Zillertal, Austria | Family Travel Guide
Have you ever considered an Alpine summer holiday? Think epic hiking with mountain views, meadows upon meadows of wildflower, traditional cuisine in mountain huts and Alpine lakes to enjoy a refreshing dip. If that sounds tempting, then Zillertal in Tyrol, Austria might just be right for you.
In Zillertal, there are over 1000km of cycling trails as well as almost 1500km of hiking trails. There are 10 summer cable cars, 150 Alpine hits, outdoor swimming pools, mini golf, climbing areas and even year-round access to snow on the Hintertux Glacier. There really is something for all the family in Zillertal with fantastic scenery that will remain etched in your mind long after you leave.
We headed to Zillertal following our time in St. Johann in Tirol which you can read about here. It was early June and we were blessed with glorious sunshine throughout our stay in Zell am Ziller, an idyllic town from which it is possible to access the rest of the valley that stretches 50km long. In this blog, I’ll share everything we did from hiking, Alpine lakes, mountain refuges and children’s activities.
Useful Information
Getting there
We flew from Manchester to Munich, then stayed a couple of days in St. Johann in Tirol before heading to Zillertal via a one-hour transfer with Four Seasons Travel. The closest airport would be Innsbruck which is only around an hour away, while Munich is a larger international airport but takes 2.5-3 hours to reach. We didn’t travel with a car seat as our transfer company had one for us upon our request.
When to Visit
Zillertal is a beautiful valley to visit all year round! We visited in early June which was beautiful as all the lifts were open and the weather was great, without being too bust at all. Later in summer would also be fantastic and there is plenty of family-friendly skiing in winter as well.
Where to Stay
We stayed in Zell am Ziller which is a lovely, traditional town in the valley. Our hotel, Ferienhotel Sonnenhof, was just outside the town and was very family-friendly with delicious breakfast buffets and dinners, a fantastic wellness area with a gym, sauna, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and large, spacious family rooms. We were also only around a 5 minute walk from the cable car.
HOW LONG TO STAY
I'd recommend staying for a week to really immerse yourself in the area.
GETTING AROUND
You don't need a car when visiting this area as there is a train that runs the length of the valley, as well as cycle tracks everywhere. Having a car would allow you more freedom to travel a little further afield, especially with children.
What to do in Zillertal
Visit Erlebnis Sennerei Show Dairy
The Erlebnis Sennerei show dairy in Mayrhofen is a family-run business that allows visitors to see the process of making cheese and yoghurt from local raw milk that comes from 400 different farms throughout the area. All of these farms graze their cows in a traditional way, on the mountain pastures of Zillertal. At the show dairy, you can try various flavours of milk and yoghurt and see animals on the farm such as goats, rabbits, sheep and cows. There is also a fantastic children’s play area with a hay barn for messing around. We thought it was a lovely family-friendly place to spend a morning learning about a local tradition. The shop is also great and we’d definitely recommend picking up some delicious Honey Milk or yoghurt!
Head up the Rosenalmbahn for lunch at the Kreithütte
From Zell am Ziller, you can take the Rosenalmbahn cable car onto the Kreuzjoch mountain. From the top station, there are incredible mountain views and plenty to keep you entertained with an abundance of hiking and mountain biking trails, the new Fichtensee lake and Fichtenschloss play area for kids. Start with lunch at the Kreithütte which has exceptional Alpine views and delicious food. I’d highly recommend trying the traditional Sachertorte. The Rosenalmbahn cable car costs €29 for adults and €14.50 for children for a return trip. In our opinion, it’s well worth the cost to get to spend the day up here with free access to the playground and lake.
Swim and relax at Fichtensee lake
Fichtensee, meaning Sprice Lake, is situated up the Rosenalmbahn gondola, just a 10 minute walk from the top station on a buggy and wheelchair accessible track. It is a beautiful, man-made Alpine lake that offers panoramic views over the valley; with plenty of grassy spots to have a picnic, wooden loungers to relax, wooden jetties on the water for taking a dip and even a floating island. There is an excellent, modern toilet and changing facility with showers and life jackets to borrow, as well as boats to rent and a little café serving food and drink. We enjoyed relaxing on the loungers with beautiful views, paddling in the shallow water area (ideal for little ones!), jumping over the stepping stones with Aífe, and Harvey even had a dip from one of the jetties. We can imagine this being a fantastic spot to spend a whole day in summer when the water is warm. It is open from mid-May to mid-October.
Visit Fichtenschloss — the Spruce Castle
According to legend, the Spruce Castle was built by the mystical Spruce Sprites. Fichtenschloss is an incredible adventure playground with some extraordinary views, accessed from the top station of the Rosenalmbahn, just a 5 minute walk along an accessible track from the Fichtensee lake. The castle consists of four towers rising into the sky, with bridges connecting each one. There are an abundance of slides, canopy walkways and water play, perfect for the hot summer days. Fichtenschloss is guaranteed to keep your little one’s entertained for a few hours, while you can relax on the grass and enjoy the Alpine views.
Drive the Zilltertaler Höhenstraße road to Murmelland
Head up the Zillertaler Höhenstraße mountain road to Kaltenbach where you can visit Murmelland Zillertal, enjoy lunch at the Kaltenbacher Skihütte and walk the Hubertus wildlife trail, perfect for children. The road is beautiful, following sweeping switchbacks with mountain vistas. Park just next to the Kaltenbacher Skihütte then head straight to Murmelland which is a mini zoo and play area, with animals including marmots, goats and rabbits. Enjoy lunch at the Kaltenbacher Skihütte, where I’d definitely recommend trying the traditional Austrian Kaiserschmarrn, before walking the Hubertus wildlife trail. The trail is 4km in total and has activities along the way that teach children about Alpine plants and animals. It follows a wide gravel path that is buggy friendly, first heading down to the Hubertus chapel before returning to the starting point and then heading up to a beautiful viewpoint at Berggasthof Platzalm.
From Alpine lakes to traditional food; from wildlife trails to epic adventure playgrounds… In Zillertal, there was something to keep all the family entertained in and amongst the beautiful Austrian mountains. We loved our time exploring this region and felt both relaxed and rejuvenated after a few days enjoying mountain air and the wellness features of our hotel.
You can find more information on Zillertal on their website here, or feel free to ask us any questions in the comments below or on our Instagram.
Athena, Harvey and Aífe