Window Seats Only

Innsbruck is a charming city with colorful facades, historic landmarks, and the majestic Nordkette mountain range as a backdrop. Innsbruck is beautiful in all seasons, but I think the winter season is a little extra magical with the snow-capped peaks and ski enthusiasts coming for epic slopes. If spending a winter day in Innsbruck, bundle up for a fun-filled day of exploration!

Getting To Innsbruck

FLYING

If you are coming to Austria internationally, you will most likely need to fly to Munich International Airport (MUC) and take a train. The train from Munich to Innsbruck is about 2 ½ hours with 1 train change. The easiest way is to fly to Innsbruck Airport (INN), however, fewer flights come into these airports.

Additionally, you can take the train from other areas within Austria such as Vienna, Salzburg, and Kitzbühel.

For all trains throughout Austria, check route availability and prices, and book your tickets online with OBB.

Lodging Options

I would recommend staying in Old Town, especially if you are only in Innsbruck for a limited time and you want to see the popular sights. Innsbruck is easily walkable and staying in Old Town allows you to be in a central location to the popular activities.

I have stayed at Stage 12 and it is a great hotel in Innsbruck in a perfect location right on Maria-Theresien Street!

Other Innsbruck hotels include:

• The Penz Hotel
• Hotel Innsbruck
• NALA individuellhotel

Should You Get The Innbruck Card?

The Innsbruck Card allows you to pay one price up-front and includes many of the main attractions throughout Innsbruck. There are options for 1-3 days and it’s a great deal to save money if you are planning on doing most of the attractions Innsbruck has to offer!

Here is some general guidance if you should get the Innsbruck Card: If you are planning on doing multiple museums and attractions or if you are planning on doing the Nordkette Cable Car (more on that below) then you should get the card. However, if you are only planning on admiring the sites from the outside and doing one activity such as just the Swarovski Museum, then it most likely makes more sense to purchase those activities separately. This website offers a place to calculate your savings to see if it makes sense to purchase the card.

You can get an Innsbruck card or learn more about it at the beautiful Innsbruck Tourism Building.

One Day In Innsbruck

Innsbruck is easily walkable so most of the day will be setting out and walking around the town, admiring the beautiful cobblestone streets and colorful and beautiful architecture, while stopping at a few notable places and snapping a photo along the way. 

Café

Start your morning off with a delicious breakfast from one of the many café’s, such as Cafe Kutzung. A Latte is great to kickstart the morning! I also recommend the Omlet Croissant or the Yogurt with Granola, fruit, honey, and croissant.

Inn River

For one of the most spectacular things to do in Innsbruck, walk along the Inn River to see the famous picturesque view of colorful buildings with the river flowing in front and the mountains behind. It is truly a sight that will be hard to pull away from! Walk along the river in both ways, admiring the views.

Explore Old Town

Continue walking and exploring Old Town. These are the top things to see in Old Town and are all within a short walking distance from one another. Stop at all of them, or choose what interests you most. Many can be admired from the outside, but if you want to step further go into the museums.

Many of these attractions are included in the Innsbruck Card if you decide to purchase one.

• Golden Roof: One of the most famous sights in Innsbruck, is the Golden Roof. Fun fact it is actually made of Copper, not gold! But if you catch it when the sun shines on it, it is extra beautiful as it does appear gold as it glistens! You can also explore the Golden Roof Museum.
• Innsbruck City Tower: You can climb 148 stairs to the top of the City Tower for a 360-degree view over Innsbruck!
• Imperial Palace: This stunning palace can be admired from the outside, or you can go inside to see beautifully painted ceilings and portraits.
• Court Church: This gotic church has 28 massive statues, tombs, and impressive organs for music lovers.
• Maria Theresa Street: This is a great place to take a stroll and admire Innsbruck. There are many shops along the way and if you are here during the Christmas market season (~November-December) there is a beautiful Christmas market you must stop at!
• Triumphal Arch: A beautiful arch stands at the southern end of Maria-Theresea Street, so make sure to capture a photo here!
• Cathedral of St. James: This is a beautiful cathedral, inside and out.

