Memorable Self Guided Walking Tour of Innsbruck, Austria

Vasudevan R

4 years ago

Walking Tour of Innsbruck, Austria. Self guided Innbsruck Walking tour

It was the cusp of Autumn. A couple of leaves of some trees here and there had starting changing colours. This was undeniably the best time to visit this Tyorlean capital. Only a few weeks back Innsbruck found its way into our schedule in deference to suggestions by both personal and social media friends. As usual we began with a self guided walking tour of Innsbruck and we strongly recommend starting with it as part of things to do in Innsbruck.

This article has been republished with updated content
First published on – 21-Aug-2020

Memorable Self Guided Walking Tour of Innsbruck, Austria 45

Memorable Self Guided Walking Tour of Innsbruck, Austria 46

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Walking Tour of Innsbruck

We began the Innsbruck introduction walking tour from Innsbruck Tourism office. Why? There were a lot of tourism related books, information booklets, maps and also staff available to help plan our day and is located at the city centre. One could also buy souvenirs at reasonable rates here.

History of Innsbruck in short

The name Innsbruck means Bridge on the river Inn and is derived from the original Latin name (Yes, Romans were here before and so were Stone Age people), Oeni Pontum, meaning Oenus (Roman name for Inn) Bridge. Innsbruck was always in the hub of things because of the bridge, a major connection for trade and communication between the North and the South.

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Our guide informed us that the city’s coat of arms is the aerial view of this famous bridge and has been so for almost 800 years.

Statue of Maximilian I at his cenotaph, inside the Court Church, in old city of Innsbruck. He seems to ask for forgiveness on his knees with folded hands. Innsbruck

Major boost to its economic and social activities began with the arrival of Maximilian I, in the second half of 15^th century, the ruler who made Austro Hungarian Empire and the house of Habsburg possible. He also built the beautiful building with an incredible roof made of golden shingles, which exist to this dazzling the tourists further.

Innsbruck became the capital of Tyrol first and then became the heart of European culture, economics and politics under Maximilian I.

One more thing, many buildings are more than 500 years old in the old city.

Rest as they say is history!

Goldenes Dachl or the Golden Roof Innsbruck

Let’s start with the landmark of Innsbruck, the Goldenes Dachl or the Golden Roof, built by Kaiser Maximilian I. This was a unique structure with a roof made of gold-plated shingles was built so that it would be visible from afar and also as a mark of affluence of the Kingdom but primarily to mark his wedding to his second wife Bianca Maria Sforza.

The façade is very well decorated with murals and paintings of various members of the royalty, courtiers including the court jester, and 8 coats-of-arms of all the areas ruled by Maximilian I.

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Imperial palace and garden

A quick detour and in & out of a tunnel full of souvenir shops will get us to the Imperial Hofburg Palace. It is almost as important as the Hofburg Palace in Vienna and was built around 1460 CE or so. This impressive structure now houses several museums. As this was just a walking tour of Innsbruck we had to wait for another day to enter the museums.

Souvenir shop proudly displaying the fact that all items are Austrian.

Location perspective, Innsbruck. On the right red wall is of Kongress. Next to that is the Imperial Palace Hofburg. The spire straight ahead is of Hofkirche or Court Church. The Imperial Garden is on the left side.

Next to Hofburg palace is the Court Church or Hofkirche which also serves as an elaborate cenotaph for Maximilian I with a hall full of larger than life statues of 28 popular kings and queens of till that time including King Arthur! This was planned by Maximilian himself when he was alive but constructed by his grandson. After the walking tour in Innsbruck, we went in and spent more than an hour inside. It is also home to Tyrolean Folk Arts Museum.

Just opposite the Hofburg is the Imperial garden or the Hofgarten spread over 10 hectares. There are fountains, stunning landscape, a sunbathing section and children’s section too. The credit for this garden goes to none other than Empress Maria Theresa. It is said that the garden was originally built as a playground for her children! Yes sir, you are in her kingdom now. And we will hear more of her.

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St. James Cathedral or The Innsbruck Cathedral

A lane by the side of Goldenes Dachl got us to the new St James Cathedral. Comparatively this is quite new but still more than 300 years old and it was built on the site of an 800-year-old church also dedicated to St James. The works of art inside the Cathedral is very beautiful and you need to drop a one Euro coin if you plan to click pictures but it is more than worth it. Wait for noon time for the bells, weighing a total of over 4 tonnes, to peal.

St James Cathedral at Domplatz, Innsbruck tour of old city

A view of St James Church from the top of City Tower.

Stadtturm or the City Tower

This was a manned watchtower to alert people and the King of any impending danger from enemies, fire or weather. It is older than Goldenes Dachl by a few decades. The lookout gallery offers a 360-degree sweeping view of the Old city of Innsbruck, with most of the building maintaining their antiquity, and the new.

A view of 133 steps at City Tower or Stadturm, Innsbruck.

As per our guide there was a tower warden staying under the cupola which was her home, till as recent as 1960s!

Helbling House

Right opposite to the City tower lies the extravagantly decorated Helbling house. No marks for guess the year of construction. It is 15^th century. However, the current levels of decorations were carried out in early 18^th century. It looks like one of those elaborate cakes!

We could not gather any more information from the guide than that it used to belong a wealthy merchant but was named after a Café owner, Sebastian Helbling.

Goldener Adler (Golden eagle) Inn

This is perhaps one of the oldest hotels in Innsbruck, probably also in Europe. Operating since late 14^th century. The claim to fame is that any one who was someone has stayed here during their visit to Innsbruck.

Gasthof Goldener Adler , the Golden Eagle guesthouse, one of the oldest hotels in Innsbruck.

Click here to book the historic Hotel Gasthof Goldener Adler in Innsbruck

There is a board which highlights visits by Mozart, Maria Von Trapp (Sound of Music fame), Jean Paul Sartre and many members of European Royalty.

Girls’ School by Maria Theresa

We were following the guide like an automaton, when she suddenly opened a door on the side of the street and entered, beckoning us to do so. From the outside it was looking very clean and beautiful but inside it was a wooden structure of multiple floors which was dingy but appeared solid.

Originally a Girls’ school started by Maria Theresa. Now unused waiting for renovation and re-purposing. Innsbruck.

As part of Maria Theresa’s education reforms all over Austria, she also built a girls’ school right here. At this point of time nothing was here and it was conjectured that it will be redeveloped into something modern. Maybe shops?

More Gorgeous Buildings

There are several other interesting buildings close by which are almost as old and historically relevant too like the Claudiana Palace, Ottoburg, Kolbernturm, Hospital Church on Maria Theresa Street and many more. We are sharing the pictures here for you to appreciate.

Originally a church built in 1700s. Later the Innsbruck hospital was shifted here hence it is called Spitalkirche or Hospital Church. To protect the citizens from infection this was built outside the old town.

Location Perspective. On the right is the old court building with Golden Dachl (hidden). In the centre Helbling Palace. At the far end of the lane is Ottoburg Palace and somewhere in between is the Golden Eagle (Goldener Adler) hotel. Innsbruck

Inn Riverfront and Marktplatz (Market square)

After crossing the Ottoburg palace, we were at the Inn River front and got the spectacular view of the Alps, up close. We spent a lot of time enjoying this part of Alps called the Nordekette range that rose to an impressive 2600 metres. Soon we were on the very bridge that gave this city its name, Innsbruck. We wondered how many times this bridge would have been destroyed and rebuilt!

Colorful Houses of Mariahilf Quarters on the North Bank of Inn river. A view from Marktplatz, Innsbruck

**Night view of Colored houses of Mariahilf Quarters on the North Bank of Inn river. A view from Marktplatz, Innsbruck**

***Mariahilf*** **Colored houses and the Inn Bridge (Inn Brucke), Innsbruck**

A short walk on the south bank brought us to the Marktplatz. From here there is a beautiful view of colourful townhouses of the North bank. What was once an open-air farmer’s market is now full of restaurants having river view tables. The original market is now shifted indoors into Markthalle which now sells fruits, vegetables, meats etc.

If you like your fish then this is the place to eat in Innsbruck!

Maria Theresa Street and St. Anne’s Column (Annasäule)

At the border of the old town is the new town which has one long street named after Maria Theresa. This is a pedestrian only street with lots of old statues, buildings and restaurants. At about 100M from the beginning of the street is the St. Anne’s Column, the statue on top looking in the direction of the old town and the mountains behind. It was erected as a victory monument when Tyrol was freed from Bavarian troops.

St Annes column at Maria Theresa Street.

**Market view at Maria Theresa Street. St Mary on top St Anne Column or Annasäule looking protectively at old town, Innsbruck (Altestadt)**

However, the statue on the top is of St. Mary. It got its name because it was commemorated on St. Anne’s day.

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Triumphpforte or the Triumphal Arch

A nice walk of about 10-15 minutes on Maria Theresa Street brought us to very end of the street and to the Triumphal Arch (the name reminded us of Paris, somehow 😊 😊).

