In order to make our 7am flight, we woke early on Saturday for a 4am train to Gatwick Airport. We flew in over some amazing scenery including ice capped mountain peaks and landed in Innsbruck, Austria at around 10am local time.
The close proximity between the airport runways and the mountains is a little unsettling, but certainly there are far more dangerous airports in the world. Unlike most places worldwide the airport is conveniently located close to the city centre, it only took us around 15 minutes on the shuttle bus.
We reached our accommodation at the Ibis Hotel, a rather unusual and modern looking building, resembling a big black glass box that appears to float in the air. The hotel was also in the ideal spot, adjacent to the central bus and train station and within walking distance to the city centre.
After dropping our bags, we headed towards the city centre. We passed the Triumphforte (Triumphal Arch) and continued along the main shopping strip, Maria-Theresien-Straße, to the visitor information centre. We purchased an ‘Innsbruck Card’ each, which gave us perks such as unlimited use of public transport and entry into numerous tourist attractions, as well as a ski package.
After returning to the hotel for a nap, we ventured out to the Christmas markets that sprawl throughout the town. The markets at the marketplatz, or market square, sat alongside the river with colourful houses on the other side and were complete with a Swarovski crystal tree.
We also saw this interesting number plate.
Meandering through the streets and alleyways, we discovered Stiftskeller, a large traditional Austrian pub/restaurant and stopped for dinner – a selection of dumplings (spinach, onion, cheese) and Wiener (Vienna) pork schnitzel.
On Sunday we made use of our Innsbruck Cards, which can be purchased for 24, 48 or 72 hours of validity. First off was a ride up the Nordkette mountain range on board the Innsbrucker Nordketten Bahnen (Innsbruck Nordkette railway) cable car. Considering the usual ticket price of a single trip on the cable car is €30.50, the value of the €33 Innsbruck Card was immediately obvious. Ascending to a height of 1,905 m or 6,250 ft above sea level, we reached Seegrube station. There is a restaurant and sun chairs laid out on the snow to relax and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding mountains and exceptional views out across Innsbruck. Despite being high in the alps and surrounded by ice, the sun up was putting out some heat!
Although there were a few people around, the snow season hadn’t officially started just yet. The snow sports store was open and offering free use of toboggans, so we picked 2 up and started sledding down the slopes.
We boarded a hop on hop off bus tour (part of our Innsbruck Card), passing again through Triumphforte. Empress Maria Theresa had the Triumphforte built to celebrate the marriage of her son, the Duke of Tuscany, later Emperor Leopold II, to Maria Ludovica from Spain. Unfortunately Empress Maria Theresa’s husband, Francis I Stephen of Lothringen, died during the marriage festivities and so now the southern façade of the arch celebrates the joy of the wedding while the northern side depicts mourning and loss.
The bus continued through the streets, to the modern Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium. This comprises an open air stadium, and ski jump plus the adjoining tower which houses a restaurant and viewing terrace. Construction was completed in 2002 making this quite a modern facility, and the unique design means that while yes, the jump and tower are connected, from the right distance and angle the jump almost appears to swirl up and into the tower itself. The jump has been used for the 2012 Youth Winter Olympic Games and although without any snow cover looked merely like a steep grassy slope, surely must be exciting during competition.
Back on the bus, we passed by the Winter Olympic Ice Sports Stadium and made our way back into the city centre.
On Monday morning, we boarded the shuttle bus to Austria’s largest ski resort and one of the only ones open this early in the season, Stubaier Gletscher (Stubai Glacier). Located around an hour outside of Innsbruck, Stubai guarantees snow from October through to June making it one of the most popular ski resorts. The ski vouchers we’d bought included gear as well and conveniently we were able to pick up our boots, skis and poles and step straight out onto the slope – no having to carry it from the bottom of the mountain like we did at Perisher last year.
By the time we’d reached the main station and been fitted with our equipment it was close to 11am. Uncertain of our abilities at something that Roslyn did quite a lot as a child but less so in recent years, and that Brendan has only done twice before, we headed into the ski school to enquire about lessons. Apparently their only class for the day started at 10am so our options were either pay through the teeth for private lessons at 1pm or have a go and see if we remembered anything.
The end result, only 2 tumbles (both Brendan) once on his first time using the J-bar and again on his very last attempt.
We ended the day with schnapps on the terrace and then boarded the bus back into town. Once in town, we returned again to Stiftskeller for dinner.
Brendan’s birthday was on Tuesday, and we started the day with a champagne breakfast at the restaurant of the swanky aDLERS Hotel nearby. Positioned on the 12th floor by the window, we had a clear view across the rooftops to the mountain ranges behind.
To end our stay in Innsbruck, we climbed the 31 metre high City Tower (Stadtturm). The tower was a former guard’s watch tower, while the lower levels once served as a prison. A narrow and winding staircase of 148 stairs leads to a small hole that we had to crawl through, out to the single person wide viewing platform wrapping around the tower and overlooking the centre of Old Town.
Over the four days we had been well rugged up. Although temperature was cold, the clear skies with shining sun and still air meant the weather was really pleasant for our entire stay.
Highlights:
- Flew in over ice capped mountain ranges
- Stayed in an actual Ibis Hotel, not a hostel!
- Saw Triumphforte
- Strolled Maria-Theresien-Straße shopping street
- Christmas markets
- Purchased Innsbruck Card
- Cable car ride up Nordkette mountain range
- Tobogganing
- Bergisel Ski Jump Stadium
- Skiing at Stubai Glacier (Stubaier Gletscher) without lessons
- Brendan’s first time using a J-bar
- Champagne breakfast for Brendan’s birthday
- Climbed the City Tower
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