From Mountains to Modernity – A Guide on Things to Do in Innsbruck, Austria

A guide to the things to do in Innsbruck in Austria – the ‘Capital of the Alps’, whose 800 years of urban history combine with the mountains – from someone who lives in Austria. 

There’s no city quite like Innsbruck in Austria, cradled by mountain walls, and this is the very first thing you will notice upon arrival. The proclaimed ‘Capital of the Alps’ in the west of the country is an urban basin filled with eight centuries of history, defined by the peaks and alpine forest slopes that hug it. 

Its dual city and mountain offering make it a unique Austrian city to visit. From the altitude heights to the riverside landscapes and attractions below, here’s how to see Innsbruck, both inside and outside its famed Old Town. 

What to See in Innsbruck Old Town

Quite literally picture perfect, you can’t go wrong with any angle of the city. I first explored the history in the urban grounds below before heading up to various elevated viewpoints for an alternative angle on the city layout. 

It’s quite the entrance into Innsbruck’s Historical Old Town. I started at the Triumphal Arch, which faces the city’s mountainous backdrop.

It was built in 1765, commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa to commemorate the marriage of her son, and now stands proudly on Maria-Theresien-Straße – the most navigable thoroughfare from which to enter the cobblestoned streets and alleyways of late-Gothic architecture.

The Historical Old Town is tiny but packed with sights and traditional bistros (once you weave past all the souvenir stores). Here you can wander into the past by visiting the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the gothic Hofkirche (Royal Court Church), City Tower and the glimmering Golden Roof with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles (which makes it quite the star attraction).

Innsbruck’s old streets are a conveyor belt of Gothic and Baroque architectural styles and facades – Helbling Haus being one of the most exquisitely detailed and stand-out examples. You’ll find it on Herzog-Friedrich-Straße, next to the Golden Roof. 

What to Eat in Innsbruck

Traditional Tirol Eats

No trip to Tirol is complete without re-fueling with a local dish such as the Tiroler Gröstl (potato and meat fry-up, topped with an egg). What to eat in Innsbruck is easy, but choosing where to go can be hard.

The two best traditional establishments include Weisses Rössl, the oldest restaurant in the city, dating back to 1509, and Stiftskeller, set within an old monastery.

The distinctive castle-like building, with Austrian flag-coloured window shutters in the Ottoberg, is one of Innsbruck’s revered long-standing restaurants serving traditional Austrian cuisine. 

Best Strudel in Innsbruck

For those craving a strudel, see how long it takes you to choose one of the many sweet or savoury options at the Strudel Café Kröll in the Old Town. It’s a rite of passage after all the historical wandering. I decided on chocolate and raspberry in a move away from my traditional apple choice.

Places to Go in Innsbruck Nature

Get up to the Nordkette Mountain

What’s unique about Innsbruck is that it is an accessible nature haven and cityscape all rolled into one, where cable cars to the city’s darling 2000m-high Nordkette Mountain depart from the very heart of the city. In less than 20 minutes, you can reach Austria’s biggest nature park, Karwendel, and Europe’s highest (Alpine) Zoo alongside various viewing platforms.

The avant-garde design of the three main Nordkettenbahnen cable car stations combines Innsbruck nature trails with modern design without impacting the visual elements of the landscape.

Wander Along the Inn River

During my visits to Innsbruck, I was always drawn to the Inn River for a stroll, with its famous multi-coloured townhouses and green spaces as a backdrop.

Innsbruck Today – Modernity in Downtown

Modern trends intertwined with the preserved old are among the exciting things to see in Innsbruck, as seen in the interweaving of facade designs and reflections. 

Innsbruck Bars and Modern Hangouts

The Downtown area adjacent to the Historical City Centre is where you’ll find everything from the 360° (panoramic) bar or Trobaun for its huge selection of world craft beers on tap, and the more swanky hangouts like Erlkönig.

