Zell am See, Austria

Lake Zell

One of my favorite winter destinations in Europe is Austria, and specifically the little town of Zell am See. It’s a hot-spot for skiing and snowboarding, but for someone like me, a non-athelete, it’s simply the most scenic and romantic spot in the world for its natural beauty. Another plus is that it’s located only about an hour and a half from lovely Salzburg, and very easy to reach by train.

A walk along Lake Zell will make all your problems disappear for the time being, with its magnificent mountains and charming walking paths. Watching the sunset or sunrise is a must while visiting.

A stay at the Grand Hotel is unforgettable!

Zell am See is one of those spots that still seem relatively untouched, despite the winter tourism each year. People usually come to ski at Schmittenhöhe Mountain and take in the views from Gipfelwelt 3000. The latter you can even participate in without skiing, if you are not scared of taking a few cable cars to reach it.

If you’re traveling by car, then I would highly recommend getting a day-pass to drive along Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Grossglockner-Hochalpenstraße), which is a beautiful scenic drive, unlike any other around these parts of Europe.

The town itself has plenty of great, traditional restaurants, such as Restaurant Kupferkessel or Steinerwirt for your fair share of Wiener Schnitzel and Spätzle (a German pasta, best ordered with cheese as Käsespaetzle).

The classic Germknoedel with vanilla sauce and poppyseeds

For your sweet tooth, pick almost any cafe in town, and have some Germknödel (big sweet dumplings, mostly with a cherry or plum filling). My personal favorite for this indulgence was Cafe Mosshammer.

Winters are magical, and even if you otherwise prefer a sunny and warm climate, you might surprise yourself by utterly falling in love with Zell am See!