Innsbruck can do something no other city in the Alps offers: getting from the pedestrian zone to a summit at 2,256 metres takes about twenty minutes – no car, just a funicular and two cable cars. The Nordkette range stands like a wall above the roofs of the Old Town, and it is precisely this side-by-side of baroque facades, coffee houses and Karwendel limestone that makes the Tyrolean capital the ideal weekend destination.
This guide is designed for 48 hours. The first day belongs to the Old Town and the Nordkette, the second to Bergisel, Ambras Castle and Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens. Added to that are winter and summer tips, a table of areas for choosing a hotel, getting there and a budget. You will find all accommodation on our destination page for Innsbruck.
Day 1, Morning: The Old Town from the Golden Roof to the Triumphal Arch
The Old Town is compact and easily covered on foot in two to three hours.
Golden Roof and City Tower
The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) is the city's landmark: a late Gothic ceremonial oriel that Emperor Maximilian I had built around 1500 so that he could watch tournaments on the square. Its 2,657 fire-gilded copper shingles shine most beautifully in the morning sun; the small museum behind it (approx. €5–6) tells the emperor's story. A few steps away, 133 steps lead up the fifteenth-century City Tower (approx. €5): from the platform you overlook the Old Town, the River Inn and the Nordkette.
Hofburg and Court Church with the Black Men
On Rennweg stands the Hofburg, the imperial palace that Maria Theresa had remodelled in rococo style; the Giants' Hall and the imperial apartments take just under an hour (approx. €10–12). More important is the neighbouring Court Church (Hofkirche) with the empty ceremonial tomb of Maximilian I, surrounded by 28 larger-than-life bronze figures, the "Schwarze Mander" or Black Men. They depict the emperor's ancestors and role models, including King Arthur after a design by Albrecht Dürer, and are considered the most important imperial tomb in Europe.
Maria-Theresien-Strasse and the Triumphal Arch
Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse flows seamlessly into Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the baroque boulevard with St Anne's Column of 1706 and many of the city's best coffee houses. At the southern end stands the Triumphal Arch (Triumphpforte), which Maria Theresa had built in 1765 for the wedding of her son Leopold. During the celebrations her husband Franz Stephan died unexpectedly, which is why the north side shows motifs of mourning and the south side wedding motifs.
A Tyrolean Lunch Break: Gröstl, Kaspressknödel, Kiachl
You do not need a reservation for a Jause (snack) in the Old Town. The classics: Tiroler Gröstl, pan-fried potatoes with beef, onions and a fried egg (approx. €14–18); Kaspressknödel, crisply fried cheese dumplings in soup or with sauerkraut (approx. €12–15); and Kiachl, yeast-dough rounds fried in lard, sweet with cranberries or savoury with sauerkraut, best from a market stall.
Alpengast tip: Work out whether the Innsbruck Card pays off. The 48-hour version costs approx. €70–75 and includes all public transport, the complete Nordkette cable cars (approx. €45–50 on their own), Bergisel, the Hofburg, the Court Church, Ambras Castle, the Sightseer bus and the Crystal Worlds including the shuttle.
Day 1, Afternoon: Up the Nordkette – from the City to 2,256 Metres in 20 Minutes
After lunch, head to the Congress valley station behind the Hofburg. Three lifts take you to the Hafelekar in about twenty minutes of travel time.
Hungerburgbahn: Zaha Hadid's Icebergs above the Inn
The funicular, opened in 2007, is a destination in itself. Its four stations, Congress, Löwenhaus, Alpenzoo and Hungerburg, were designed by Zaha Hadid; their white, curving glass roofs recall glacial forms. The line crosses the Inn on a cable-stayed bridge and reaches the Hungerburg at 860 metres in eight minutes.
Seegrube and Hafelekar
At the Hungerburg you change to the Seegrubenbahn, which glides up to the Seegrube at 1,905 metres: sun terrace, panorama restaurant, views across the whole city to the Stubai glaciers. The Hafelekarbahn ends at 2,256 metres; ten minutes on foot bring you to the Hafelekarspitze (2,334 m) with views into the Karwendel and onto the city far below. A return ticket from Congress costs approx. €45–50. Note the operating hours: depending on the season, the last Hafelekarbahn descends at around 5 pm, while the Hungerburgbahn runs late into the evening.
Alpengast tip: Only go all the way up in clear visibility. The Nordkettenbahnen webcams show conditions in real time; if clouds are clinging to the ridge, the Seegrube is the better choice.
Day 2: Bergisel, Ambras Castle and Swarovski Crystal Worlds
The second day takes you to the southern edge of the city and into the Inn valley. All three destinations can be reached by public transport; to see them all, start at Bergisel at 9 am.
Bergisel Ski Jump
The ski jump on the Bergisel hill in the Wilten district is Innsbruck's second Zaha Hadid building: the 50-metre tower, opened in 2002, replaced the Olympic jump of 1964 and 1976. An inclined lift takes you to the panorama café at the take-off point with views over the city and the Nordkette. Every year on 3 or 4 January the third event of the Four Hills Tournament takes place here. Admission approx. €11–12, daily from 9 am, tram 1 or 6 to Bergisel.
Ambras Castle
On a hill in the east of the city, Archduke Ferdinand II had Ambras Castle converted into a Renaissance residence in the sixteenth century for his commoner wife Philippine Welser. His Chamber of Art and Curiosities is the only cabinet of its kind still in its original location. Admission approx. €16 in summer, approx. €12 in winter, closed in November; get there by Sightseer bus or bus line C.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens
Around 20 kilometres to the east lies Wattens, the home of Swarovski. For the company's centenary in 1995 André Heller created the Crystal Worlds: a grass-covered giant guards the entrance, and behind him open chambers of wonder that various artists have designed in crystal. Admission approx. €23–25, daily 9 am to 7 pm. The shuttle runs several times a day from the main station (approx. 20 minutes).