It has a happy and a sad occasion attached to it all in a span of few days. Maria Theresa built this on the occasion of the marriage of her son, who would later be the Emperor Leopold II. The Arch has bas relief of all the family members including the bride, the Spanish princess. However, during multi-day celebrations Maria’s husband, Francis Stephen died which completely shattered Maria Theresa and it is said she was never the same again.

A motif was later engraved on the other side of the Arch in memory of Francis Stephen.

This brings us to the end of the amazing walking tour of Innsbruck.

Tips on walking tour of Innsbruck

Free walking tour Innsbruck is free with 24H, 48H or 72H Innsbruck card. There are two tours to choose from. Not everything written here is covered in their walking tour of Innsbruck. We had explored on our own too and those have been added above. That’s the advantage of self guided tours.
You could buy Innsbruck cards which, apart from the free local transportation, gives you free entries to museums and attractions.
We did!
If you plan to climb the 133 steps to the top of city tower, then do it just before sunset. It gives super views and you can stay till lights come on which illuminates Goldenes Dachl (Golden roof) and other buildings in the vicinity.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, and bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a water bottle.
Check the weather forecast and plan your walk accordingly. Innsbruck can have unpredictable weather, especially in the mountains, so be prepared for changes in temperature and precipitation.
Use public transportation or rent a bike to get around the city and the outskirts. Innsbruck has a good network of buses, trams, and trains that are cheap and convenient. You can also rent a bike from one of the many bike stations and enjoy the bike paths and lanes.
Visit the Innsbruck Tourism office or the website for more information, maps, brochures, and advice. The staff are friendly and helpful, and can assist you with any questions or issues.

Where to Stay in Innsbruck

Although it is not be a big city, Innsbruck offers a wide range of accommodation to its visitors, suitable for all pockets.

We stayed at the excellent Hotel Sailer right opposite Innsbruck railway station

For other hotel options to suit every pocket in Innsbruck, Click here

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Useful Information about the Walking Tour of Innsbruck

Where to Stay?

Although it is not a big city, Innsbruck offers wide range of accommodation to its visitors, suitable to all pockets.

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Innsbruck to suit all pockets

How to get around in Innsbruck?

Buy Innsbruck Card valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours. All public transport is included during the period of validity and also gives free access to several premium attractions. More about Innsbruck cards here.

What to buy in Innsbruck?

* The internationally acclaimed Swarowski Crystal products are available at their show room near Golden Roof and one can also buy them at the Museum Shop at Swarowski Crystal World, Wattens.
* Innsbruck souvenirs may be bought at the market near Golden Roof. The prices are reasonable.
* Tyrolean Honey may be bought at the riverside Markthalle.
* Don’t forget to pickup a bottle of Schnapps, a fruity alcohol.

How to get to Innsbruck?

By Air. Innsbruck Kranebitten Airport is well connected within Europe and is just 5KM from the city centre. Click here to book flight tickets.

By Train. Innsbruck Railway station is right in the middle of the city and is located just 1KM from the old city. There are direct trains to and from most major cities of Austria and Germany too. We had the 1st Class Eurail pass which made our travel very comfortable. Munich to Innsbruck is easier than Vienna to Innsbruck or even Salzburg to Innsbruck, by train. OBB Austria or other European Railways serve Innsbruck.

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By Bus. One can also use the network of several European bus services. They are comfortable if the distance is not too large. Our own preference is Flix bus. Click here to explore the options on Flix bus.
By Road. European road network is one of the best and is a pleasurable driving experience.
Distance between Vienna to Innsbruck is 477 KM
Distance between Munich to Innsbruck is just 160 KM

What is the weather like in Innsbruck?

The annual temperature ranges between -4 degrees Celsius (lowest in January) to a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius in Summer.

Innsbruck gets about 110 cm of Snowfall every year.

FAQ on Walking tour of Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria

What is the best time to visit Innsbruck?

Innsbruck is a year-round destination, with different attractions and activities for every season. However, the most popular time to visit is in the autumn, when the leaves change color and the weather is mild and sunny. In winters there are real and artificial slopes for ski-ing.

How long does it take to walk around Innsbruck?

The old town is fairy compact and can be explored in an hour or two. This walking tour took us about 2 hours.

What are some of the best walks and hikes around Innsbruck?

