Kaprun is the best-known partner of Zell am See in the Europa Sport Ski Region. But Zell has had a reputation for being a large, traditional ski centre from the early days of winter sports tourism, and thus with a somewhat aged lift system. Kaprun, however, has the image of a hi-tec, high altitude, glacier resort, with year round skiing above 3000m, accessed by a state of the art gondola and six seater chairs. In fact neither reputation is quite correct! Zell am See`s ski area has invested heavily in new lifts and snow making whilst Kaprun has managed to retain its pleasant Tyrolean village atmosphere and is actually at only a slightly higher elevation than Zell am See, 5km (3 miles) away. It has its own small ski area on the Maiskogel, but to reach the high altitude skiing of the Kitzsteinhorn you first need to drive or take a bus (15 minutes) to the base of the funicular or gondola. They will lift you high up to the ski area and its networks of 18 gondolas, chairs, funiculars and drags.
Kaprun`s reputation changed from that of a run-of-the-mill farming community to a centre for climbers and mountaineers about a century ago. In 1965, the Gletscherbahn underground railway up to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, made Kaprun`s name as one of the first year-round winter sports centres, bringing more international fame. Kaprun now attracts more than 700,000 guests annually, a sizable chunk of the 2 million plus visitors to the Europa Sport Region as a whole. Although tourism is obviously the main industry, farming continues quietly in the background. Apres Ski Plenty of action off-piste from lively bars and discos to the more quaint, rustic stubes. Try: • Music Café • Kitsch and Bitter • Charlys Bar • Café Nindl • Baum Bar Eating Out Superb selection of over 25 restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets, from fondues to pizzas. • Typical 3-course dinner from €15-20 • Orgler • Dorfstadl • Schlemmerstube • Tauernhof • Mitteregger • Baum Bar • Hillbergers • Zuchinis Activities 'Optimum' Sports Centre with indoor pool and fitness studio • Indoor tennis and squash centre • Small ice skating rink • Sledging • Sleigh rides • Horse-drawn sleigh rides • Bowling Other Amenities • Shops • Banks • Visits to glacier • Excursion to Salzburg |
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