Introduction to my Innsbruck City Guide:
Innsbruck has a special place in my heart. I studied at the university for a semester as part of an ERASMUS exchange. I met many wonderful people and it was a huge adventure for me.
Three years later, my husband asked me to marry him while we were there during a Eurorailing holiday and he took me back for my 40th birthday treat.
This Innsbruck city guide gives you details about my favourite places to visit and useful links and tips to make the most of your time here – enjoy!
About Innsbruck:
Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol and borders Italy and Germany. It is a beautiful city nestled in the Austrian Alps with the river Inn running through it.
Innsbruck hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics and has 13 ski resorts within the area.
It has a characterful old town with Baroque and Gothic architecture and in the centre is the historical Golden roof. The centre has many wonderful restaurants, bars and shops all in a picturesque setting.
The city has hardly changed in the whole time I have known it. It has the perfect combination of upholding tradition and retaining its historical character, beautiful scenery and nature, cosiness – and a fun, trendy atmosphere due to the many snowboarders and university students who live here. This makes it quite unique and different from many of the European cities I have visited.
Innsbruck Card:
There is so much to do in Innsbruck, aside from skiing. It is a good idea to buy the Innsbruck card, which includes free entry to 22 museum and attractions, free use of public transport and the sightseer bus, and one return journey on a selection of cable cars in the region. It is available for 24, 48 or 72 hours and can be purchased online:
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My Top Places and Things to do:
I spent 4 months in Innsbruck and found so many cool places to visit. Here are my top favourite places and things to do if you are spending a few days here, and where I would recommend for food, drink and entertainment – (in no particular order):
1. Nordkette
To see a wonderful view of the city. Take the Hungerburg funicular, cross Hermann Buhl Square and ride the cable car to the top of Nordkette for spectacular views, a hike along one of the trails or just relax in the restaurant. nordkette.com/en/home.
2. Alpine Zoo
One of the stops on the Hungerburg funicular is the Alpine Zoo, where you can find native species of the Alps, including brown bears. www.alpenzoo.at/de/
3. Swarovski Crystal Museum (Kristallwelten)
From Innsbruck train station, there is a shuttle bus to the Crystal Worlds and back. There you will find gardens and 18 sparkling Chambers of Wonder. I am a bit of a magpie and love anything that sparkles so for me, this place was magical.
👉 OPENING TIMES, INFORMATION, TICKETS
4. Buzihutte Restaurant
Order a taxi to drive you to this traditional Austrian restaurant. It has been operating for over 100 years, serving schnitzels and cordon bleu. After eating, you can walk through a small trail in the woods and sit on the veranda and enjoy the view.
Back when I was a student, the owner would encourage guests to take a guitar from the wall and have a singsong. Now you can enjoy the cuisine and friendly atmosphere. www.buzihuette.at
5. Zappa Music Bar
Zappa is a fun student bar, serving great cocktails and has a fantastic atmosphere, for the young and carefree at heart. Even my mother has had a good night in here. zappa.at
6. Treibhaus
Treibhaus is a large open restaurant that offers food and drink, concerts, cabaret and theatre. It has a great vibe, especially if you are a fan of jazz. www.treibhaus.at
7. Beach
Something you probably didn’t expect in a place so far away from the sea! But taking a picnic to one of the beaches by the river is lovely way to spend a relaxing afternoon in the sun, and the scenery is stunning.
8. Igls
A charming village at the foot of Patscherkofel mountain. You can take the cable car up the mountain, wander around the alpine garden and enjoy the cosy restaurants. Get there by train, bus, tram or even walk (just over an hour). www.tyrol.com/places/a-igls
9. Bergisel Ski jump
Take the elevator 250 metres above Innsbruck and enjoy food at the restaurant there. The ski jump is a fun tourist attraction and has even hosted a concert by Massive Attack. www.bergisel.info/at/
10. Drink Beer
Innsbruck offers some great bars to drink its flavoursome beers. Some of which brew their own beer on the premises. Tribaun and Bierfabric are amongst some of my favourite bars.
11. Golden Roof and Imperial Palace
To learn about the turbulent history of Innsbruck. Emperor Maximillian, Archduke Ferdinand, Maria Theresa and even Napoleon all made their mark and spent time here. A visit to the Golden roof and Imperial Palace is a must.
12. Hofgarten
Hofgarten is a 25 acre garden located near the old town. It is a beautiful garden, with a restaurant that is lit up with fairy lights at night. One of my favourite places: Hofgarten,Innsbruck.
13. Eat Cake!
This is a must when in Austria. Austrian patisserie shops are amazing and Tyrol has many, many wonderful cakes and desserts on offer.
Accommodation:
Accommodation in Innsbruck is plentiful and there are hotels and hostels to suit all tastes and budgets. The hostels I have stayed in have been great, spacious and clean. On our last visit, we stayed in a Boutique Hotel called Schwarzer Adler, 300 metres from the Old town.
The Schwarzer Adler is an elegantly furnished hotel with uniquely styled rooms. We were made to feel very welcome with drinks on arrival and a free upgrade. Our room was exceptional and had such a wonderful ensuite with Swarovski crystal detail, that it inspired me when designing my own ensuite bathroom.
How to Get There:
Innsbruck has its own airport, with easy bus links to the city, directly outside the terminal. It is only a 2 hour flight from the UK, from £100 return. It is well connected by rail and you can travel to Munich by train in just over 2 hours as well as many other European destinations.
Come and Visit Soon!
Thank you for reading my Innsbruck city guide. I hope you have found some of these suggestions useful. I would recommend visiting Innsbruck at any time of year . Not only is it a fantastic winter sports destination but is especially lovely in the spring and summer too. Hopefully, it will be on your list of European destinations to visit soon!
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For further information about Innsbruck: www.innsbruck.info/en/
To buy tickets for train travel around Europe see the Trainline.
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