Innsbruck is renowned as a winter sports destination, hosting the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics as well as the 1984 Winter Paralympics, and the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Surrounded by mountains, this nation has produced the great skier Franz Weber, ski jumper Andreas Kofler and mountaineer Hermann Buhl. Innsbruck is also the home of the Olympic ski jump designed by Zaha Hadid which is over 47 metres high.
Sitting on the tremble bank at the Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, where they held the 1976 Winter Olympics, really helped me to put life into perspective. I have always suffered from crippling vertigo and anxiety, and for one reason or another, my nerves were on edge when I visited the Ski Jump. But there is nothing like conquering a fear than facing it head-on. This is what I did when we visited the ski jumping arena.
There are no words to describe the exhilaration I felt when I sat there, overlooking Innsbruck. I was in awe of the great ski jumpers as I watched them fly off. While at the top of the ski jump, I got a reply text from 1988 Olympic star Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards, which set excitement among the group and the ski instructors. It was a surreal moment to be ‘on Eddie’s skis’, as it were, standing on the top of that ski jump, seeing the same view he had seen countless times while representing Great Britain for the very first and only time 12 years later at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. I had to pinch myself to prove I wasn’t dreaming.
It also helped release my anxiety so I could enjoy the moment to its full capacity. Instances like this are what it means to be alive. It takes great self-belief and resilience to be a ski jumper, as Eddie proved. When you step outside your comfort zone, embrace life, and face your fear, you adopt a growth mindset. When you focus your mind on something so precise and block out the voices of those who say you can’t, you feel invincible. Of course, I didn’t jump myself, but below me I watched professional athletes take the plunge and later I spoke to them to get inside their minds. By the time I had left the stadium, I had conquered my own demons and it was an empowering moment.
A bird’s eye view
There are many ways to enjoy a sky-high view of the city. Innsbruck is surrounded by mountains and with every hotel stay at a partner establishment, you receive a welcome card that allows access to all the mountain trails and various sporting activities. Innsbruck has an exceptional public transport system, including regular buses and trams, and even cable cars are on hand to help guests easily navigate the city and surrounding regions.
The Innsbruck Welcome Card is issued for two or more nights at a partner establishment for the Welcome Card, while three or more nights gets you the Welcome Card plus, which both continue this benefit of connectivity, unlocking discounts to sights and attractions across the region, including a free guided programme, and free public transport.
From the centre, funiculars and cable cars whisk you up to slopes in minutes for high-altitude hiking, mountain biking and, in winter, skiing. Visitors can take the Hungerburgbahn funicular up to Hermann-Buhl-Platz square and then the Nordkettenbahnen cable car to Seegrube before hiking the Panorama Trail, an easy walk that can be completed in 30 minutes.
The third cable car, from Seegrube to Hafelekar, takes you as high as you can go (2,300 metres). From here, you get panoramic views of the Alps with the wind rippling in your hair. Restaurant Seegrube provides picnic rucksack so you can hike right up to the summit. Standing on top of a mountain was another opportunity to frame my thoughts and realise there are bigger things out there than ourselves and our own problems in life.
Two stops down is the Alpenzoo, at 750m high which is home to 2,000 animals, and 150 species. The Top of Innsbruck Welcome Card Plus includes the ride to the Hafelekar and Alpenzoo as well as the admission fee to the zoo. There are over 150 species of animals including a pack of wolves and various birds of prey, including a golden eagle called Donna, who sat perched above visitors pluming her feathers, before making a fabulous swoop down for her dinner. I also arrived just in time for feeding time for the grizzly bear who devoured the meat that was offered it, and some carrion crows joined in, and it then roared and reared up for a picture-perfect moment.
To the Mother Mountain
Further afield in Muttereralm, (Mother Mountain), one can enjoy mountain go-karting down a five-kilometre track from the top of the mountain to the bottom. These simple vehicles are propelled only by gravity, and you only need to apply the brakes to stop and keep moving to avoid other road hogs as you travel down the mountain. Some speed down like Lewis Hamilton, while others go more cautiously. It was a roller-coaster experience and we made it down into the valley as a team with a lot of laughs along the way.
