Tucked away in the heart of the Tyrol region in Austria, Innsbruck is a gem of a city perfect for travellers who love to explore smaller cities while being surrounded by jaw-dropping sights of a mountain range. It’s got the charming architecture the region is known for, plenty of nature just a stone’s throw from the city centre and has amazing travel links to nearby European countries.
With just one day in Innsbruck, you can enjoy a morning exploring the city centre highlights, tuck in to lunch by the river before catching the funicular up into the mountains to soak up the stunning panoramic views.
Where is Innsbruck?
Sitting in the western stretch of Austria, Innsbruck is the capital city of the Tyrol region. Despite being surrounded by mountains, it has fantastic travel connections by train to nearby cities in Italy, Germany and Switzerland, as well as having its own airport offering connections to further afield.
Top Things to Do in Innsbruck in One Day
The Innsbruck sightseeing list isn’t super extensive, but this is a city of quality over quantity. With just one day in Innsbruck, you’ll be able to see a lot as you wander around the compact city, but here are a few of the top things to do in Innsbruck, and sights you want to make sure you don’t miss!
Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl)
This is arguably Innsbruck’s most famous landmark, and it’s a must see for any visitor. There’s a fair bit of history behind the golden roof, but the structure was initially commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I to celebrate his second marriage in the 16th century. They would use the balcony under the golden roof when they were in Innsbruck so they could observe festivities and events that would take place in the square out front.
The roof itself is stunning, decked out with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles that look golden, hence the name. But the structure under the roof is also well worth checking out, with sculptures and murals covering the front of what was intended as a kind of ‘royal box’.
If you look closely, you might even spot the Emperor who commissioned the structure. He’s on there twice, once with his first wife and again with his second wife whose wedding was the reason for the golden roof being built.
You might notice that the carvings are in excellent condition, especially given that they date back to the 16th Century. These are actually replicas, but you can see the originals in the nearby Tyrolean State Museum.
Old Town
Innsbruck Old Town – the altstadt – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the most charming and well-preserved old towns in Europe. It’s an easy tick off for anyone looking to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, and it’s a lovely area of the city to explore with the narrow streets, colourful buildings, and plenty of history.
City Tower
Starting life in 1450 as an observation tower for guards to watch over Innsbruck, announce the time and keep an eye out for danger, the city tower still stands proud in Innsbruck city centre. Gone are the days when the lower levels would be serve as a prison, instead the 51-metre tall tower now gives tourists an opportunity to soak up panoramic views of Innsbruck.
Visitors these days are still able to climb the 148 steps to the viewing deck – it’s an old building, there’s no lift – which has some of, if not the best views in the city. From the narrow viewing deck that wraps around the city tower, you’ll have panoramic views of Innsbruck and the gorgeous mountain range that surrounds the city.
Historic Buildings
Austria has three buildings which are considered to be ‘culturally significant’ and one of them just happens to be in Innsbruck!
The Hofburg, a former imperial palace of the Habsburgs (a big deal family in Austria dating back to 1361!), is a massive complex. It started life in 1460 and was extended and expanded over the following centuries. It includes defensive structures, a giant hall, a chapel…all the usual things you’d find in a home, right? These days it still has pride of place in the centre of Innsbruck and is home to a number of different museums areas that allow visitors to wander through and soak up the history of the building.
Aside from the Hofburg, Innsbruck has a wide range of gorgeous and colourful architecture to admire as you wander around the city. Much of it you’ll see in the old town and along the river banks.
Hungerburgbahn Funicular
Fun to say, fun to ride! This funicular takes you up the side of the mountain to Hungerburg in just 8 minutes, where visitors are treated to stunning, panoramic views of Innsbruck. From Hungerburg, you can also go for a hike in the Nordkette mountains or catch the cable car further up to Nordkette a spot of skiing.
The funicular stations are eye-catching with their modern design, and are recent additions to the line that has been in use since 1906. It had a bit of a revamp and redesign in 2007 which caused a bit of controversy in the city, but still serves as an efficient way for people to get up and down the mountain.
Although the Hungerburgbahn funicular runs from Innsbruck to Hungerburg, it does also stop along the way for anyone wishing to visit the Alpenzoo without having to trek up the mountain. If you’re not mountain-trekking levels of fit, it’s nice to catch the funicular up and walk back down, with a walk of about 45 minutes from Hungerburg to Innsbruck city centre.
Nordkette Mountain
The Nordkette mountains are a great place to go hiking, skiing, or simply enjoying the views. There are trails for all levels of experience, and the views from the top are just amazing.
To get to the top of Nordkette, you need to catch the Hungerburgbahn funicular and then the cable car further up to Seegruben and then another to Hafelekar.
Museums
For such a small city, Innsbruck actually has a number of museums to check out. With just one day in Innsbruck though, time is limited so you’ll want to make sure you pick one that aligns most with your interests.
Traditional museums come in the form of the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum. This museum is home to a collection of, you guessed it, traditional Tyrolean folk art! You’ll also be treated to displays of traditional costumes, furniture, and household objects. Innsbruck is also home to the Swarovski museum which is a mix of interesting displays and of course a very sparkly, somewhat pricier version of a gift shop.
For something more modern, check out Experience Tirol or AUDIOVERSUM. They immersive, interactive and just more fun to visit than your standard museum!
Alpenzoo
How often do you get the chance to visit a zoo on the side of a mountain? Alpenzoo has a unique location just outside of Innsbruck on the incline of one of the mountains, accessible either by foot (if you’re a fan of uphill walks) or you can jump on the Hungerburgbahn funicular which stops as the zoo on it’s ascent to Hungerburg.