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned trekker, Innsbruck has the perfect walks and hikes for everyone. Discover the Perspectives Trail for a gentle stroll with breathtaking views of the Nordkette, or venture into the wild at Sill Gorge, a romantic canyon near Bergisel Ski Jump. Enjoy panoramic vistas of the city and the Alps on the circular Panoramarunde, or elevate your adventure on the high-altitude Zirbenweg through ancient pine forests. For a protected nature retreat, don’t miss the Karwendel Alpine Park, home to diverse flora and fauna. Embark on unforgettable journeys surrounded by Innsbruck’s natural wonders

What are some of the best places to eat and drink in Innsbruck?

Innsbruck has a variety of places to eat and drink, from traditional Tyrolean restaurants to international cuisines, from cozy cafes to lively bars. Some of the best places to eat and drink in Innsbruck are:
Stiftskeller, a historic restaurant that serves authentic Tyrolean dishes and local wines in a rustic atmosphere.
Café Sacher, a elegant cafe that offers the famous Sacher cake (Sacher Torte), a chocolate cake with apricot jam, and other pastries and coffee specialties.
Machete, a hip and trendy burrito bar that offers fresh and tasty Mexican food and drinks.
360°, a rooftop bar that offers panoramic views of the city and the mountains, and a selection of cocktails and snacks.
Moustache, a popular and cozy pub that offers a variety of beers, wines, and spirits, and live music and events.

What are some of the best souvenirs to buy in Innsbruck?

If you want to bring home a piece of Innsbruck, you can find many souvenirs and gifts in the shops and markets of the city. Some of the best souvenirs to buy in Innsbruck are:
Swarovski crystals, the famous sparkling jewels that are made in Tyrol and have a museum and a shop in Innsbruck.
Tiroler Speck, the smoked and cured ham that is a specialty of Tyrol and can be found in many delicatessens and supermarkets.
Schnapps, the distilled fruit brandy that is a popular drink in Tyrol and comes in many flavors and varieties.
Edelweiss, the white flower that is a symbol of the Alps and can be found on many products, such as jewelry, clothing, and chocolates.
Mozartkugeln, the round chocolate balls that are filled with marzipan and nougat and are named after the famous composer.

What are some of the best events and festivals in Innsbruck?

Innsbruck hosts many events and festivals throughout the year, celebrating its culture, history, and traditions. Some of the best events and festivals in Innsbruck are:
New Year’s Eve, when the city turns into a giant party with fireworks, music, and entertainment.
Innsbruck Festival of Early Music, when the city showcases its musical heritage with concerts, workshops, and exhibitions of classical and baroque music.
Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival, when the city welcomes runners and hikers of all levels to participate in various races and trails in the mountains.
Innsbruck Film Festival, when the city screens a selection of independent and international films in various venues and cinemas.
Innsbruck Christmas Markets, when the city transforms into a winter wonderland with festive stalls, lights, and decorations.

Is Innsbruck a walkable city?

Yes, Innsbruck is considered a walkable city. Its compact city center makes it easy to explore on foot. Many of the main attractions, shops, and restaurants are within walking distance from each other. The Old Town (Altstadt) is particularly pedestrian-friendly, with its narrow, cobblestone streets and historic buildings.
Additionally, there are plenty of parks and walking paths along the Inn River, providing scenic routes for pedestrians.
Public transportation is also well-developed, making it easy to reach areas that might be a bit further away.

Is Innsbruck a day trip?

Innsbruck can definitely be enjoyed as a day trip, especially if you focus on the main attractions and highlights. Here’s a possible itinerary for a day trip:
Morning
Old Town (Altstadt): Start with a walk through the historic center. Visit the Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl), a famous landmark, and admire the medieval architecture.
Imperial Palace (Hofburg): Explore this beautiful palace and its gardens.
Midday
Hofkirche (Court Church): See the impressive cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian I and the famous statues of the Black Men (Schwarzmander).
Lunch: Enjoy some traditional Tyrolean cuisine at a local restaurant or café.
Afternoon
Nordkette Cable Car: Take the cable car up to the Nordkette mountain range for stunning views over Innsbruck and the surrounding Alps. You can either spend time at the top or just enjoy the ride and scenery.
Innsbruck Cathedral (Dom zu St. Jakob): Visit this beautiful Baroque cathedral.
Late Afternoon
Ambras Castle: If time permits, head to this Renaissance castle located slightly outside the city center. It features impressive art collections and beautiful gardens.
Evening
Stroll along the Inn River: End your day with a relaxing walk along the river, enjoying the views and the atmosphere of the city.

While a day trip gives a great overview of Innsbruck, spending more time in the city allows for a deeper exploration of its many attractions and surrounding natural beauty, like the Swarovski Crystal World.

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