Cyclists and bikers of all abilities can enjoy the hills and trails around the city. Innsbruck is also home to Europe’s toughest single track, the Single trail, which is recommended for expert mountain bikers with full protective equipment. Meanwhile, the Inn Valley Cycle Route is a pleasant all-ability trail for children and older riders, as well as being one of the longest cycle paths in Europe, which covers the entirety of Tyrol from east to west and includes the Crankworx World Tour Mountain biking festival in June. The Bikepark Innsbruck offers a range of jumps, obstacles, steep curves, and rough tracks in the western villages, including the Muttereralm Trail and the Götzner Trail.
For younger ones, the practice site at the children’s area even includes a conveyor belt to take riders back to the top for a fresh start. There is also the WUB-Halle Innsbruck, an indoor BMX centre offering a variety of handrails, stairs sets and wallrides to bikers and skaters.
Kletterzentrum Innsbruck is the place to go, for those interested in climbing. It’s one of the world’s most modern and largest climbing centres. Then there are adventure sports such as paragliding, rafting and canyoning, and a wide range of options for climbers. Golf courses are found throughout the region with astounding views, while locations surrounding the city can be explored with the Innsbruck Welcome Card’s great free service, the official Innsbruck hiking guided tours programme.
You can also see some of the Innsbruck region’s stunning natural lakes which are great for outdoor swimming. There’s Lake Lans, (Lanser See), Natters Lake, (Nattersee), and Lake Mieming (Mieminger Badesee).
One of the primary reasons for visiting the Alps is wellness and for hikers there are plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs. Take a two-and-a-half-hour trek across from Patscherkofel to Tulfeinalm along the Zirbenweg trail, where you can see the city below as you are surrounded by cows. The Swiss stone pine is known for its soothing and calming effects; it is therefore hardly surprising that the people of Tyrol like to use its wood in their bedrooms and living rooms. Alternatively, you can have a potter around at the top, enjoy some delicious food and then take the cable cars down and a bus back to the centre.
Back in the city, it is easy to get around by foot. Aldstradt, the old town, is very scenic and picturesque. You really feel the village vibe in this cosmopolitan but ancient city, with amazing shopping opportunities and historic sightseeing attractions. You can stop for a refreshing pint in the legendary Hard Rock Café, where you can view artifacts donated by Elton John, (a piano) Oasis (signed pictures), Lady Gaga (jacket), Madonna’s bustier and more. You can also enjoy a delicious Apfelstrudl at Strudelcafe Kröll or a coffee in one of the many street cafés.
Where to stay: Stage 12 Hotel
Base yourself at the uber-trendy, luxury Stage 12 Hotel in the heart of the Altstadt. Close to the Hard Rock Café, this contemporary property fuses the old and the new, in the sense that you enter from the main Altstadt and old town via a vaulted tunnel into the garden courtyard, where giant colour-changing plant pots shaped like heads light up at night, then into the glass-walled reception area where you’ll find abstract art such as a chair shaped like a hand in the style of Pedro Friedeberg. In the corner of the lobby is a giraffe holding a chandelier. The welcome mat says ‘One step away from love’.
The rooms upstairs are spacious with 13 categories, and in the double room you’ll find a crushed velvet window seat for soundproofing that keeps noise to a minimum. The colour scheme is neutral with lampshades that are embellished with hummingbirds and you have ‘mountain view’ and hummingbird-etched soft furnishings. The bed is wide and comfy and the bathrooms are generous with large, deep baths and a waterfall shower as well as Lalique amenities.
The restaurant and living space are light and airy and minimalist with white walls, solid oak parquet floors and fine linens dressing the tables, as well as orbs filled with plants on the tables. The breakfasts are legendary. You can choose from exotic fresh fruit, salmon and squid to continental meats, cheeses, and cereal. There’s even bacon, sausage and eggs for those missing their full English, as well as coffee, tea and juices.
There’s a fitness room and a spa lit by Moroccan-style lanterns on the sixth floor, with a hammam, sauna and steam room overlooking the mountains, and a bar that serves inventive cocktails such as an art deco-style rum punch that can be enjoyed al fresco in the hotel’s garden.
This hotel is one of the modern aspects of this Imperial city, which is so fascinating as old and new are weaved into a charming visual tapestry. Pastel-painted Renaissance architecture sits alongside an urban vibe.