This zoo is home to over 150 species of animals from the Alps, including bears, wolves, ibex and reptiles. Great for families, it’s an interesting insight into the wildlife of the region.
Bergisel Ski Jump
Just a short 10-minute drive outside Innsbruck city centre, the Bergisel Ski Jump is a popular tourist destination. It was the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, and just in case you’re not looking to test out your Olympic skiing skills, it also offers visitors stunning panoramic views of Innsbruck.
Markthalle – Food Market
There’s something about visiting a market when you’re overseas that is just fun. And it’s no different in Innsbruck. If you have time to spare or are looking to pick up a bite for lunch, Markthalle in Innsbruck is an interesting mix of small stalls and farmers market. It’s not huge, but definitely big enough to make it worth a visit.
Innsbruck Cathedral
There are a handful of churches in Innsbruck to check out, but if you’ve got time for just one then it should be Dom St. Jakob. It’s the cathedral in Innsbruck and very centrally located making it easy to pop by for a visit. You won’t find the huge breathtaking size of cathedral that you’d get in large cities, but the modest Dom St. Jakob is still worth a visit for its impressive decor.
Is One Day in Innsbruck Enough?
You can easily spend one day in Innsbruck and see a lot of the city. It’s very compact and if you’re staying elsewhere and want to take a day trip to Innsbruck then it’s the perfect choice!
With such amazing travel connections to other cities and countries, it’s a great choice for anyone city hopping through Europe to spend a short time exploring before leaving and moving on to the next stop.
Ultimately it really comes down to your travel style. If you want to cram in as much as you can to your trip, then one day in Innsbruck is fine. If you have time to spare, then a relaxed couple of days in Innsbruck is the perfect opportunity to recharge and enjoy slow travel before moving on to another city.
Accommodation isn’t cheap in Innsbruck and for budget travellers there aren’t many hostels or cheaper options to stay so arriving in the morning and leaving in the evening would be ideal to stay in a cheaper city. If you’ve got luggage with you there is limited luggage storage in Innsbruck train station, or facilities nearby that cost a little more if the station luggage storage is full.
Innsbruck City Card: Is it Worth it?
If you’re spending just one day in Innsbruck, it might not seem very worthwhile to buy a city card, especially if you’re travelling on a budget. The Innsbruck Card has a few duration options, but the 24-hour card comes in at €69*.
This doesn’t initially seem worth it if you’re visiting Innsbruck on a budget, but to work out if the card is really worth it, you’ll need to see what you plan to do for the day. There are a number of great sights mentioned above included in the card, plus city transport and the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus.
If you plan to take the Hungerberg funicular, visit the city tower, Swarovski museum, Golden Roof (museum, not just the outside) and Bergisel stadium then you’ll be saving money. There’s a handy savings calculator on the Innsbruck Card site to help you work out if it’s worth getting.
How to Get to Innsbruck
By plane: The nearest airport to Innsbruck is…Innsbruck Airport! The airport is well connected across Europe and it’s a short transfer from Innsbruck airport into the city centre with just 5 minutes by taxi or about 10 minutes on the bus.
By train: Travelling by train in the Alps is a stunning experience, with the trains snaking through the mountain range, sometimes even venturing into a tunnel through the mountains themselves. Innsbruck is well connected to other cities in Austria, Germany and Italy, so if you’re within a reasonable travel distance the train is a great and very comfortable choice!
By bus: Innsbruck is covered by the old favourite, Flixbus. As with the other modes of transport, travelling by bus may not be quick in this region but you’ll have gorgeous views (when not in the tunnels…) and you can reach other European countries with relative ease from Innsbruck.
How to Get Around Innsbruck
Being such a compact city, it’s more than easy to get around Innsbruck by foot. If you’re looking to explore a little further around the city or are tight on time, you can hire a bike to get about.
To visit Hungerburg and Nordkette, you’ll likely want to jump on the funicular which gets you from Innsbruck city centre to Hungerburg in about 8 minutes. From there it’s another cable car further up the mountain, but Hungerburg is a great compromise to get panoramic views of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains while also remembering you have just one day in Innsbruck and giving you enough time to explore the rest of the city.
When to Visit
Innsbruck is a great city to visit year round. While the weather can vary quite a lot, the different seasons show Innsbruck in different ways. Visiting Innsbruck in summer obviously means you’ll have warmer weather, though the chance of a rainy day is higher.
A winter trip in Innsbruck will mean colder weather, but hello cute hat season! Plus, you’ll get to see the mountains in all their snowy glory. There’s less chance of rain in the colder months and you can indulge in the winter sports that the region offers.
Got Longer Than a Day? Pair It!
The beauty of Innsbruck is its amazing location. Not only does it have an airport for easy international access, it is also really conveniently connected by rail. Although part of the journey will cut through the mountains (as in through tunnels) the majority of it does wind through the gorgeous Alps regardless of which direction you travel.
If you’re looking to explore more of Austria, the obvious choices are to jump on a train to Salzburg or Vienna. From Innsbruck to Salzburg by train it’s under 2 hours, while Innsbruck to Vienna by train is about 4 hours 20 mins.
Heading north from Innsbruck, the German city of Munich is an easy choice. It’s just under 2 hours by train from Innsbruck to Munich, and once in Munich there’s plenty to fill a weekend in the city, or you can use it as a hub for travelling further afield as it also has excellent transport connections.
Keeping the international theme, Italy is within easy reach of Innsbruck, and you can jump on a train to my personal favourite, Verona, in 4 hours 45 mins. Verona is a on the east to west trainline that connects Milan and Venice, meaning you can explore both cities, or smaller cities like Padua and Bergamo on day trips from Verona.
There are so many options that you really cannot be blamed for using it as an excuse for a multi-city trip to make the most of the amazing location!
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