In summer, Zell am See – Kaprun is ideal for those who want to combine a clear Alpine lake, easy swimming, hiking, cable cars, and trips without a car. In this article, we have prepared tips for great trips directly from Zell am See and the nicest accommodation. We consider Lake Zeller See, three lidos, the lakeside promenade, Schmittenhöhe, and the evening Magic Lake Show to be the main attractions that make a visit worthwhile.
Zell am See – Kaprun
Families with children will surely be thrilled by the combination of swimming, cable cars, and boat trips. For more active tourists, great trip tips include Schmittenhöhe, Mitterberg, Thumersbach, the loop around the lake, and of course Kaprun with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, the Sigmund Thun Klamm gorge, and Lake Klammsee. We must not forget the Tauern Spa wellness center, which is a great tip (not only) for rainy days.
We recommend choosing accommodation ideally with a Summer Card partner, checking the validity rules in high season, downloading the Zell am See-Kaprun app, and counting on the Guest Mobility Ticket for public transport. When traveling with a dog, keep in mind that there is no special dog beach here; dogs are not allowed in official lidos but can swim outside them while following the rules. We officially list the second option where dogs can swim, which is Klammsee.
Accommodation in Zell am See – Kaprun
Find accommodation in Zell am See – Kaprun using the map:
We recommend choosing accommodation in Zell am See – Kaprun ideally from Summer Card partners:
1. Apartments Haus Altenberger by we rent
- Apartments with a balcony and views of Zeller See
- Kitchenette, parking, and SummerCard included in the price
2. Hotel Pension Hubertus 3*
- Highly rated pension just a 3-minute walk from the center and the lake
- Quiet location and close to CityXpress, SummerCard included in the stay
- We recommend the excellent breakfast
3. Hotel St. Georg 4*
- Traditional Austrian hotel at a great price, close to the cable car and a few minutes from the center
- SummerCard for all guests included in the stay
- Pleasant wellness center and indoor pool
- Excellent breakfast
Hotel St. Georg
Summer vacation in Zell am See – Kaprun
Zell am See is ideal mainly for those of you who don’t want to just lie by the water. However, we recommend accommodation near the lake, where you will have everything important at hand. The short distance between swimming, the promenade, cable cars, boat trips, mountain hikes, and trips to Kaprun is, for us, the biggest attraction for heading here for a summer vacation this year.
Lake Zeller See is a clear Alpine lake with high-quality water, reaching temperatures of around 23 °C in summer. Additionally, there are three main lidos around the lake. You can look forward to a nice Alpine lake vacation without the need to get into the car every day. You can head out on many trips directly from the town, so you won’t be bored even during a week-long vacation. Personally, we recommend planning at least 3 to 7 days here.
Zell am See – Kaprun Summer Card
The Zell am See – Kaprun Summer Card cannot be purchased separately. You get it if you stay at participating partner accommodations, starting from the first night of your stay. It is valid from May 15 to October 31 during your stay, and you will receive it physically or digitally in the Zell am See – Kaprun app.
Main included benefits include Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See, Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun without the 3K K-onnection, lidos at Zeller See, Kaprun high mountain reservoirs, boat trips on Lake Zell, Maiskogel, Sigmund Thun Klamm, the indoor pool in Zell am See, and selected museums.
Watch out for high season: from July 15 to September 15, the Summer Card is valid on the day of arrival only from 3:00 PM. Four attractions can only be used from the second day of the stay during this period: the ascent to the Schmittenhöhe summit via Schmittenhöhebahn/trassXpress, selected sections on Kitzsteinhorn, the MS Schmittenhöhe lake cruise, and the Kaprun high mountain reservoirs.
Note: The Summer Card is not the same as the Guest Mobility Ticket. Guests in the region receive a separate Guest Mobility Ticket for public transport throughout SalzburgerLand. This is valid for trains, buses, and local railways, but not for cable cars or excursion destinations!
What to do in Zell am See in summer?
6 tips for the best trips directly in Zell am See
1. Schmittenhöhe – Zell am See’s home mountain
For us, this trip is the most important one you can take directly from the town. Schmittenhöhe offers views of up to thirty 3,000-meter peaks, marked hiking trails, panoramic walks, and Schmidolin’s World for children. The Schmittenhöhebahn cable car runs to nearly 2,000 m above sea level in summer, and the cityXpress is also practical, leading directly from Zell am See and allowing for a walk around the Plettsaukopf reservoir in summer.
2. Loop around Zeller See / lakeside promenade
Since we love Austrian lakes, we must not miss a walk or bike trip around Zeller See. The official route follows the lakeside promenade, and Zeller See can be circled on well-maintained paths without significant elevation gain. The western part runs directly along the shore, the southern part through a nature reserve, and the eastern part along the road by the lake. You’ll be delighted by beautiful views for most of the way, but keep in mind that not the entire loop is a romantic promenade away from traffic. With small children, choose only the sections away from the roads.
3. Lidos by the lake: Zell am See, Thumersbach, Schüttdorf/Seespitz
You will find three main lidos at Zeller See. For us, Strandbad Zell am See is the most action-packed. There is a pool with a slide, a diving tower, a children’s pool, a floating platform, water skiing offers, and a beach club. Thumersbach is on the other side of the lake and is suitable for afternoon and evening swimming due to the sun. It has lake access, offers a heated pool, a children’s pool, a trampoline, etc.
Schüttdorf/Seespitz on the southern shore, on the other hand, is suitable for pier jumps, SUP, windsurfing, and a quieter stay on the grass with a view.