Exploring the old town
You’ll find the shops, restaurants and pavement cafés of Maria Theresien Straße (or Strasse) right on the doorstep, and you’re a five-minute walk from the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) – a Gothic oriel with almost 3,000 tiles gleaming in the sunshine. This is in the heart of the city’s historic district and a symbol of the city built for Emperor Maximilian I (1459 – 1519) with the late Gothic Bay built on the occasion of his wedding day. The Hapsburg Imperial Palace is impressive with high ceilings and gilded rooms with oil paintings of ancestors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The City Tower also traces its origin back to 1450.
Then there’s David Chipperfield’s Kaufhaus Tyrol shopping mall, and Dominique Perrault’s Rathausgalerien shopping mall – both offering stunning design, as well as a rich mix of retail opportunities, as well as Hofkirche Court Church, the Hofburg Imperial Palace and Ambras Castle. Your Welcome Card gets you entrance into the Imperial Palace from where Emperor Maximillian ruled. There are statues of all the dynastic and battle heroes, including King Arthur.
The unique Innsbruck Promenade Concerts take place in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace, as famous orchestras from different nations come together for one month for a series of open-air concerts performed by international orchestras and brass bands. Stroll down to the River Inn, you can enjoy a splendid view of coloured houses which look just like the ones in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull before an afternoon exploring the farmers market full of freshly cut flowers, spices and fresh fruit and vegetables.
On the way home, make a stop at the Strudelcafé Kröll for an apple strudel and people-watch. Innsbruck is a city growing in recognition for its cuisine, which combines local, national and international influences. The production of Schnapps is also a well-regarded element of the city’s food and drink culture. Farmers on the outskirts of the city grow the produce to carefully blend into this drink, which captures the unique aroma and natural scent of sun-ripened fruits from the region. Visitors can enjoy the coffeehouse experience in a string of delightful cafes across the city.
Eating out
For traditional Austrian food, the Restaurant Weißes Rössl is wonderful. Start with a delicious Flammekueche, which is a local delicacy of flatbread topped with Prosciutto ham and chillies, and one of the best schnitzels in town, washed down with Austrian wine and aperitifs.
For a more modern experience, the restaurant Weitsicht in Adlers Hotel, on the Brunecker straße, is fabulous. It commands a bird’s eye view of the ski jump and delicious dishes with an international twist. For starters the sweet potato soup with raspberries is highly recommended, followed by the butter beef and a warm glass of Merlot.
The Italian food at restaurant AUIs, at Museumstraße is divine. Enjoy a hearty spaghetti carbonara, ‘just like mamma used to make’, and Italian wine. After all, you aren’t too far from the border of Italy.
Das Brahms on the Universitätsstraße, known as Haus der Musik, is an excellent choice for dinner for another al fresco meal overlooking the Imperial Palace. This featured a beef carpaccio followed by a delicious mango and prawn melody, which was pure art on a plate.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds
For a trip into the realms of fantasy, visit Swarovski Crystal Worlds. A giant is carved into the landscape, guarding 18 Chambers of Wonders filled with artworks and installations by famous artists such as Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali. Step inside a simulated crystal and into a sparkly world that ignites the imagination. The old-world glamour of Hollywood is reimagined in the Art of Performance chamber, where you can view Marilyn Monroe’s dress adorned with Swarovski crystals.
In the garden, you’ll find a fairy-tale scene with cotton candy clouds and a sparkling lake with a crystal chandelier. During my visit, the Roncalli Cirus-Theatre was at the Crystal Worlds, and we were entertained by Marcus and Lena who are both skilful performers. And then there’s the monochrome carousel.
Daniel Swarovski, who founded his crystal-cutting company in Wattens, Tyrol, in 1895, had a vision from the very outset – to view crystal not merely as a material, but as an inspiration. With this vision in mind, Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal World) was opened in 1995 for the 100th anniversary of Swarovski as an homage to customers and fans of crystal.
In a nutshell
Summertime in the Alps is magical, and Innsbruck is a place like no other. It is a practical place that also merges history, fantasy and make-believe with wholesome opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy spectacular shopping. With regular flights direct from Gatwick, you can be in the city within two hours.
Factbox
There are regular flights to Innsbruck from major UK airports with airlines including Jet 2 and Easyjet.
For more information on the featured accommodation visit stage12.at
