Colorful, narrow buildings guide your eyes upwards towards snowcapped mountains, backdropping the turquoise-green River Inn, and you feel adventure beckoning. The aromas of espresso drinks and trattorias add to the moment. Maybe you came to Innsbruck for the adventure sports and nature. But you’ll want to stay for the Tyrollean twist on Austrian culture. Read on for our travel guide to Innsbruck.
Big To-Dos
Culture
We didn’t spend enough time in Innsbruck to visit many museums and galleries. Two that I regret not visiting are the Tyrollean Folk Art Museum and Hasegg Castle.
Regardless, we recommend purchasing the Innsbruck Card if you’re in town for two or three days. The card includes access to 22 locations, such as museums, galleries, and cable cars.
Castle Ambras
One of the region’s most famous destinations is technically located outside Innsbruck, but is literally next door. In fact, we walked to this 16th-century castle from our hotel.
Castle Ambras consists of an upper and a lower section. The views from the upper castle are stunning. Meanwhile, the lower castle hosts one of the world’s oldest museums and a Medieval armory collection that will take your imagination for a gory ride. It takes a couple of hours to see everything.
The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dalchl)
Like the town’s busiest restaurant that doesn’t serve the best food but benefits from superb location, the building with the golden roof is somehow Innsbruck’s tourism epicenter. Constructed in 1500 under Emperor Maximilian, the roof is indeed real gold. We honestly found it pretty but underwhelming, overshadowed by the commotion of vendors selling trinkets and masses of tourists walking by.
The Roof is close to museums (plus has one of its own), the Inn River, and Maria-Theresien-Strasse.
Maria-Theresien-Strasse
We spent a lot of time wandering downtown and by the river. This main avenue is named for Maria Theresa, the powerful Hapsburg ruler who reined for four decades in the 18th century. At one end souvenir shops cram together, each selling the same trinkets.
But if you look around, you’ll notice the shops are inside well-preserved 16th-century buildings. You’re surrounded by captivating Alpine architecture. And once you make it to the wider plaza, Maria-Theresien-Strasse turns into a chill place for a drink and window shopping.
The Outdoor Stuff
The adventure sports are what truly make Innsbruck stand out. You can’t miss the juxtaposition of a well-dressed couple lazying away with afternoon espressos as cyclists in tight clothing and thick mountain bikes caked in mud pass by. Both groups are in their own moments, which couldn’t be more different.
Hiking
There are so many hikes in and around Innsbruck of all levels of difficulty and accessibility. But the great thing is, each one is beautiful. Check out AllTrails to filter down to a handful that you’d like to trek. The AllTrails offline location mapping worked beautifully for us when we didn’t have internet or cell phone service, too.
Castle Ambras to Lanser-See
On that note, if you visit Castle Ambras, try the walk from there to Lake Lans (Lanser-See). The hike is only one mile long but it’s steep; it took us an hour! Use a mapping app to avoid getting lost, as various trails criss-cross the area.
Once you leave the castle grounds, you immediately hear the Alpine winds bending the skinny pines, and the creaking sounds as the thick canopy swished back and forth alarmed us. The wind is constant here; a local assuaged our concern by explaining it’s “magical”. The occasional honking of the tram cuts through the chirping of birds and crickets. You’ll pass picturesque villages and views of snowcaps. It smells clear and piney, like a scented candle without the stuffiness.
Once you arrive at the lake, take a dip or continue to the villages. We walked to Igls, where we found a relaxing spot for a coffee and snack. Apparently both Arnold Schwarzeneggar and Barack Obama dined there, among many other famous people.
You can walk downhill from the villages back towards Ambras or take the Tram 6. Nicknamed “The Forest Tram”, it leaves every half-hour and passes through the same beautiful Apline forest.
Riverside Biking
You don’t even have to leave town for this one. Rent a cruiser and take a relaxing, beautiful ride next to the River Inn. Paths wind through city parks and the most popular tourist zones.
Of course, you can rent a mountain bike and explore the trails outside of town, too. Being an adventure sport town, Innsbruck has multiple quality bike rental locations.
Skiing
Innsbruck and surrounding towns are hugely popular for their prime locations near world-class ski resorts. Consider the town of Landeck and the picturesque village of Pfunds for more intimate options.
For world-class ski jump viewing and views of the city, go to the tower of Bergisel ski jump. Some spots in town have views of the jump, too.
Essential Information
How to Arrive
Innsbruck has an international airport, but direct flights from outside Europe aren’t common. Trains come and go for other cities in Austria and all over the continent.
We booked a compartment for an overnighter to Austria and slept fine; like a futon, the “beds” are a thin pad separating you from the hard surface. But we were given breakfast and a wake-up call, which we didn’t have in the coach car going to Innsbruck. That train arrived early, and we almost slept through towards Zurich!
When to Visit Innsbruck
Like Vienna,there’s no bad time to visit Innsbruck. Come in winter for an Alpine Christmas or skiing; visit the rest of the year for world-class hiking and mountain biking! July-August and December are particularly busy (and pricey).
Where to Stay
Innsbruck isn’t a large city, so anywhere you stay will be close to something worth visiting. You can’t go wrong lodging near Maria-Theresien-Strasse.
But we stayed in the more residential Bichlweg neighborhood. Bichlweg is a short tram ride (or 20-30 minute walk) to city center, and next door is Castle Ambras. Because there are only homes and small lodgings, the views of the mountains are better here.
Food
Innsbruck is full of traditional Austrian and Tyrolean restaurants, and there are solid international spots, too. The proximity to Italy means there are a multiple amazing pizzerias near the Golden Roof. Just beware that this is a sleepy town; late nights aren’t its specialty!
Travel Guide to Innsbruck: Conclusion
We found Innsbruck to be a microcosm of the entire country of Austria. There is no bad time to visit, and there are more outdoor options than one can handle in a short visit. So despite Innsbruck being Austria’s 5th largest city, you’ll need to dedicate plenty of time to fully appreciate this Tyrollean treasure.