Advent with Zillertal flair

Updated 14.12.2021

Fresh powder snow all the way down to the valley, a crackling fire in the fireplace and the smell of freshly baked biscuits - it's very Christmassy in the most active valley in the world.

White meadows and slopes, mountain peaks covered in deep snow - that is December in the Zillertal. In the run-up to Christmas, home-baked biscuits are a must, of course, and there are plenty of traditional recipes for them in the Zillertal. Every family has biscuit recipes that have been handed down from the time of our grandmothers and are still baked every year. Be it the honey-walnut croissants or the Zillertaler Granatsplitter(LINK to the recipes).

In addition to gingerbread and biscuits, many Zillertal households cannot do without a real Zelten during Christmas baking. This tastes similar to fruit bread, and is kneaded and baked from nuts, dried fruit and a bread dough. You can find the recipes for it on the website www.zillertal.at, true to the motto: "Simply gourmagic! You can only taste it here".

Pre-Christmas traditionin the ZillertalIn Advent, there is, among other things, the custom of Klöpfelsingen in the Zillertal. Several people, traditionally dressed as shepherds with cloaks and hats, go from house to house singing the good news and at the same time collecting donations for a good cause.Of course, the right Christmas music must not be missing during Advent. Many Zillertal music groups have reinterpreted Christmas classics and recorded their own Christmas songs. However, it is THE Christmas classic par excellence that has achieved world fame, starting from the Zillertal: the song "Silent Night". Almost 200 years ago, "Silent Night" was taken from the Zillertal to the rest of the world. The Strasser siblings first spread it in Germany, while the Rainer Singers then took the song overseas and helped it achieve a breakthrough in America.

About the ZillertalValleyof three-thousand-metre peaks, eternal ice, year-round skiing pleasure, culinary highlights and music. Perfectly groomed slopes, fantastic cross-country ski trails and toboggan runs in winter, hundreds of kilometres of hiking and biking trails as well as refreshing outdoor pools and idyllic mountain lakes with crystal-clear water in summer - you can only experience this here. From Hochfeiler, the highest mountain in the Zillertal at 3,509 m, the Zillertal stretches for 47 km along the Ziller out of the valley. You can experience the famous Zillertal hospitality of the more than 35,000 inhabitants for yourself in the 25 communities of the Zillertal. In summer and winter, well-being, regionality and enjoyment are top priorities. Whether it's unique mountain experiences or simply enjoying nature, opportunities abound in the world's most active and musical valley like needles in the pine forest. In addition, there is the highest level of enjoyment: from regional culinary delights, genuine Zillertal home cooking to exquisite gourmet menus. Welcome to the Zillertal - you can only feel it here.