are plentiful, ranging from the full 4 course champagne lunch in the Berghotel to soup and chocolate stops dotted all over the hill, from modern cafe's to traditional Berghutte over 150 years old. All good, all reasonable value. Apres is all over the mountain, from the rowdiness of SchnapsHans at the Berghotel to a few quieter places for a calming coffee and cake, and carries on after hours in the town at Crazy Daisy's, Kellerbars in the many hotels and notorious dive that is the Pinzga'Diele for the late, late people. Ski schools are varied in the area - I recommend the school at Bruck for the personal touch and quality teaching that will give a good feel for your skis and the mountain as a whole. Only 3 hours from Munich airport by road, it is most accessible by train going via Munich and Salzburg, and everything is in easy reach of there by foot. Try it, you won't think of Austria the same again.

I was a a beginner skier and felt so comfortable. My ski instructor was so thorough. The food was the best Id experienced anywhere abroad as was the friendliness .

I had to summarize Zell Am See in one word, I'd say variety. The expansive area has every type of skiing condition you can think of. In altitude, you can ski at 750m or at 3000m. There's steep and challenging north-facing mountain sides, and gentle south facing cruising blues. Big wide and gentle, narrow, steep, challenging, it's all there.