High-Up in The Austrian Alps: 48 Hours in Innsbruck

European Adventure: Part 6 of 6

Innsbruck is an Alpine city in the Austrian Alps. Only a few hours by train from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, it was by far the best train ride of the trip.

We took a small local train that wove through the mountains like a snake, stopping in small towns with peaked train stations and only a few roads stretching off into the emerald-green hills. We went over bridges that spanned deep ravines and we were even with the clouds that settled low over the valley. A hawk soared beneath the struts of one bridge just as we crossed. Then we emerged high in the mountains over Innsbruck.

Innsbruck itself is not an idyllic mountain town, but a city sprawled within a large valley, two lines of rock-capped peaks to the north and the south. A large river cuts through the middle. It was hot after the misty cold of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and I was sweating as we walked to our AirBnB in the old town. I was glad to dump my luggage, put on shorts, and head out into the city to explore.

We had made a plan on the train to purchase the Innsbruck Cards to make the most of our 48 hours in the city. The tourist office was closed (because of an Austrian holiday) so we bought them online and headed to the cable car that would take us up the mountain. However, there was an error in my online purchase and my card was valid for the day of 1/1/1970. Unfortunately, as the tourist office was closed, we were out of luck. But it was a fortunate sort of error because we strolled the streets and then spent a leisurely evening at a pool hall! (It was a real nail biter because we are PROS. We didn’t finish a single game without prematurely knocking in the 8-ball or scratching on the 8-ball.)

The Top of Innsbruck (via the Nordkette)

The next morning, we got the Innsbruck Card fiasco figured out and headed up the mountain. It was a grueling 15-hour hike to the top of Hafelekar Peak…

Or it was a quick jaunt on a train, then a cable car, then another cable car!

The train was crowded. The cable cars were even more crowded, but it was so worth it.

The first cable car ends at a small hotel and restaurant in a bowl on the mountain. The sun was shining. The air was crisp and clear, and we were surrounded by an amazing expanse of soft green grass interspersed with sharp, grey rocks. We leaned over the stone railing and watched the hikers and bikers come up the switchbacks, slow and steady.

The second cable car goes almost to the top, then there’s a stone path (about 10 minutes walk) to the very top of the peak. A herd of sheep were slowly crossing the mountain below us and clouds swirled above the city as we watched from above, but the best view was away from Innsbruck and over the row after row of giant peaks cloaked in spring green, the shadows cast from clouds scuttling along their heights.

A strong breeze curled through the peaks, like a curious creature peaking it’s head into every nook and valley, and spending a suspicious amount of time tying my hair into knots!

All the same, I could have sat there all day enjoying the view, the sun, and the crisp, fresh air. Something about being on top of mountains always makes we feel like I’m finally taking a deep breath.

The Hofkirche (Court Church)

Back in the city, we started our historical (self-guided) tour of Innsbruck.

The Hofchurche, or Court Church, holds the cenotaph of the famous Austrian Emperor Maximilian I. Cenotaph is a marker for an empty grave, but that doesn’t make this any less impressive. Maximilian lived from (1459-1519) and the church and cenotaph were constructed by his grandson, Emperor Ferdinand I, in 1553.

While a cast of Maximilian is placed in the center of the cenotaph, the most interesting part are the 28 bronze statues surrounding it. The statues are of famous family members, ancestors, and heroes. Essentially, Maximilian (who participated in the design of the thing even though he wasn’t alive to build it), wanted to remind everyone whose blood ran in his veins. This is way the mythical King Arthur of Britain (center) is one of the statues–because why not claim to be descended from a hero?

Another notable statue (to me) is Clovis I, the first King of France, who died in 511 (and founded the Merovingian dynasty).

Most importantly, however, the giant statues and checkered floor reminded me of the giant game of wizard chess in the first Harry Potter movie, and that lent the church an extra bit of impressive, nostalgic flair.

Ambras Castle

Ambras Castle is located on the outskirts of Innsbruck, but I thought it was well worth the bus ride. While the main residence of the royal family was within Innsbruck (at least during this time), this castle was a lovely get away. While it’s now close to department stores and soccer fields, it would have been a quiet retreat back then.

When Ferdinand II (whose father, Ferdinand I, built the Hofkirche), came to power in Tyrol in 1564, he had the lower castle at Ambras built to house his collections. Known as the father of the modern museum, Ferdinand II, also converted the upper castle from a medieval design to a Renaissance one (such a pity, as I much prefer the medieval style).

red roofs and green hedges through an arched balcony

Much of Ferdinand II’s collections are still housed in the lower castle, and that’s what we chose to explore first. He diligently collected armor of all kinds to display in his museum. The pieces on the left are still displayed in the original cabinets that he displayed them in, and the mannequin on the right is one that stood during Ferdinand’s days.

Here he displayed jousting armor and the specially crafted armor that he wore for his second wedding. It’s modeled in the roman style because (like his great-grandfather), Ferdinand II wanted people to think he was descended from ancient Roman heroes, like Aeneas.

The interior of the upper Ambras Castle is only partially preserved, but the most magnificent room, the Chamber of Emperors, remains. It’s not too hard to picture this room stuffed with guests in bell-shaped ball gowns, skipping and dancing around the room while champagne flows and gossip bounces off the candle-lit walls.

The grounds are charming and beautiful, with perfectly tamed hedges and albino peacocks strutting across the green spaces.

We had stuffed our day full of different but spectacular views and lots of history. Additionally, we’d run all over the city, first headed up the Nordkette, then into the city center, and finally all the way to edge to Ambras Castle. It was a full day, leaving me exhausted and feeling like I’d taken a crash course in Austrian History. But more was yet to come…

Hofburg (Imperial Palace)

We still had a few hours left on our My Innsbruck cards, so, in the morning, we arrived at the Imperial Palace in Innsbruck as the doors were opening. If you’ve been paying attention, you may already realize that, in German, Hof = Royal and berg = palace. This place lived up to it’s royal reputation. It was decked out in the Baroque style with colorful rooms, gold gilding, and enough chandeliers to light the place up at night.

Before that, it was a medieval castle. Based on the images that have survived, I would have much preferred to explore the old version, but that’s history–erasing the good to build things that are only sometimes are better.

Two paintings of a medieval castle with towers, turrets, and red roofs

What we can see today is still impressive and gives you a good idea how these people lived. (Hint: extravagantly).

And thus ended our whirlwind tour of Innsbruck’s historical elegance.

I really loved Innsbruck, even though, upon arrival, I was sure I would. After Garmisch-Partenkirchen, I thought a city would only disappoint. But we had a great time in this city–playing pool, exploring the mountain, running all over town (catching buses, walking up hillsides, finding good places to eat), and learning a lot of history (maybe only I enjoyed that part). I was comfortable there in a way I usually don’t find in cities, and I can’t quite put my finger on why, but I would go back. I’d like to go back and stay for several weeks to see if that familiarity and sense of ease remains.

Of course, half the battle is who you travel with, so I’m also so thankful for my adventure loving, easy-going, willing-to-do-history-activities friends!