Kaprun

Kaprun is a village of a few thousand people in the Kapruner Tal, a side valley of the Salzach on the northern edge of the Hohe Tauern. The village itself is modest, with a main street of shops and guesthouses, a parish church and a small castle above it, but the valley above is one of the most important high-mountain areas in Austria for visitors. The Kitzsteinhorn and the lakes behind it define the place, and the combination of ice, hydropower and national park scenery is unusual.

The Kitzsteinhorn glacier rises to 3,203 metres, and lifts reach the upper plateau, where there are viewing platforms, restaurants and, in summer, a snow-covered area for skiing. In the Hohe Tauern, the highest mountain range in Austria, you can see the Grossglockner massif on a clear day. The glacier ski area opens early in autumn and runs into late spring, which is why Kaprun is a favourite place for early-season training. Viewing platforms and an ice arena on the plateau are among the facilities that attract summer visitors. Weather above 3,000 metres changes quickly, so dress for cold even in July.

The second great feature is the Glockner-Kaprun power station complex. Building began in the late 1930s and continued after the Second World War, and the project became a symbol of reconstruction. Two reservoirs, the Wasserfallboden and the higher Mooserboden at about 2,040 metres, sit behind enormous dams. Visitors can take a bus and funicular up the valley to the Mooserboden and walk along the dam crest to see the artificial lake framed by glaciers. Information panels and small exhibitions describe the project's history. This excursion is among the best half-day trips in the region, though timetables and access change seasonally.

Closer to the village, the Church of St. Margaretha shows how long the settlement has existed. A small local museum presents life in the valley before tourism. The Glocknerkapelle in the centre is a small chapel. Burg Kaprun, a castle with medieval origins, stands on a rock above the village and is a landmark; check locally whether it can be visited. Kreuzeck cable car and other lifts take walkers onto the lower slopes.

Lake Zell lies about eight kilometres north, and Kaprun is part of the Zell am See-Kaprun region, so many visitors move easily between the two. In summer you can swim and sail on the lake, cycle on the lakeside route, and walk in the Hohe Tauern National Park, which is the largest national park in the Alps. The park includes waterfalls such as the Krimml Falls farther west, and alpine meadows with ibex, marmots and chamois.

For food, Pinzgau cooking mixes mountain dishes with Salzburg classics. Expect Kasnocken, dumplings with melted cheese, fried and baked Pinzgau pastries, roast meats and trout, followed by Salzburger Nockerl or Kaiserschmarrn. Mountain huts are a good place to try simple fare in a setting that makes it taste better.

Visitors should note a sombre episode in the valley's history: in November 2000 a fire in the Gletscherbahn funicular killed 155 people, one of the worst accidents in Austrian history. A memorial near the valley station commemorates the victims, and a respectful visit is appropriate.

For seasons, winter and spring are best for skiing, with the glacier skiing reliable even in autumn. Summer is good for hiking, high-altitude excursions and swimming at Lake Zell. Autumn brings clear days and quiet trails, though some lifts close for maintenance between seasons. The valley is accessible by car from Salzburg in around an hour and a quarter and by train to Zell am See, where regular buses continue up the valley.