Innsbruck

An Alpine capital where cable cars whisk you from old town to mountaintop.

Overview

Why go to Innsbruck

Innsbruck combines a medieval old town with mountains you can reach by cable car in minutes. It is superb for skiing, hiking and a breath of Alpine air.

Nature & outdoorsCity breakCulture & historyCouplesFamily

Where
Tyrol, Austria
Recommended stay
2–4 nights
Best time to go
June–September for hiking; December–March for skiing.
Approx. daily budget
£75–145 a dayPer person, excluding flights. Indicative.

What does Innsbruck cost?

Full cost guide
  • Budget traveller£70–100a day
  • Mid-range traveller£130–190a day
  • Luxury traveller£260+a day

Approximate per person per day, including a share of a twin room, and excluding flights. Not live prices.

Things To Do

Top picks in Innsbruck

See all 9
Must See~£6

Golden Roof

Altstadt

A balcony topped with 2,657 gilded copper tiles, the city’s symbol, in the old town.

  • Suggested time: 45 min
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Culture lovers

Museum daily except Mondays

Viewpoints~£32

Nordkette Cable Car

Hungerburg

A futuristic funicular and cable car that whisk you to the alpine peaks above town.

  • Suggested time: 4 hrs
  • Booking recommended
  • Suits: Outdoor lovers · Photographers

Daily, roughly 8:00–17:00

View Tickets
Must SeeFree

Old Town (Herzog-Friedrich-Straße)

Altstadt

A pretty medieval street of arcades and painted houses, with the Alps behind.

  • Suggested time: 1h 30m
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Couples

Open-air; shops open daily

Culture~£12

Ambras Castle

Ambras

A Renaissance castle with a chamber of curiosities and gardens.

  • Suggested time: 2 hrs
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Culture lovers

Daily, roughly 10:00–17:00

Hidden Gems

Beyond the checklist

See all 5
Culture~£12

Ambras Castle

Ambras

A Renaissance castle with a chamber of curiosities and gardens.

  • Suggested time: 2 hrs
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Culture lovers

Daily, roughly 10:00–17:00

Culture~£22

Swarovski Crystal Worlds

Wattens (15 km)

A quirky museum-cum-experience of glittering art in a giant’s head.

  • Suggested time: 2h 30m
  • Booking recommended
  • Suits: Families · Culture lovers

Daily; hours vary

View Tickets
Family~£12

Alpine Zoo

Hungerburg

Europe’s highest zoo, with Alpine animals and a view over the city.

  • Suggested time: 2 hrs
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Families · Outdoor lovers

Daily, roughly 9:00–17:00

Day Trips~£18

Achensee Day Trip

Achensee (45 km)

A turquoise Alpine lake with steam-train rides, boat trips and walks.

  • Suggested time: Full day
  • No booking needed
  • Suits: Outdoor lovers · Beach lovers

Trains and boats run in season

Hotels

Best-value hotels in Innsbruck

Well reviewed and fairly priced for what you get: not simply the cheapest.

All 3 hotels
Golden Roof, near Altstadt in Innsbruck (illustrative photo: example hotel)
Best Location
Example listing

Golden Roof Hotel

Altstadt, Innsbruck

8.9Guest rating 8.9/10 · Excellent

Excellent valueValue score 81 out of 100

Rated 8.9/10, priced in line with similar 4★ hotels in Innsbruck, in a central location.

From £125 per night · check current availability
Alpine Zoo, near Mariahilf in Innsbruck (illustrative photo: example hotel)
Best Budget Choice
Example listing

Inn River Guesthouse

Mariahilf, Innsbruck

8.6Guest rating 8.6/10 · Excellent

Very good valueValue score 68 out of 100

Rated 8.6/10, priced in line with similar 3★ hotels in Innsbruck, in a central location.

From £85 per night · check current availability
Food & Restaurants

Where to eat

Food guide
  • Tiroler Gröstl

    Pan-fried potatoes with bacon and egg

  • Kaiserschmarrn

    A fluffy shredded pancake with fruit compote

  • Speck and Tyrolean cheeses

    From the local markets

A suggested Innsbruck itinerary

3 nights Couple

Innsbruck · Highlights

Innsbruck in 3 nights

A balanced first-visit plan built from our Innsbruck picks: the headline sights, a local favourite or two and time to breathe.

  1. Day 1 · Old Town (Herzog-Friedrich-Straße), Golden Roof, Ambras Castle, Bergisel Ski Jump
  2. Day 2 · Achensee Day Trip, Nordkette Cable Car
  3. Day 3 · Swarovski Crystal Worlds

Plan Innsbruck your way

Tell us your dates, who’s travelling and what you enjoy. We’ll build a first draft you can edit.

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