Winter or Summer? Ski plus City, Innsbruck Trek and the Zirbenweg
Innsbruck works in both seasons but changes its character completely.
Winter: Skiing with a View of the City
The Ski plus City Pass Stubai Innsbruck covers 13 ski areas and most of the city's sights; two days cost approx. €150–170. The Nordkette, with the Hafelekarrinne, one of Europe's steepest runs at a 70 percent gradient, is a target for experts. Axamer Lizum, Olympic venue in 1964 and 1976, lies 20 kilometres to the south-west and offers around 40 kilometres of sunny pistes. The Patscherkofel above Igls is the local mountain with Klammer's legendary 1976 downhill, today a family area. Kühtai, 35 kilometres to the west, is Austria's highest ski village at 2,020 metres, and the Stubai Glacier allows skiing up to 3,210 metres from October to June. If you are looking for a classic ski village, combine the weekend with St. Anton am Arlberg or Kitzbühel, both a good hour away by Railjet.
Summer: Hiking from the Bus Stop
The most popular high-level trail is the Zirbenweg on the Patscherkofel: from the top station (bus J to Igls) it runs almost level at 2,000 metres through one of Europe's oldest stone pine forests to the Glungezerbahn, about seven kilometres and two and a half hours with views over the Inn valley. If you want more, book the Innsbruck Trek, a guided multi-day tour with luggage transport, staying overnight in Alpine huts and inns.
Where to Stay? Areas and Prices
Prices are per double room per night in the low season; at Christmas, during the Four Hills Tournament and in high summer they are considerably higher.
| Area | Character | Good for | Price per night (double room) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Altstadt) | Historic lanes, inns in old houses, lively in the evening, Hungerburgbahn within walking distance | First-time visitors, short distances | approx. €130–240 |
| Saggen | Quiet late-nineteenth-century quarter with villas and avenues east of the Hofburg | Peace seekers, families | approx. €100–170 |
| Wilten / Bergisel | Young university district south of the main station, bars and bakeries | Small budgets, rail travellers | approx. €90–160 |
| Hötting / Hungerburg | Sunny slope above the city, guesthouses with panoramic views, right by the Nordkette lifts | Views, hikers, skiers | approx. €110–200 |
| Igls | Village character at 900 metres, spa hotels, Patscherkofelbahn, tram 6 to the centre | Relaxation, wellness | approx. €120–220 |
If you arrive by train, the Old Town or Wilten are the best bases; for a weekend focused on the mountains, Hötting and Igls are the smarter addresses. Expect a local tax of approx. €3–4 per person per night, often not included in the room rate.
Getting There and Around: Main Station, Airport, IVB and Welcome Card
By Train
The main station lies ten minutes' walk south-east of the Old Town. The ÖBB Railjet runs hourly from Vienna main station and takes approx. 4 hours 15 minutes, from Salzburg approx. 1 hour 50 minutes; WESTbahn serves the same route several times a day, often at lower fares. From Munich you reach Innsbruck in approx. 1 hour 50 minutes. With a Klimaticket Österreich you travel by rail and on all Innsbruck public transport at no extra cost.
By Plane
Innsbruck Airport (INN) lies just four kilometres west of the centre. Bus line F takes you to the main station in around 20 minutes (approx. €3); a taxi costs approx. €15–20.
Public Transport in the City
Innsbruck's transport operator IVB serves every destination in this guide: trams 1 and 6 to Bergisel, tram 6 on to Igls, bus J to the Patscherkofelbahn, bus F to the airport, bus C to Ambras Castle. A single fare costs approx. €3, the 24-hour ticket approx. €6–7. From two nights onwards your accommodation gives you the Welcome Card free of charge: it covers public transport in Innsbruck and the holiday villages, guided hikes and discounts on cable cars.
Alpengast tip: Skip the hire car. The Old Town is pedestrianised, car parks cost approx. €20–30 per day, and every destination in this guide can be reached by train, bus, ski bus or shuttle.
Best Time to Visit and Budget
Seasons and Weather
From mid-November to 23 December six Christmas markets transform the city, above all the Old Town market in front of the Golden Roof and the market on the Hungerburg with its view of the illuminated city. January and February are high season for skiers, with the Four Hills Tournament as the highlight. May, June and September are the most pleasant city months, with clear views and moderate prices. July and August are warm, often above 30 degrees in the valley. November is the quiet low season with many cable cars closed. One peculiarity is the Föhn: the warm southerly wind brings sudden temperature jumps and crystal-clear long-distance views within hours – but also headaches.
What Does the Weekend Cost?
For two nights in a mid-range hotel or inn you will pay approx. €120–200 per person in a double room. Reckon on approx. €60–80 per day for food and drink. The 48-hour Innsbruck Card comes to approx. €70–75 and covers all the admissions and lifts in this guide. All in all, a weekend from Vienna or Munich comes to approx. €400–550 per person, in winter approx. €150 more with a ski pass.
Innsbruck rewards every hour and leaves you wanting more of Tyrol. You will find suitable accommodation, from an Old Town inn to a wellness hotel in Igls, in our hotel overview. The Alpengast editorial team wishes you a good trip – and clear views from the Hafelekar.
