Tratzberg Castle (Schloss Tratzberg) Tours and Activities

Perched above Austria’s forested Inntal Valley, 16th-century Tratzberg Castle is one of the Tirol’s most impressive Renaissance and Gothic castles. Guided tours of this one-time defensive outpost take you on a journey through its history, and the lives of the Habsburg emperors and medieval merchants who once lived here.

The Basics
Tratzberg Castle makes a great day trip from Innsbruck or Salzburg. Visitors take audio-guided tours of the castle’s highlights, hearing about its past en route. Admire the courtyard, explore the hunting room once used by Habsburg Emperor Maximilian I, and see the detailed wall murals of the Habsburg Hall. Children’s audio-guided tours, virtual reality tours, and a gift shop and family-friendly adventure area are also here.

Visitors can travel to Tratzberg independently, but only guided—not self-guided— tours are offered inside. It’s wise to prebook tickets online to save time and avoid any long lines. If you’re in Innsbruck, other options include combo tours that, among other benefits, incorporate a 48-hour Innsbruck Card entitling you to discounted entry.
 
Things to Know Before You Go

• Tratzberg Castle is perfect for history buffs, sightseers, and families with children.
• Audio-guided tours are supplemented by live guides and offered in 7 languages.
• Car parking and a restaurant lie near the main gate, with rest rooms at the castle up the hill.
• The castle is partially wheelchair- and stroller-friendly.

 
How to Get There
Tratzberg Castle is easily accessible from Innsbruck or Salzburg. Most visitors drive—making a 35-minute journey along the A12 from Innsbruck or an approximate 2-hour journey from Salzburg. Trains from Innsbruck run to nearby Schwarz, from where buses transfer to the castle. The nearest town to Tratzberg is Jenbach, where buses also ferry visitors to the entrance.

When to Get There
The castle opens daily between April and October. Tours start at 10am, with the last at 4pm. In July and August, the last tour starts at 5pm. Allow time to reach the castle entrance from the car park: it’s a steep 20-minute walk or a 8-minute ride on the free miniature train up the hill. The castle gets busy at peak times, so the earlier you arrive the better.

Highlights of Tratzberg Castle
Guided tours cover nine of the castle’s rooms, including the fresco-adorned courtyard. The highlight is the Habsburg Hall, where the walls are coated in half-life-size paintings of 148 members of the Habsburg dynasty, with family lines depicted by connecting branches and clouds. Look for the stunning frescoes of deer, which incorporate sets of antlers protruding from the wall and used as chandeliers.