After finding fame as a Winter Olympics host city, the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck has remained a popular place—often a base for forays to the Austrian Alps that flank it. Winter sports lovers might stop en route to higher-altitude resorts like St. Anton and Sölden, but those who linger will find lots of urban Austrian fun. From watching daredevils at the Bergisel Ski Jump to tracing Habsburg history at the Hofburg Imperial Palace and exploring the medieval Old Town, there’s no shortage of things to do in Innsbruck.
Innsbruck’s Altstadt (Old Town) is pedestrian friendly, and the wider city area is quite walkable, too. But if you come to hike or ski, you’ll need to catch a bus, tram, gondola, or mountain train at some point.
To ride the trams and buses, you must buy IVB (Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetrieb, or Innsbruck Transport Company) tickets in advance from tobacco shops, self-service machines, or via the IVB-Scout app, which can also be used to plan journeys. Some city hotels offer guests a Welcome Card, which includes free public transport.
Winter is really what Innsbruck is all about. With the snow comes skiers, who arrive to take advantage of the city’s easy access to nearby ski towns like St. Anton, Lech, and Sölden. Others are attracted by holiday season breaks, enjoying the pretty Christmas markets and alpine air scented with mulled wine (Glühwein) and gingerbread. The city is also busy in the summer when the Nordkette mountain railway opens up the surrounding countryside for high-altitude hiking and biking.
Looking for a unique memento and like the traditional Austrian dress? Then take a look inside the city’s authentic Tyrolean dress shops. Known as “Tracht,” Austria’s traditional attire is lederhosen (leather shorts with braces) and dirndls (intricate dresses with aprons). Even if you don’t buy an outfit, a chance to snoop around the shops is an experience in itself. Steinbock Mode on Sparkassenplatz and the Tiroler Heimatwerk are top picks.
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As the capital of Austria’s alpine Tyrol region, this city is best known for winter sports. Many visitors fly into its international airport to visit nearby ski towns such as St. Anton, while others use the charming mountain city as a base for winter skiing day trips and summer hiking and sightseeing.
...MoreTwo days is the perfect length of time, leaving you with one day dedicated to the mountains—perhaps visiting the Top of Innsbruck from the Nordkette cable car—and another day to check out the other things to do in Innsbruck like visiting sights such as Ambras Castle, Swarovski Crystal Worlds, and the Bergisel Ski Jump.
...MoreInnsbruck is an Austrian city, so German is the official language. If you speak some German, you may hear some different phrases and sounds from the Austro-Bavarian dialect. English is the second language in Austria’s school system, and Innsbruck itself is a tourist city, so English is also widely spoken.
...MoreNo trip here is complete without mountain action, and one of the top things to do in Innsbruck is to ride on the Nordkette cable car, which offers a 3-stage journey up Hafelekar Mountain. Hop off at Hungerburg to see Alpine Zoo Innsbruck, grab lunch with a view at Seegrube, and hit the Hafelekar heights for photos at 7,545 feet (2,300 meters).
...MoreYes. It is one of Austria’s most expensive cities, being a winter sports haven, trade hub, university town, and tourist destination. However, when compared with similar European alpine cities such as Salzburg or Geneva, Innsbruck is on the cheaper side for hotels and eating out.
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