4. Boat trip on Zeller See
Boats are a great trip even for less active tourists, seniors, or families. Head out on panoramic cruises, but scheduled ferry services and the option to cross to the other side of the lake are also available, which can shorten your walk around the lake. A classic panoramic cruise lasts approximately 45 minutes and starts in season from 10:00 AM at hourly intervals.
5. Thumersbach, Mitterberg, and Enzianhütte
A trip to Thumersbach is a good tip if you want to explore the other side of the lake with a view back at the town of Zell am See. You can also head out on the Mitterberg Tour with a panoramic view from the lake to the Mitterberghof mountain inn, and we definitely wouldn’t miss the shorter loop via Enzianhütte with a view of Zeller See. We will describe these trips in more detail in one of our future articles.
6. Evening Zell am See: Elisabethpark and Magic Lake Show
One of the main attractions at Zeller See is certainly the Magic Lake Show. In 2026, it takes place from May 14 to October 15 in Elisabethpark by the Esplanade. During the day, there are water shows every hour from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and evening shows take place in season on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, at 9:30 PM in summer and at 9:00 PM in September/October. Admission is free.
Where can dogs swim at Zeller See?
There is no special dog beach in the Zell am See area. However, dogs can cool off in the water as long as they don’t violate local leash or muzzle rules. The exception is official swimming spots and lidos, where dogs are not allowed in the water at all.
Another option for dogs to swim is Lake Klammsee in Kaprun, where dog swimming is allowed while following local leash/muzzle rules.
Two dog zones are officially listed for off-leash movement:
- Near Badeplatz Erlberg in Zell am See and at the southern end of Klammsee in Kaprun.
- Badeplatz Erlberg itself is “No dogs allowed”, but the Erlberg dog run is nearby. So be careful not to confuse the dog zone at Erlberg with the dog being allowed into the official lido itself.
Summer trip to Kitzsteinhorn – Kaprun
The Kaprun – Kitzsteinhorn glacier is one of the most beautiful trips in the Zell am See – Kaprun region in summer. It offers an easily accessible high mountain world at 3,000 meters, views of the Hohe Tauern, snow even in the summer months, the educational National Park Gallery, Cinema 3000, the ICE ARENA, ranger tours, and hiking opportunities.
Kitzsteinhorn in summer / (c) Kitzsteinhorn
Our recommendation:
- We recommend heading out on the trip early in the morning, monitoring current cable car operations and weather, and taking warm clothing and sturdy shoes.
- Don’t count on full-day summer skiing in the high season – rather, head here just for an experiential trip.
Admission to Kitzsteinhorn:
For the spring – autumn 2026 season, the official TOP OF SALZBURG price list is:
- return ticket to 3,029 m for €61 for an adult, €45.50 for youth, and €30.50 for a child
- The ticket includes the return cable car, two panoramic platforms, the National Park Gallery, Cinema 3000, and the ICE ARENA in July and August.
- Prices are subject to change, so take them as currently verified data for June 2026
Tauern Spa Kaprun wellness center
TAUERN SPA Kaprun is a modern Alpine wellness center directly below Kitzsteinhorn, which is perfect as a relaxation day during a summer vacation in the Zell am See – Kaprun area. It offers a large water and sauna world, outdoor pools with mountain views, a children’s zone, and quieter relaxation areas for adults. In summer, it is ideal after a hike, a trip to the glacier, or as a program during bad weather.
You can visit TAUERN SPA Kaprun even without staying there, as the complex offers day passes for the public. You can choose entry only to the water world, or an extended version with the sauna world, which is accessible from age 15 and operates as a swimsuit-free zone. Daily, three-hour, and evening entries are usually available, so a visit can be planned as a short relaxation or a full wellness day.
Tauern Spa Kaprun wellness center
Summer stay directly at the TAUERN SPA hotel
If you stay directly at the Tauern Spa Kaprun hotel, the main difference is access to exclusive hotel wellness zones. The hotel part has rooms and suites with balconies and views of the Hohe Tauern National Park, the Pinzgauer Grasberge, or Kitzsteinhorn.
Hotel guests also have access to the Hotel Panorama SPA, which is an adults-only zone from age 15 with an area of 2,500 m², a glass Skyline Pool, panoramic saunas, terraces, relaxation spaces, and mountain views. It is open daily from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and on Fridays, there is Moonlight Swimming in the Skyline Pool until midnight.
>> CHECK AVAILABILITY AND PRICE FOR A STAY AT THE TAUERN SPA HOTEL
Tauern Spa Kaprun wellness center / (c) Tauern Spa Kaprun
Other trip tips for the surroundings of Zell am See – Kaprun
If you have planned a longer stay in the Zell am See – Kaprun area, it is worth adding a breathtaking trip to the Grossglockner High Alpine Road to your itinerary:
Among the classic trips you can take in the Salzburg region, we include the Krimml Waterfalls. This is a great full-day trip that even children will appreciate. They are further away than Kaprun, but in terms of excitement, they are among the most rewarding summer trips from Zell am See:
If you would like to add a cultural program to your itinerary, or are looking for a tip for where to go in bad weather, we recommend looking at Salzburg, which is about 80 kilometers from Zell am See – Kaprun and is thus ideal as a full-day trip, or as a stop on the way back from vacation:
You might also be interested in:
- Lake Attersee: 10 tips for the most beautiful places at Attersee
- 5 tips for the most beautiful mountain lakes in Upper Austria
