Things to do in Innsbruck

Why go to Innsbruck

• Nordkette Cable Car & Alpine Zoo

  Rocket from the city center to 2,300m in minutes for jaw-dropping panoramas over the Inn Valley.

• Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl)

  Emperor Maximilian I's glittering 2,657 gilded copper tile balcony is the postcard symbol of medieval Innsbruck.

• Bergisel Ski Jump

  Zaha Hadid's futuristic stadium-tower offers a stadium tour, a thrilling glass lift, and views that explain why Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice.

• Ambras Castle

  A Renaissance palace stuffed with armour, art, and a famous curiosity cabinet set in gardens above the city.

• Swarovski Crystal Worlds (Wattens)

  A surreal, giant-head-entrance crystal museum just 20 minutes away, dazzling, weird, and unlike anything else in the Alps.

Good to know in Innsbruck

• The Innsbruck Card ($30-45 for 24-72 hrs) covers the Nordkette cable car, Alpine Zoo, city buses, and most museums, it pays for itself in half a day.
• Tipping is appreciated but modest: rounding up to the nearest euro or leaving 5-10% is the local norm; never feel obligated to leave 15-20%.
• Tap water in Innsbruck comes straight from Alpine springs and is exceptionally clean and safe, skip bottled water entirely.
• Tyrolean State Museum (Ferdinandeum) offers free entry on the first Sunday of every month; several smaller city museums are free year-round.

Trip essentials