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Capital of the Austrian Tyrol, Innsbruck is located in the heart of the Alps, in an absolutely fascinating environment. It offers the perfect blend of a dynamic, pleasant city with a rich historical and cultural past, and proximity to a superb mountain environment. Innsbruck is truly surprising, and we fell under its spell.

Things to do in Innsbruck

1 | The historic center and its Petit Toit d’Or

For our first visit to Innsbruck, we decided to take a stroll through the narrow streets of the historic center, a must for discovering all the most beautiful places the city has to offer. Even though Innsbruck isn’t very big, we could have spent hours walking through its picturesque, colorful alleys, looking for the most beautiful places to photograph. Between the pretty Maria-Theresien-Straße, the bustling Town Square, the famous Petit Toit d’Or and St. James’s Cathedral, Innsbruck’s old town is full of surprises not to be missed!

1.1 | Maria-Theresien-Strasse

Maria-Theresien-Strasse is the main shopping and tourist avenue linking the Arc de Triomphe to St. Anne’s Column in the heart of the old town. It’s a great opportunity to admire the beautiful, colorful Baroque facades on this entirely pedestrianized thoroughfare. From Maria-Theresien-Strasse to the north, you can see the Nordkette peaks towering over the Little Golden Roof. This is one of the must-sees when visiting Innsbruck.

1.2 | The Little Golden Roof

The Petit Toit d’Or is a Gothic-style balcony made of 2657 gold-plated copper shingles. Backing onto the former ducal palace, the balcony was commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I in 1500. It has since become the city’s most emblematic landmark. The balcony’s façade is richly decorated with reliefs representing the coats of arms of Emperor Maximilian’s eight countries.

1.3 | The colorful streets of the historic center

1.4 | Saint-Jacques Cathedral

This magnificent Baroque cathedral, part of the Route of Santiago de Compostela, boasts superb frescoes and several works of art. Visits to the cathedral are free of charge, but you will have to pay €1 to take photos.

1.5 | Walk to the Inn River

2 | The Court Church: Hofkirche

The Hofkirche is a Gothic church housing the tomb of Maximilian I, surrounded by twenty-eight bronze statues of his ancestors. For the record, Maximilian’s remains are buried in Wiener Neustadt, but the church walls and foundations were not strong enough to support the weight of the statues.

Information: Entrance to the Cour Church is via the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum. Visits are open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for Innsbruck Card holders. Price excluding Privilege Card: €7.00 per person.

3 | Imperial Hofburg Palace and garden

4 | Swarovski Crystal Worlds

Swarovski Crystal Worlds is a museum opened to mark the centenary of the famous Swarovski crystal company. International artists have brought crystal to life in 14 different pieces. The museum is located in Wattens, 19 km from Innsbruck. Of course, there’s also a large store selling Swarovski jewelry, figurines and accessories.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and understood why it is, quite rightly, one of Austria’s most popular tourist attractions and a must-see in Tyrol!

You can stroll through the large garden, whose main attraction is the Crystal Cloud floating above the Water Mirror.

Rates/schedules: €19, open daily from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Where to stay in Innsbruck?

We booked a small apartment in this complex just outside Innsbruck. The hotel is perched high up in the mountains and the setting is very pleasant. Here’s the booking link: Nattererboden

Thanks for reading !

Mylène