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7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Zell am See, Austria's Lakeside Alpine Town
A turquoise glacial lake ringed by Alpine peaks, with a compact old town on one shore, makes Zell am See in Austria's Salzburg province a reliably photogenic stop between Salzburg and the high mountains.
By BigTravel.in Editorial Team · · 2 min read
Zell am See sits directly on the Zeller See, a glacial lake in Austria's Salzburg province, with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and the wider Hohe Tauern range visible across the water from the town's own lakeside promenade. Here are seven spots that make the most of the setting.
1. The lakeside promenade at golden hour
The Seepromenade running along the eastern shore gives an uninterrupted line of sight across the Zeller See to the mountains behind, and the low, angled light of early morning or early evening picks out the lake's turquoise colour, drawn from glacial sediment, most clearly.
2. The Schmittenhöhebahn cable car ascent
The cable car up Schmittenhöhe climbs directly from the edge of town to just over 6,400 feet, and the ride itself, along with the summit platform, gives a wide aerial view down over the lake, the old town and the surrounding valley in one frame.
3. St Hippolyt's Parish Church and the old town square
Zell am See's Romanesque parish church, with a distinctive tower dating to the 10th century, anchors a small old town of narrow lanes and pastel-fronted buildings, a compact contrast to the open lake views elsewhere in town.
4. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier viewing platforms
A short drive and cable car ride from town, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier's summit stations include several glass-fronted viewing platforms looking out over permanent snowfields and, on clear days, toward Austria's high peaks further south, including the Grossglockner.
5. Thumersbach, across the water
The quieter village of Thumersbach, reached by a short ferry across the lake or a longer drive around it, gives the classic reverse view back toward Zell am See's own old town and church tower, with the Schmittenhöhe ridge behind it.
6. The reed-fringed nature reserve shoreline
A protected stretch of reed beds and wetland along part of the Zeller See's shore supports birdlife rarely seen elsewhere on an Alpine lake this developed, and a boardwalk section allows a closer view without disturbing the habitat.
7. Cycling or walking the full lake loop
A roughly 20-kilometre path circles the entire Zeller See, mostly flat and shared between cyclists and walkers, and takes in most of the viewpoints above in a single, unhurried circuit.
Traveller tips
- Zell am See is around an hour by train or car from Salzburg, making it feasible as a day trip, though an overnight stay allows time for the cable cars.
- The Zeller See is too cold for comfortable swimming outside midsummer; June to September is the main season for lake activities.
- The Schmittenhöhebahn and Kitzsteinhornbahn cable cars run year-round, serving skiers in winter and hikers and sightseers in summer.
- The full lake loop takes 3 to 4 hours on foot or under 2 hours by bicycle; rental bikes are widely available in town.
Where this is
Zell am See, Austria
