Family Skiing in Kaprun, Austria

We are a mixed bag and needed to cater for myself and my husband, both skiers, Harry, age 11 - skiing since he was 4, Ava, age 8 - non skier, and Robyn age 4 -ski learner! So after much research we finally settled on Kaprun in Austria - a short transfer time, family friendly and being beside Zell am See/glacier ski option, were the main attractions for us.

We flew to Salzburg, picked up our hire car and headed south for Kaprun. This was to be our fourth family ski holiday, however our first time to stay self-catering in a town apartment, previous times we stayed in resort hotels. We were a little apprehensive embarking on a self-catering ski trip, however, we found the flexibility it offered well worthwhile and there were plenty of shops in the village to stock up on provisions.

Kaprun is a small resort, the next town on from the larger resort of Zell am See. It is set at the foot of the breathtaking Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. We were very impressed with the apartment, our balcony faced the Maiskogel Mountain with a clear view of the piste and chair lifts, having this outdoor space was fantastic - to be able to sit outdoors surrounded by the snowcapped peaks was therapy in itself.

The next day we arranged our ski hire and lift passes. We organised individual ski lessons for Robyn, and we skied the slopes in the village. The slopes in Kaprun were good for the capable skier, with plenty of mountain restaurants for the all-important ski stops!

We skied for two days in Kaprun and then moved on to the slopes in Zell am See. The skiing there was fantastic, it’s a busier resort, with longer lift journeys to the mountain tops, but the scenery was amazing with plenty of piste options from green to black runs catering for all grades of skiers. Both ski resorts are very easily navigated and ideal for families.

There was so much to do in this area off the slopes, which I think is important when it’s a family holiday. Kaprun is home to the Maisiflitzer, an alpine rollercoaster on the side of the Maiskogel mountain - the track is located in the village center beside the ski lifts. You are pulled 750m up the mountain and can then enjoy/scream every second of the 1,300m long descent! The kids loved it and needless to say there were return visits.

We made nightly trips to the Tauern Spa complex in Kaprun, another huge attraction in this resort. The Tauern is one of Austria’s leading spa hotels with an incredible 20,000m2 dedicated to a state-of-the-art leisure area of pools, waterslides, saunas and steam rooms with panoramic views of the Hohe Tauern National Park from the glass walls and ceilings.

The combination of easy local skiing, the mountain rollercoaster and the amazing pool/spa complex made this family ski holiday a huge success… our action packed week meant we didn’t get to visit the Gipfelwelt 3000 – a cable car ride to the Kitzsteinhorn summit station at 3,029 metres, the highest excursion destination in the region of Salzburg, but it’s always a good idea to leave a reason to return!

Planning a family ski holiday is challenging and being on a family ski holiday takes a lot of energy but the rewards outweigh all of that. Nothing beats the feeling of success as you complete a ski run with your child by your side, the thrill of skiing in beautiful surroundings, the crisp fresh mountain air and the feeling of achievement and exhilaration when you reach the valley floor in one piece. Give it a try, I promise you will be hooked too.

Please call me if you are planning a ski holiday and I would be delighted to help you arrange your trip.