| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
489km (304 miles) SW of Vienna; 159km (99 miles) S of Munich; 360km (224 miles) SW of Linz; 190km (118 miles) SW of Salzburg; 204km (127 miles) SE of Bregenz The capital of Tyrol, Innsbruck (elevation 573m/1,880 ft.) is one of Europe's most beautiful cities. It has long been a center of commerce and traffic, as it lies at the junction of two important routes across the central Alps. In the eastern Alps, Innsbruck is about 30 minutes from the Italian border and 45 minutes from the German border. Today Innsbruck's beauty is protected by town planners who ensure that any new structures built in the inner city harmonize with the pre-existing Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque buildings. Modern urban development exists, spreading along the Inn River to the east and west, away from the historic areas. The name Innsbruck means "bridge over the Inn," which is the river that flows through the city. The city lies at a meeting place of the Valley of the Inn and the Sill Gorge. As long ago as 1180, a little settlement on the river was moved from the northern bank to the site of the present Altstadt (Old Town). In 1239, as a part of Swabia Bavaria, it was granted its own "rights and privileges," and in 1420, Innsbruck became the capital of Austria. The city was celebrated throughout Europe under the Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. Under Maximilian, whose reign (1490-1519) signaled the end of the Middle Ages, Innsbruck reached the height of its cultural and poli
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | The Inn river valley's advantageous geographical position made it a natural choice for early settlers. During the Bronze Age, Illyrians populated the valley areas that proved safe areas from the threat of flooding. Remnants of Illyrian urns can be found in the districts of Wilten, Hötting and Mühlau, whilst artefacts originating from an Illyrian settlement were unearthed on the hill at Vill. Numerous districts of present-day Innsbruck bear names derived from those of the ancient settlements, such as Aldrans, Lans, Igls and Vill. Around 15 BC the Roman Empire expanded forcefully northwards, annexing the central alpine region approaching the Danube. The area around Innsbruck thus became a transit route of key strategic importance for Roman soldiers. A community soon sprang up around the fortified outpost of Veldidena (present-day Wilten), which guarded the approach to the Brenner Pass. The Bavarians migrated to the Inn valley from the north during the second half of the 6th Century CE. As a result, this area became part of the Bavarian hereditary Duchy. The German Emperor denied the Bavarian dukes control of this strategic area—then still referred to simply as "the land in the mountains" and handed it over to the Bishops of Brixen instead. Above all, it was the Counts of Andechs and their feudal lords who brought autonomy and political power to the alpine valleys of Tyrol. Indeed, the counts became the most important territorial rulers in the land. As a result, Innsbr
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| When To Go (Source: Fodors) | Top | The physical geography of the Tirol makes it an especially ideal place in which to enjoy the outdoor life year-round. Ski-crazy travelers descend on the resorts during the winter months; in summer, when the mountains are awash with wildflowers, camping tents spring up like mushrooms in the valleys as hikers, spelunkers, mountain bikers, and climbers take advantage of the palatial peaks. The annual Tyrolean calendar is packed with special events: the famous Schemenlaufen, a procession of carved wooden masks, held in February in Imst; the Fasching balls, which reach their peak at the end of February; the Hahnenkamm ski race and curling competition held in winter in Kitzbühel; the world-famous Gauder Fest at Zell am Ziller during the first weekend in May; the castle concerts and music and dance festivals in summer, primarily in Kufstein and Innsbruck; and the many village harvest festivals in the fall throughout Tirol. For a rundown of Tirol's cultural venues and events, visit www.culture.tirol.at .
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| How To Get There (Source: Frommers) | Top | Innsbruck's airport, Flughafen Innsbruck-Kranebitten , Fürstenweg 180 (tel. 0512/22525; www.Innsbruck-airport.com), is 3km (2 miles) west of the city. It offers regularly scheduled air service from all major Austrian airports, as well as from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris, and Zurich. Tyrolean Airways (tel. 51789 ) serves the airport exclusively, although some foreign carriers will charter flights. The best gateways from New York are Frankfurt and Vienna (from there to Innsbruck on Tyrolean Airways). Flying time from Zurich and Frankfurt is 50 to 70 minutes. From the airport, bus F leads to the city center. Tickets cost 1.60€ ($2.10). A taxi ride takes about 10 minutes and costs 8€ ($10) or more. There are six car-rental kiosks at the Innsbruck Airport: Budget (tel. 0512/287181 ); ARAC Autovermietung (tel. 0512/206360 ); Avis (tel. 0512/292280 ); Denzeldrive-National-Alamo (tel. 0512/582060 ); Hertz (tel. 0512/580901 ); and Sixt GmbH (tel. 0512/2929390 ). To drive from the airport to downtown Innsbruck, take the Fürstenweg (which becomes Mariahilfstrasse) for 2km (1 1/4 miles), following the signs to Innsbruck Centrum. By Train Innsbruck is connected with all parts of Europe by international railway links. Trains arrive at the main railway station, the Hauptbahnhof , Südtiroler Platz (tel. 05/1717; www.oebb.at). There are at least five daily trains from Munich (trip time: 3 hr.) and eight daily trains from Salzburg (1 hr.).
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | Generally, you should consider buying an Innsbruck Card if you are planning to get to know the city: with that card, you can use public transport for free (including the funiculars), and it pays for most of the sightseeing spots as well as other touristic offers listed below (and many more). Night Life Innsbruck is a students' city: about a quarter of the city's population are students, and you can tell from the night life. One of the city's characteristics is the row of bars and pubs located in the viaduct, simply called "Bögen" ("arches") by locals. Dozens of diverse bars stand side by side here, among them Plateau , Babalon or Down Under . And of course, many places to go can be found right in the old town and its immediate vicinity, for instance the large restaurant-bar Elfer offering many different kinds of beer, the comfy Piano café-bar, or the stylish Uferlos bar. The place to be in warm summer nights is the Hofgartencafé . The large discotheques, such as Antico, Sagenhaft or Baustell' are situated at the borders of the city, the ones in the centre are smaller: Blue Chip and the Couch Club are worth mentioning in that respect. Museums There are numerous museums, galleries and other exhibitions all over the city. First of all, the large Ferdinandeum right in the centre is noteworthy. It has exhibitions of cultural history as well as the history of science and crafts on display. Ferdinandeum also hosts Austria's largest collection
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