Innsbruck is the city I would send anyone to who says they want mountains but also a good coffee and a place to sleep in town. Look down almost any street and the limestone wall of the Nordkette fills the end of it, close enough that you feel you could walk there. In most cities that kind of view is something you travel for. Here it is simply what you see on the way to buy bread, and the whole place is organised around it.
KapitelThe old town on foot
The old town is small and best done slowly. Start on Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, the arcaded street with pastel house fronts, and look up at the Golden Roof, the gilded balcony Emperor Maximilian I had built around 1500 to watch festivals in the square below. Go in the morning, before the tour groups arrive, and take your time with the side lanes, where the arcades give way to courtyards and small shops.
Sehenswürdigkeiten & Touren · Golden Roof, Innsbruck
From there it is a short walk to the Hofburg, the imperial palace, and the Hofkirche next door. The church holds Maximilian's empty tomb, surrounded by a ring of larger-than-life bronze figures that look like they might step down at any moment. It is stranger and more moving than the guidebooks suggest, so give it more time than you planned. If you want a view over the roofs, the City Tower on the main square has a small platform up its stairs that is cheap and rarely busy.
KapitelUp the mountain in twenty minutes
This is the reason to come. The Nordkette cable cars start close to the old town: a funicular takes you up to Hungerburg, and further stages climb to the Seegrube and the Hafelekar ridge at around 2,300 metres. It is a strange feeling to leave a café table and be standing in snow or alpine meadow before your coffee has worn off. The Seegrube has a restaurant with a terrace looking straight down on the city, and in clear weather it is worth planning an evening there.
Draußen aktiv · Nordkette cable car, Innsbruck
For walking, the trails along the ridge range from gentle strolls to proper mountain routes, so check conditions and what you are equipped for before you set out. The mountain weather changes quickly, and a mild afternoon in town can be cold and windy above the treeline. Patscherkofel, on the other side of the valley, is a quieter alternative with a cable car and softer, wooded slopes.
KapitelSki jumps, castles and zoo
Bergisel, on the southern edge of the city, has the ski jump designed by Zaha Hadid, which you can climb for a view over the valley and the old town, even outside the winter season. It is a good reminder that Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and again in 1976, and it still lives up to the reputation.
Ambras Castle, on a hill to the east, is a Renaissance residence with a famous collection of curiosities and portraits, and a garden that is pleasant on a warm day. The Alpine Zoo, set on the slope above the city, focuses on animals of the Alps and has one of the loveliest views of any zoo I know.
KapitelEating and drinking
The food here is Tyrolean, hearty and built for people who have just come down from a mountain. Look for Kaspressknödel, pressed cheese dumplings served in broth or with salad, Tiroler Gröstl, a pan of fried potatoes, bacon and egg, and Käsespätzle, the soft noodles with cheese and onions that appear on every menu. Many mountain huts serve a version of these, and a hut lunch with a view is one of the best meals you can have here.
The Markthalle, the covered market by the Inn river, is a good place to put together a picnic or stand and eat something simple. In the evening, the bars in the old town and along the river fill up with students, since Innsbruck is a university town, which keeps the atmosphere younger than you might expect.
KapitelFurther out
Winter is the obvious season for the surrounding ski areas, many of which can be reached by public transport or a short drive from the city, and the Stubai Glacier is about an hour away for skiing well into the year. In summer, valleys such as the Stubaital and the Zillertal offer hiking, lakes and mountain huts. The Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens is an easy half-day trip from town for something very different.
Innsbruck also makes a good stop on a longer route: it is well connected by train, with Munich and Salzburg both within a couple of hours, and the Brenner Pass leads south to Italy.
KapitelWhen to go
Summer, from June to September, is best for walking, with long days and open mountain huts. Winter, from December to March, is the season for skiing and for Christmas markets in the old town. The shoulder months of April, May and October are quieter, but some cable cars and huts close for maintenance, so check the schedule before you plan a day up high.
Check current details: Innsbruck Tourism.
