Visiting Innsbruck – Gem of Tyrol! Popular destinations
Innsbruck – Gem of Tyrol!
Hallo! (Welcome in German)
Innsbruck, the capital city of Tyrol is located in the middle of the Alps making it an awesome location for a vacation! It is most famous for its largest ski resort and has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. The name Innsbruck means ‘the bridge over the inn’. Innsbruck, which brings back pictures of snow and skiing between the Alps, is the perfect place to ski with spectacular surroundings. It is a paradise for a person who loves snow and skiing! The beautiful surroundings with snow clad mountains make it a perfect Alps getaway location.
Best Season to Visit Innsbruck
Innsbruck, being located in Central Europe enjoys a Continental climate with cold and snowy winters. The temperature during winter nights can go below -10 degree Celsius. During the fall season, hotels are cheaper, but you will miss the best part of the surroundings as they are without snow and without skiing. Spring lasts for a short time with slightly warmer days and cool nights. Summers (June to August) in Innsbruck are quite unpredictable with sunny, rainy or hot days and with a huge range of temperatures. However, the summer months are the main tourist season.
Highlights (Special things to do in Innsbruck)
Explore the beautiful 16th century Renaissance castle Schloss Ambras that is located on a hill.
Visit the city’s famous symbol the Golden Roof (“Goldenes Dach”), which was earlier used by the emperor and his wife to watch the festivities.
Ride the cable car to the Patscherkofel mountain ski area with stunning landscapes all around.
Ski jump at the Bergisel Ski Jump. This has to be one of the top things to do in Innsbruck.
Hike along the mountain trails soaking in breathtaking views of snow clad mountains at the North Park.
Spend a leisure afternoon at the Botanical Garden where nature is at its best!
Spend an entire day at the various city museums – Alpine Club Museum, Anatomical Museum, Tyrolean Folk Art Museum and several others.
Stroll along Maria-Theresien-Strasse to best experience the city.
Watch a spectacular musical or opera performance at the state theatre Tiroler Landestheater.
Visit the Alpen zoo located by the hill with alpine animals, birds and other rare animals.
Hotspots of Innsbruck
Maria-Theresien-Strasse: This is the most famous place in the city for shopping, restaurants, cafes, pubs or just to enjoy a stroll with friends and family. Kaufhaus Tyrol , 6 floors of exquisite shopping paradise is located here. The architecture of the surrounding buildings with snow clad mountains in the background gives a different feel to the city. It is a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful surroundings at the courtyard cafes. This is not a place to be missed on your Innsbruck holiday!
Schloss Ambras: The most popular tourist attraction in Innsbruck is the Ambras castle (Schloss Ambras in German). This castle has an interesting collection from the sixteenth century that includes silk paintings, rhinoceros horn goblets, bronze works, glass porcelain and ivory figures. The gardens here are beautiful with small waterfalls and forest trails.
Bergisel Ski Jump: This is a place you cannot miss in Innsbruck. It is located on a hill and offers an unforgettable experience to ski while being surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes. If you visit at the end of January/February, you can watch the International Four Hills Tournament and other snowboarding competitions here. There is a tower restaurant and a museum here that offers great views of the beautiful snow clad mountain landscapes.
Patscherkofel: A famous Alps mountain ski area, Patscherkofel is one of the best places to ski. Few of the Olympic events in the past were held at the Patscherkofel ski area. It is an unbelievable snow clad mountain that offers a panoramic view! The cable car to reach the top offers stunning views on the way.
Shopping in Innsbruck
Kaufhaus Tyrol is the most famous shopping destination in Innsbruck with 6 floors of an international shopping experience. DEZ Einkaufszentrum is very popular with the tourists as it was the first shopping arcade in Austria with over a 100 stores and restaurants and cafes. Swarovski Kristallwelten is one that cannot be missed even if you do not want to shop. The entrance to this place is a waterfall from a giant face with crystal eyes; there is a museum and a store to buy the world famous Swarovski crystals or jewelry or articles made of crystal. You can buy souvenirs, crystals and other porcelain artistic items in the old town. The old town is the best place to in indulge in authentic and artistic local shopping. Maria-Theresien-Strasse is known for its shopping as well as restaurants and cafes.