Swarovski Museum

The Swarovski Museum is a perfect activity in Innsbruck, especially in the winter. Located about 30 minutes from Innsbruck, this museum is filled with art exhibitions inspired by Swarovski diamonds. When you arrive at the beautiful property, there are a few art sculptures outside, but you can’t miss the large waterfall that will invite you towards it, which is also the entrance to the museum. Once inside, there are multiple rooms/exhibitions which are all inspired by a different theme! It’s a very unique art museum that I would incorporate into your winter Innsbruck itinerary.

There is a shuttle bus that goes to/from Innsbruck/Swarovski Museum five times daily. Make sure you buy the bus and museum entry tickets beforehand. They are available online, or I would recommend stopping at the Innsbruck Tourism Building earlier in the day to get one. Get on the shuttle at the main transit center – Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof. 

Note that the shuttle runs every 2 ½ hours so be prepared to be at the museum for a while; take your time through each exhibition!

Nordkette Cable Car

One of the most popular things to do in Innsbruck is the Nordkette Cable Car. This cable car experience brings you up the mountains for spectacular views! There are three cable cars to get you to the top, with optional stops along the way at each. The first cable car departs from Congress station in Old Town. One of the first stops once you’re on the cable car is the Alpine Zoo, Europe’s highest zoo! This is a fun activity if you choose to stop here. The next leg of the trip will be a cable car transfer once you arrive at Hungerburg Station. This is also a fun place to stop, especially if the Christmas Market is happening. The next transfer is at Seegrube Station, where you can also stop to have food or drinks at the restaurant. Next, you will get on the last cable car and exit at Hafelekar Station where you can admire the fantastic 360-degree views!

The Nordkette Cable car is included in your Innsbruck Card, or make sure to get your tickets beforehand here.

Make sure to check the weather! There is a chance it could be very cloudy and unfortunately, the view won’t be very good. Additionally, in the winter it can be very cold at the top so make sure you are prepared.

Dinner In Innsbruck

For dinner in Innsbruck, check out these options. Reservations are highly recommended in Innsbruck, especially during peak tourism times like Summer and Christmas.

• Himal, Nepalian
• La Trattoria, Italian
• Paninothek, Italian
• Le Murge, Italian

Christmas Markets

If you are lucky enough to be in Innsbruck during the Christmas Market Season (or maybe you planned your trip around it!), this is the perfect activity to add to your winter itinerary in Innsbruck! Most of the Christmas Markets in Innsbruck are in the middle of November through Christmas, but a few (Maria-Theresien Market and Hungerburg) run through about the first week in January but make sure to check specific dates here.

Innsbruck Christmas Markets:

• Old Town Christmas Market (In front of the Golden Roof)
• Christmas Market Maria-Theresien Street (On Maria-Theresien Street)
• Christmas Market at Marktplatz (Market Square)
• Panorama Christmas Market on Hungerburg (Hungerburg via the Nordkette Cable Car)
• Christmas Market in St. Nikolaus (Hans-Brenner-Platz)

I was so excited about the Christmas Markets and they were even more magical than I thought. The joyous environment is incredible! The highlights for me were the Punch, especially in the festive mugs, and the Kürtőskalács, a dough with sweet toppings such as cinnamon! 

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Innsbruck is a beautiful city in Austria and you can visit a lot of the popular attractions and sites in just one day. Its walkability allows you to get lost in the cobblestone streets, soaking in the history and beautiful scenery. 

A winter day in Innsbruck is great to pair with skiing in Kitzbühel or one of the many Innsbruck ski mountains, such as Stubai Glacier. Or, there is enough to do if you want to stay an extra day or two in Innsbruck! 

Follow for more on social media and email me with any questions! If you use this one day in Innsbruck itinerary I would love to know how your experience was!