Swap old cafes for hipster coffee shops like Max Standard and Crema, and try to score a table in the busy burrito joint, Machete, a local favourite.

A city home to 30,000 students and many young professionals, it has a vibrancy that complements its centuries-old offerings.

Innsbruck Bergisel Olympic Ski Jump

A short distance in the opposite direction of the Old Town and the Nordkette range is the 50m high Bergisel Olympic Ski Jump Tower. It’s one of my favourite places to visit, both in keeping with the winter sport pastime Austria is known for and watching the ski jumpers, and as a platform for one of the best views of Innsbruck.

Tirol Panorama Museum

On the short trek up to the entrance of the Innsbruck Ski Jump, I stopped at the Tirol Panorama Museum, where history is depicted in a modern way through a giant 1,000-square-metre panoramic painting.

Arts and Festivals in Innsbruck

And with a state theatre and an opera, 30 museums and art galleries, as well as a year-round timetable of festivals held in the old palace’s Historical Old Town grounds, Innsbruck is quite the pulsating modern town, considering its small size.

Things to Do in Innsbruck Outside of the City

Ambras Castle and Chambers of Art and Curiosities

Outside the city centre, you have further options for a historical or modern fix. I’m not one for tourist buses, but the ‘Sightseer’ bus was surprisingly interesting, passing through Innsbruck’s outer neighbourhoods and getting me out to areas including the hillside where you will find Schloss Ambras.

This Renaissance castle was built by Archduke Ferdinand in the 16th century and is home to the Chambers of Art and Curiosities, and to all manner of weird and wonderful collections he amassed.

Swarovski Crystal Worlds

Many take the time to visit the famed Swarovski Crystal Worlds, which ranks among Austria’s most visited attractions. Bling and excessive in parts, the brand shows off its sparkling craftsmanship via exhibitions and art installations in its ‘Chambers of Wonder’, including a Crystal Dome and a crystal tree garden, upping the ante on the usual showroom model.

BOOK: Ticket and Transfer. Swarovski Crystal Worlds skip-the-line entrance, including a transfer shuttle bus from Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (Central Station). 

Is Innsbruck Worth Visiting?

Innsbruck’s urban landscape was carved out in front of a dominating mountain range, giving it a unique character that cannot be found anywhere else in Austria.

Providing the best of the country’s great outdoors with a long history and trendy modernisation, you have it all in one place without travelling very far. 

What to Know Before You Visit Innsbruck in Austria

Getting to Innsbruck

• Innsbruck is well-connected via the ÖBB rail network. I travelled from Vienna to Innsbruck in 4-5 hours. The journey time between Innsbruck and Salzburg by train is around 2 hours and 15 minutes, 3 hours from Linz, and approximately 5 hours from Graz. 

READ MORE:

Salzburg City Guide – Beyond Mozart and Sound of Music

Graz City Guide – The Mediterranean Metropolis

Linz City Guide – Austria’s Creative Arts Centre

Where to Stay in Innsbruck

I stayed at the funky Nala Hotel, the city’s only boutique and art design hotel, less than five minutes from the Triumphal Arch and Maria-Theresien-Straße. Every room has a unique design, which you can browse on the hotel’s website. I stayed in ‘La Suite Pan on Rama’, and I’m keen to check more of them out!

Innsbruck Package Deals

Innsbruck offers various city package deals, including:

• One night accommodation and the 24-hour Innsbruck card from €45 per person
• Two nights of accommodation and the Innsbruck card from €75 per person
• Multi0night family packages from €156 per person 

The Innsbruck Card for Sightseeing

The Innsbruck Card grants access to all the city’s museums, art galleries, and all forms of local transport, including the shuttle bus to Swarovski Crystal Worlds and all cable cars. It also includes discounts for listed activities and outlets.

• 24 hours: €49
• 48 hours: €55
• 72 hours: €66
• 50% discount for children (6-15 years)