Innsbruck Travelers Recommend

Romantic Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol in western Austria; its pastel-hued houses lie along the green waters of River Inn and huddle in a tangle of medieval alleys in the Old Town. Ornate Baroque and Rococo architecture contrasts with madcap modern creations, all cradled by the protective backdrop of the jagged Alps. 

Day 1: Innsbruck Sightseeing

Explore Innsbruck’s Altstadt (Old Town). Start your day at the iconic Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) before climbing the steps of the 15th-century Stadtturm (City Tower) for views of rooftops and Baroque spires. Lunch in the alleyways of the Altstadt, and then visit the tomb of Emperor Maximilian I in the Gothic Hofkirche (City Church), with its lines of stunning bronze statuary. Afterwards pop into the Hofburg Imperial Palace to learn about Tyrol’s Habsburg Imperial Family and then walk down to elegant, pedestrianized Maria-Theresien-Strasse for shopping and dining opportunities aplenty.

Day 2: Crystals and Castles

Take a half-day tour of the glittering art installations at Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens and enjoy lunch at the park’s CAFÉ-terra – if it’s sunny grab a picnic – before retracing your steps to the mining town of Hall in Tyrol for a trip down the salt mines. If time allows, explore the Armories and Old Master paintings in the Renaissance gem Schloss Ambras, perched in the hills south of Innsbruck.  

Day 3: Ride the Hungerburgbahn

In the morning visit Zaha Hadid’s Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium and then tram it to Congress to take the Hungerburgbahn funicular up into the Alps. Stop off at Alpenzoo Innsbruck to see the ibex and marmots in Europe’s highest zoo before journeying up to Hungerburg itself. From here take a cable car to lunch at the Alpenlounge Seegrube before ascending to Hafelekar for glorious mountain views and skiing in winter.

With the surrounding mountains cutting it off from other regions, isolated Tyrol (Tirol)—which spreads across western Austria and northern Italy—developed its own distinct identity and culture. From Tyrolean culinary specialties to local customs, here are a few ways you can experience Tyrolean culture in Innsbruck. 

Highlights

• Feast on Tyrolean dishes such as creamy soup, speckknödel (bacon dumplings), and apple strudel during a multicourse Austrian dinner.

• Attend a folk music and dance show and watch traditionally clad dancers yodel and perform the Schuhplattler, a fast-paced, shoe-slapping jig.

• Shop for Tyrolean wood carvings and traditional clothing such as dirndls, lederhosen, and clothes made from loden, a thick wool material that has been worn in Tyrol since the Middle Ages. 

• Gain insight into Tyrolean history by wandering Innsbruck’s Old Town. Stop by the Hofburg, the palace built for Tyrol-born noble Archduke Sigmund the Rich; the Hofkirche, where Andreas Hofer, the leader of the 19th-century Tyrolean Rebellion against Napoleon, is buried; and the Ferdinandeum, part of the Tyrolean State Museums (Tiroler Landesmuseen), where local artworks are showcased.

• Ride a cable car in the Nordkette mountains, where you can try out typical Tyrolean winter sports, from skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing and sledding.

• Visit Swarovski Crystal World to see displays and art installations made using crystals produced by one of Tyrol’s most successful homegrown brands.

• Attend Perchtenlauf, a custom during which locals parade down the streets wearing scary masks and carrying canes and sticks. Perchtenlauf, which has taken place here since pagan times, happens in late November or early December. 

• Come to Tyrol in autumn to witness the ceremonial return of the grazing cattle following the summer season. As the local farmers herd their livestock from Alpine pastures to the valley, the community celebrates. The animals are adorned with colorful garlands, ribbons, and flowers.