Innsbruck is the capital city of the Tirol (Tyrol) state of Austria, which is situated in eastern Austria bordering Germany in north, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland in east and Italy in the south. Honestly, I had no idea that Innsbruck is such a beautiful town that has so much to offer from ancient architecture, colorful buildings, and ever-lively streets. And on top of all these, it is situated in a perfect natural setting with alps surrounding the city and a river (called Inn) flowing through it. This is how the town got its name, Innsbruck is made up of two words; Inn and Bruck; where Inn is the river and brücke in german is bridge, thus Innsbruck means 'bridge on the river'. Interesting!
Here is the list of places you can enjoy while your visit to Innsbruck.
Nordkette: Top of Innsbruck
The Nordkette or Northern Range is a chain of mountains in the north part of the Innsbruck, Austria having an elevation of ~2600 m above sea level. These snow-capped mountain ranges are a treat for winter sports enthusiasts. For regular tourists also, the city of Innsbruck has provided outstanding tourist facilities for exploring this jewel of a mountain. You can take a cable car to reach the top of the mountain, information for which is widely and clearly provided on their official website or on the brochure they provide while taking up the cable car. At the time of our visit (Feb 2020) a round trip costed us 38€ per person and we will recommend taking it as it is worth every penny.
In this journey, first you take a 10 min ride in a funicular car from Congress station (in Innsbruck town) to Hungerburg. Hungerburg is a small old town with some pretty restaurants to sip a coffee while basking in the sun. Here, you take the cable car to Seegruge which takes you to the alleviation of ~1905 m.
At Seegrube, you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the mountains and the city. Here, you will find a one-of-a-kind Igloo bar and a restaurant so as keep you filled while you busy yourselves with clicking photos of this splendid view.
Once you have fully absorbed the beauty of Seeburg (and believe us, it will take you some time for the view to sink in), it is time to go even higher to the highest point in our journey, Hafelekar, situated at alleviation of ~2300 m using a cable car. Here, you can witness the alpine beauty in all its glory with a view of different mountains. However, it gets really chilly if you are out in open for long and guesses what, you have a closed warm restaurant at this topmost point to enjoy a hot soup or a coffee.
Congress ---> Hungerbrug Town ---> Seegrube ---> Hafelekar (Top of Innsbruck)
Innsbruck Altstadt (Old Town)
After a chilly tour of the Nordkette, its time to visit a place of warmth, Innsbruck Altstadt. It is a small scenic town with a peculiar homey vibe. This charming town will not make you feel like a tourist at all, it has this welcoming vibe that compels you to roam around in the streets again and again. And, all this roaming is worth your time as well, as it offers many interesting places for you to visit such as Golden roof, colorful houses, St. Annes’ column.
Golden Roof: Location of Song "Dil Diyan Gallan"
This place is a testimony of things people do for love. As the name suggests, this place has its link from a royal family that dates back to year 1500 when the emperor Maximilian got married and made this beautiful balcony for her newly wedded wife Biana Maria Sforza. They used to watch the festivals celebrations or other events from this balcony which took place at the square in front.
Any Bollywood enthusiast will recognize this place from the proposal scene of the song "Dil Diyan Gallan" of the movie "Tiger Zinda hai". For Indian or Bollywood lovers, this is must go place.
Colorful Houses: Innsbruck's Icon
Colorful houses on the bank of the river Inn are the icon of the city of Innsbruck. You will find these houses on any postcard of Innsbruck or when you make a google search for Innsbruck. Just follow the street going to main road from the golden roof and here they are, beautiful houses with snow-capped mountains in the background and a blue water river flowing in front. Can you imagine living in one of those houses with a river, mountains, a lively city and a cozy house to live, doesn't it feel like a dream?
Walk along the River
Rivers are my personal favorite; this is where I feel most alive. Before you end your trip, take a walk alongside with river, hand in hand with your loved one and give 2 minutes of your life to observe the beauty of this river, bridge, mountains, and greenery. It feels content and too good to be true.
Overall, Innsbruck in February is awesome, it is not too chilly but manageable and there is enough snow to enjoy when you take the cable car to the top of the Innsbruck. In my opinion, one day trip or maximum 2 days trip to Innsbruck in February to enjoy its winter beauty is advisable. We wish you an amazing trip to Innsbruck, do share your experience with us. Happy Travelling!
