A day in Innsbruck, the beautiful capital of the Alps

Our first full day in Austria this summer was a gorgeous one. The sun was shining from a clear blue sky, and we decided to spend the day exploring Innsbruck. The city is known as the capital of the Alps, and it’s the fifth-largest city in the country with a population of over 130,000 people. It’s a colourful and picturesque city nestled beneath the mighty Alps, and it served as a great introduction to the area we’d be spending the next week in.

We arrived in the early afternoon after a much-needed sleep-in following our two-day drive from Denmark. Innsbruck looked wonderfully inviting in the sun with its colourful buildings and mountainous backdrops. We had hardly set foot in the city before I knew I was going to love it.

We walked over the scenic bridge, Innbrücke, across the river Inn which gave the city its name. Strolling along the bridge, we were met with gorgeous views of the pastel terraced houses that dot the banks of the river.

On the other side of the bridge lies Altstadt, the oldest part of the city where some of the buildings are over 500 years old. We found a cozy café to enjoy an ice cream (I had a delicious vegan frozen yoghurt!), and then we took a stroll through the historic streets. I soon spotted Innsbruck’s most famous landmark, the Goldenes Dachl – or ‘the Golden Roof’. On a grey day, it may seem somewhat underwhelming, but on a sunny day like we had been blessed with, its 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles glimmer beautifully. The roof was completed in 1500 to mark the wedding between Emperor Maximilian I and Bianca Maria Sforza. The Emperor’s legacy is celebrated in Innsbruck even to this day since he managed to bring the city out of economic misery with financial reforms following a war between Bavaria and Tirol in the 15th century. The Golden Roof thus remains a symbol of his wealth and power.

Behind the Golden Roof is the central shopping street, Maria-Theresien-Straße, founded over 700 years ago. The street is the heart of the city with its many outdoor cafés and restaurants among beautiful Baroque buildings. Perhaps the most impressive structure along this street is St. Anne’s Column, built to commemorate the day in 1703 when the last Bavarian troops were driven out of Tirol during the War of the Spanish Succession. The view of the city centre behind the monument is quite spectacular with the ragged Alpine peaks as a perfect backdrop.

Another of Innsbruck’s famous landmarks is the Cathedral of St. James. The Baroque cathedral was built in the early 18th century on the site of a 12th-century Romanesque church. It’s exquisite interior with the most beautiful yellow and purple marble I’ve ever seen and beautiful murals was executed in part by the Asam brothers whose work I was introduced to last summer in Munich at the Asamkirche (one of the prettiest churches I’ve seen). I love their eye for detail and their use of colour. Their art is truly unlike anything else!

Behind the cathedral stands the Hofburg, a former palace from around 1460 belonging to the House of Habsburg, one of the most prominent dynasties in Europe, and next to it is the Hofgarten which is a true urban oasis in the middle of the city. We took a stroll through the park and enjoyed the gorgeous views of the high mountains peeking through the trees.

After our visit to the Hofgarten, we returned to the main shopping street and parked my dad at a bar while the women went on a little shopping spree. We tried to find some thrift stores but all we could find was a rather expensive vintage store. Despite the costly price tag, I ended up buying a pair of Tommy Hilfiger trousers as I just couldn’t resist them!

When we met up with my dad again, we did some grocery shopping and then drove up high above the city to the Hungerburg funicular station to see the city from above.

Getting a bird’s-eye view of Innsbruck was the perfect way to end our day in the beautiful city. I can definitely imagine myself returning to Innsbruck one day, not least to do some hiking in those majestic Alps that surround the city!

WANT MORE INFO?: Download a city guide for Innsbruck with GPSmyCity here!