What NOT to Do When Visiting Innsbruck, Austria
Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re sharing some of the don’ts of visiting Innsbruck, a winter Olympics host city and beautiful mountain destination. With outdoor adventure set against the cultural legacy of the Hapsburgs, Innsbruck is a beautiful destination in Austria. While many travel blogs will tell you the best Innsbruck attractions, we also want to share what you should NOT do when you visit Innsbruck.
Don’t Miss The Top Innsbruck Attractions
For a small town, there are a lot of things to see in Innsbruck. Unlike some other cities, the Innsbruck Card for multiple attractions is well worth the price! You’ll have access to several of these attractions, and you have a year to use it.
- Goldenes Dachl, or Golden Roof, is the most popular thing to see in Innsbruck. It was built by Emperor Maximilian, and it’s where he watched parades and festivals. You can also go inside to tour his collection.
- The Tirol Folk Art Museum is fantastic. They’ve taken rooms from cabins all over Tirol and replicated them to show how the people of this region lived over various centuries. The woodwork and wood carvings in some of the rooms are quite impressive
- The Hofkirche, or the Court Church, is also a popular Innsbruck attraction. Inside, 28 bronze statues are standing around a tomb representing Maximilian even though he’s not in there. Maximilian’s Last Will and Testament is not a must! If you don’t like the dark, definitely don’t go! But it does explain about Maximilian and his life, if that interests you.
- The Ferdinandeum has art that ranges from prehistoric to contemporary art
- The Alpine Zoo is great for kids and adults; it has animals from the region on display. Be warned, though, it’s built into the side of a mountain, so it’s steep!
- The Swarovski Crystal Museum has a lot of cool displays, both indoors and outdoors.
- The Christmas Markets in Innsbruck are spectacular! They’re not as touristy as some other cities, so it feels like an authentic experience.
- Ambras Castle is a quick taxi from downtown and well worth visiting. Even the views from the drive to the castle are amazing! Don’t miss the Wunderkammer and the Spanish Hall.
- Buy a ticket to climb to the observation deck of City Tower for the best views of Innsbruck
- Hofburg Imperial Palace which was built by Maximilian in the year 1500.
- The Innsbruck Archaeological Museum has over 1,000 ancient artifacts and artworks.
Don’t Miss the Outdoor Attractions in Innsbruck
Innsbruck hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and in 1976; there are 12 ski resorts in and around the Innsbruck area. If you are a skier or snowboarder, you definitely should hit the slopes if you’re visiting Innsbruck in the winter!
In the summer months, hiking is fantastic in the mountains surrounding Innsbruck. You can take a funicular or cable car up to the top of Nordkette for amazing views and hiking trails. If it’s a cloudy or foggy day, though, skip it because you won’t be able to see anything.
Don’t Forget to Pack the Right Shoes & Clothing
Depending on what time of year you are visiting Innsbruck, you’ll need to have the right shoes and clothes. Of course, in the winter you need to be prepared for snow with good waterproof shoes. In the summer, you’ll want hiking boots. No matter when you visit Innsbruck, you want to also make sure you have comfortable walking shoes for exploring the town’s cobblestone streets.
How to Choose the Best Shoes for Visiting Europe
Don’t Worry About Safety in Innsbruck
Innsbruck is a very safe city to visit; we’ve visited with our kids and parents, and never worry about pickpockets or any of the usual travel scams. It’s a great place to bring your kids! Not only is it safe, but there are also tons of family-friendly activities and museums in Innsbruck.
Don’t Worry About Speaking German
Yes, they speak German in Austria, but you’ll find plenty of English speakers. There is a university in Innsbruck, so lots of young people who speak English, as well as lots of tourists. Of course, it’s always nice to know a few words, but you can get by ok without speaking German. You should know “Gruss Gott” as it’s common to greet someone in the morning with this phrase.
If you get a chance to talk to locals, do it! They are the nicest of all the cities in Austria; even the service is pretty good!
Don’t Forget to Try These Innsbruck Specialties
Innsbruck has lots of great options for traditional Austrian cuisine and there are also some regional specialties to try while you’re here.
In Innsbruck, they eat a lot of dumplings, or knödel. There are many varieties of knödel and the three you have to try include the bacon dumpling, spinach dumpling, and the cheese dumpling. They’re all fantastic. You can even get a platter with multiple types of dumplings if you want to sample them all. They love their bacon, as well. You’ll see entire stores selling speck, or bacon.
Tiroler Gröstl is roasted potato, bacon, onion, and fried egg, and is a great warm dish for a cold winter day.
Käsespätzle, which are cheese noodles served with onions, and they love wild meats in Innsbruck. We’ve had several venison dishes here.
Kiachl is kind of like a fried funnel cake, but you can opt for sweet or savory versions.
Don’t Worry About Crowds
Now, Innsbruck is not exactly a hidden gem. But it’s also not overrun with tourists, so it never feels insanely crowded. It is significantly less crowded than Salzburg or Munich. Both of those cities are about 1:45 from Innsbruck by train, so you can base yourself in Innsbruck and visit other cities by train for the day.
Don’t Forget to Plan Your Shopping Hours
Most shops in Innsbruck close early and do not open on Sundays, so you need to plan your shopping to ensure you get in before they close for the day. If you really need something, the train store shops are typically open later and on all days.
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Don’t wait to start planning your first trip to Innsbruck! It’s such an amazing city, and we visit often because we love it so much! Between the beautiful architecture and mountain views, it’s a great city to visit year-round. For more tips on travel in Austria, check out these other blog posts: