Kurt Reindl, Innsbruck Food Tours: booking@innsbruckfoodtours.at

Ernst Gundolf, Tirolean Evening: office@tirolerabend.info

Andreas Reiter, Innsbruck Tourist Office: a.reiter@innsbruck.info

Karin Zingerle, Nordkette: k.zingerle@nordkette.com

David Zipperle, Swarovski Crystal Worlds: david.zipperle@swarovski.com 

 

• Hotel Goldener Adler****: One of the oldest hotel in town, dating back to 1390
• Hotel Grauer Bär****: Features a rooftop pool and spa
• Adlers Design Hotel: Best rooftop bar in town
• Nala Boutique Hotel: Every room has its own unique design
• stage12 hotel****: Modern hotel right on Maria Theresien Street
• Hotel Innsbruck****: Right in the heart of the Old Town

More accommodation can be found HERE. 

• Das Schindler: Gault Millau-awarded restaurant in the heart of the city
• Weisses Rössl: High-quality Tirolean food with a long tradition since 1590
• Bierstindl: Traditional inn located near Bergisel Ski Jump
• Die Wilderin: Small Michelin-awarded restaurant, uses only regional ingredients
• Lichtblick: boasts 360-degree views of surrounding mountains and colourful buildings
• Ottoburg: the oldest building in town and a former medieval defence tower, now culinary hotspot

More suggestions can be found HERE. 

• www.tui-incoming.at 
• www.eurotours.at
• Innsbruck group reservation service
• www.denztravel.com

Download a PDF version of the itinerary HERE and add it to your clients' travel documents. 

Day 1

Morning

Pick up your Innsbruck Card, which gets you access to sights, cable cars, and public transport, then head to Innsbruck’s most famous landmark, the Golden Roof. It was built for the wedding of Emperor Maximilian I to Bianca Maria Sforza and comprises 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles. Just behind, find the Cathedral of St. James. The opulent Baroque cathedral holds the tomb of Emperor Maximilian III, the great-great-grandson of Maximilian I.

Walk along Hofgasse to the Imperial Palace, stretched out against the Nordkette mountain range with a bright Baroque facade. During the 15th century, it served as the official seat of the Habsburg Empire. Take a guided tour of the state rooms, banquet hall, Imperial apartments, and tower.

Hop next door for a look at Innsbruck’s Imperial Court Church, which was meant to be the final resting place of Emperor Maximilian I. His elaborate tomb sits empty (Maximilian’s remains lie near Vienna), but 28 larger-than-life bronze statues of historical figures (called “Schwarzmander”) still watch over the cenotaph.

Lunch 

Take your lunch at an altitude of 1,905 m by going up Nordkette mountain range! Simply hop on the cable car down in the Old Town and get off at Seegrube station, where a panoramic restaurant waits for you. The menu is packed with Austrian classics like cheese dumplings and of course a classic Schnitzel!

Afternoon

Those who can’t get enough of mountain views should board the Hafelekarbahn cable car and continue on to 2,256 m. The mountain summit is just a 10-15 minute easy hike away and gets you the best-possible panorama over Innsbruck. Snap a photo of the summit cross before making your descent down the mountain to the Alpine Zoo stop.

Innsbruck has one of the highest-elevation zoos in Europe: the Alpenzoo nestles against the Nordkette mountains and offers refuge to endangered species in the area. Visit 2,000 animals, including ibex, marmots, bison, lynx, snow hare, bears, wolves, and even Alpine snakes and lizards.

Dinner

Restaurant Das Schindler has a modern dining room with black chandeliers and a colourfully-lit bar. The food is equally flashy with menu items like braised veal and suckling pig dim sum. Order à la carte, or commit to a 3, 4, or 5-course menu.

Late Evening

Innsbruck’s Court Theatre used to entertain Archduke Ferdinand Karl and his guests – today, you can attend concerts, dance performances, stage plays, and other cultural events in the heart of Innsbruck. Head over to the neoclassical theatre building opposite the Imperial Palace for a night worthy of archdukes and emperors.

 

Day 2 

Morning 

Pastries, cakes, and oven-fresh bread line the vitrines at Cafe Munding. Tirol’s oldest café cooks up a sweet or savoury breakfast inside a charming Medieval mansion. After loading up on food and coffee, it’s time to head to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds shuttle bus, which is included with your Innsbruck card. The bus takes you to the crystal maker's iconic headquarters in nearby Wattens, where a glittering world of art sprawls across 18 acres of land. Discover 17 "Chambers of Wonder," which are organised like a museum of crystal-inspired art and located next to a decorative pond.

Lunch

You can either opt for an exclusive lunch at Daniels, Swarovski's in-house gourmet eatery, or make your way to 1809 at Bergisel Ski Jump Tower. This glass-enclosed spot is perfect for travellers who appreciate a dramatic setting as well as a killer "Tiroler Gröstl".

Afternoon

Continue towards the Bergisel Ski Jump, a sleek metal tower that pokes out of the forest. Designed in the early 2000s by Zaha Hadid, it hosts some of the world’s elite ski jumpers for training and competitions. Between May and October, Wednesday through Monday, you can watch ski jumpers soar. Take the lift to the top to experience a ski jumper's viewpoint right before the jump.

Visit the Tirol Panorama Museum, home to one of the few remaining 19th-century panoramic paintings showcasing Tirol's struggle for freedom. It was here that fierce military battles were fought between the Tiroleans and Bavarians. Then, head to the Grassmayr Bell Foundry, Austria’s oldest family business (dating back to 1599!). Their bells can be heard in over 100 countries – and it all starts in the man-sized casts at their Innsbruck foundry.

Dinner

Innsbruck is all about local food – especially when it comes to meats and produce. Restaurant Die Wilderin takes this philosophy to the next level by sourcing produce almost entirely from nearby farms for a highly seasonal menu.

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