How to reach Innsbruck
By Air – Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport is the largest airport in Tyrol and it is well connected to all major cities in Europe with regular flights. There are seasonal flights to/from UK, Hamburg, Netherlands and Berlin. Munich Airport is 2.5 hours from Innsbruck; there are buses and vans available from the airport to Innsbruck. Ensure to book a minivan in advance if you are carrying ski equipment.
By Train – Innsbruck is well connected by trains with other European cities. You can take a train from any of the nearby airports to reach Innsbruck. Most tourists travel by train from Munich, Venice, Vienna, Zurich and Graz; there are train services to/from other European cities as well. The Austrian train services Osterreichische Bundesbahnen (OEBB)operates to the suburbs and other cities in the country. The main train station is in South-Tyrolean Square in the Innsbruck City Centre. Ensure to check for available discounts – you can get 50% discount with OBB Vorteilscard, 25% discount with rail card if you travel from another country and a special discount if you are under the age of 26.
By Road – You can drive to Innsbruck via autobahn motorways A 12 or A 13. It is easy to drive to Innsbruck due to its location between the valleys. You will have to pay toll charges on both motorways; they are well maintained and make it easy to drive to Innsbruck.
How to get around in Innsbruck
The best way to explore Innsbruck is by walk or by bicycle. The city center and nearby places are within a few minutes by walk and this is the best way to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. You can drive within Innsbruck but it is difficult to find parking for long durations and hence not recommended. The public transportation in Innsbruck is efficient and connects all areas. The tickets are valid on buses, trams and trains within Innsbruck. There are 4 tram lines with 2 connecting the villages close by. Buses operate to the major tourist attraction areas and are scheduled and regular. S-bahn is the suburban train service that connects the city, towns and villages close by. Innsbruck Card promoted by Innsbruck tourism provides free entry to some of the tourist attractions including the Alpenzoo and public transportation; you can avail the card for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Top areas in Innsbruck
Pradl – A very popular village in Innsbruck, Pradl is famous for its theatre Pradler jousting. The area is connected by tram and is easy to commute to and from the city center.
Natters – Most famous for Lake Natters, Natters is located by the mountains. It is a village with a lot of history from the sixteenth century. It is a beautiful little village that makes for a quiet vacation with beautiful landscapes.
Amras – Located on the motorway, Amras is well connected by tram and bus services. Amras is most known for its castle, gardens and parish. The village has a lot of chapels and is a perfect place for a leisure stroll with beautiful landscapes around the village. There are a lot of hotels available at reasonable prices in Amras. The famous shopping center DEZ Einkaufszentrum is located in Amras.
Natters – This is a beautiful town in the Wipptal valleys that is most famous for its ancient buildings, which take you back to the sixteenth century.
Hoetting – Hoetting is a beautiful small town in Innsbruck which is well connected by train and bus services. The town has several ancient churches that are worth visiting; the beautiful landscapes around add a scenic touch to the church buildings. The town also has Hunger castle and Hofgarten which attracts more tourists.
Hofburg – This area is known for its palace and is a prominent cultural building in the country. The palace has a lot of ancient history with a beautiful Gothic hall and courtyard. The Apline Club museum is located in the vicinity.
Lans – This area is most known for its skiing area, recreational center and Lanseree Lake. It offers the most beautiful surroundings with only about 1000 habitants. It has a lake that is preferred by tourists who want a quiet leisure vacation amidst pristine nature. You can play golf amidst the mountains and the lake. Lans is a beautiful place for a vacation either during summer by the lake or during winter by the snow clad mountains.
Danke! (Thank You in German)
