Innsbruck, located in an Alpine valley between two mountains, is the capital of the state of Tyrol and the largest of the Alpine cities. For the tourist, it is almost equidistant between Munich and Verona and has excellent rail links to Salzburg, Vienna, and slightly more tedious transport to Hallstatt.
Innsbruck is well known as a winter sports center. Several modern Winter Olympics and Paralympics have been held there, as well as the First Youth Winter Olympics in 2012.
Tourism is Insbruck’s main source of income. Its main train station, Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof, is one of the busiest in Austria.
But the charms of Innsbruck don’t stop when the snow melts. The historic center is excellent, and Innsbruck is the showcase for Tyrolean traditions and crafts. Allow two or three days. The main sites can be done as a day trip from Salzburg or Vienna.
How to get there by air
Innsbruck’s airport, Flughafen Innsbruck , is located just 4 kilometers from the city center. It provides flights to other Alpine destinations, as well as to larger airports such as Frankfurt, London and Vienna. The city bus F takes 18 minutes to reach the city and the central train station.
Flights to Innsbruck (compare prices)
Why go?
In winter there is skiing, of course. In summer there is the Altstadt, the old town, which offers access to many attractions that tourists visit in Innsbruck, including the Goldenes Dachl, the Golden Roof, a landmark from the 1500s with a balcony roof decorated with gleaming tiles. golden. There is a museum inside.
To see the incredible location of the only major city in the Alps, climb the 148 steps of the Stadtturm , the city’s clock tower built in 1450. It takes you 167 feet above the city. At the very least, the climb will leave you hungry for lunch, maybe a bit of Hauspfandl (garlic-caraway pork fillet and brandy with green beans and bacon and spaetzle) at Weisses Rössl, a popular hotel restaurant conveniently located in the center of the city. from Innsbruck
If climbing is your thing, you can also climb the 455 steps of the Bergisel Ski Jump Tower designed by the architect Zaha Hadid in 2001. Once you are at the top, in addition to the 360-degree view of the landscape of the Tyrol mountain, there’s a restaurant inside, so you don’t have to worry about finding one while gasping for effort. You can also take the funicular, but what fun would it be? The Innsbruck card includes this attraction (see below).
The Imperial Palace was completed in 1465. It is an elaborate Gothic castle with a heated banquet hall that would eventually become one of the most important Habsburg houses and culturally significant buildings outside of Vienna.
The State Museums of Tyrol offer a glimpse into the arts and crafts of the cultures that have settled in the Austrian Alps. Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum on Museumstraße 15 contains artifacts from the Stone Age to the present day, more than 30,000 years of art and history. Zeughaus is the former arms depot of Emperor Maximilian I that will explain Tyrol archeology, silver mining, salt extraction, tourism and participation in world wars. Tiroler Volkskunstmuseum is a museum of mountain folk art, from miniature nativity scenes to costumes.
The Alpine Zoo in Innsbruck is the highest zoo in Europe, with more than 150 species of alpine animals. If you are lucky enough to plan a holiday that extends into Thursday night, you will find yourself with a treat: “From mid-July to the end of August, the Alpine Zoo offers a” night tour “ through the zoo under the Special guidance from the biologist Dirk Ullrich, who will provide a lot of information about the alpine animal world. This guided tour takes place every week on Wednesdays at 6pm. The meeting point is in the beaver compound, and the tour is a complementary part of the admission fee.
Finally, if you like ornate imperial tombs, the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519) should be on your bucket list. It is inside the Hofkirche or court church. The tomb is flanked by 28 larger-than-life bronze statues “, known locally as” Schwarzen Mander “(black men) and represent the Emperor’s relationships and role models,” according to museum literature.
The Innsbruck card
An interesting option for travelers is the Innsbruck card, which offers free entry to all museums and visitor attractions, as well as many interesting transport benefits, including 5 hours of free bike rental. The card is offered in one, two and three days duration; It is expensive and it becomes a much better value when you select more than one day, since you could not do all the offers of the card in a single pass from the sun.
If you are the type of traveler who wants to be somewhat independent but also wants to have a day planned in advance, Viator offers a package that includes dinner, a famous sachertorte ‘snack’ at Café Sacher Innsbruck and dinner. at the Goldener Adler restaurant, a highly-rated restaurant with a loyal local audience, according to a review by Frommer. For more information, see Innsbruck Combo: Innsbruck Card, Traditional Coffee and Austrian Dinner.
Where to stay
In addition to the previously mentioned Weisses Rössl, the four-star Romantik Hotel Schwarzer Adler is close to the train station and has undergone recent renovations including free internet and an airport shuttle service.
You may want to rent a holiday home or apartment for your stay in Innsbruck. HomeAway lists more than 45 vacation rentals in the area.
Tours
Viator offers an interesting couple of nights if you are looking for something special to do in Innsbruck. For example, you can have a candlelit mountain dinner and a gondola ride or watch a Tyrolean folk show.
