I currently live in Salzburg, a little mountain city in central Austria. The capital city of Vienna lies to the east and to the west is Innsbruck, another mountainous and adventure-filled city.
→ Follow along my Austrian adventures on Instagram @JanaInAustria!
I've been to Innsbruck a handful of times now since moving to Austria. My first visit was back in the summer of 2022 when a friend from my time in Vancouver, Connor, said he was heading through Austria on his Europe trip. I visited Innsbruck again in December 2024 to go to the Christmas Market and then again a few times in the summer of 2025, rounding out the rest of this guide.
The city of Innsbruck is nestled against the Austrian Alps, the mountains rising directly over the city and, with a bustling Altstadt at the heart of it, offers plenty to do.
I first visited Innsbruck in July 2022 and returned in December 2024 and July and August 2025 and updated the original post with all the new things I did. This post was first published on 24 July 2022; last updated 23 August 2025.
Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Austria can be found in my Ultimate Austria Map!
This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite:
- restaurants
- places to stay
- shops
- photo spots and viewpoints
- hikes
- museums and galleries
- beaches, lakes and rivers
- ski hills
- spas
- AND SO MUCH MORE!
Each pin includes the exact location (plus the ability to open it directly in Google Maps), lots of photos for inspiration, detailed information to help you visit the spot plus a link to my relevant blog post to read lots more about it.
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Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Innsbruck. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Austria is Austrian German. It is a dialect of German with its own unique vocabulary and grammar, so while it is mutually intelligible, it has a different pronunciation.
The first foreign language taught at most schools is English and Austria is actually considered the third-best country in the world for English fluency, according to the English Proficiency Index.
Currency: The currency used in Austria is the Euro, denoted as €.
I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in the local currency!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between € and your local currency.
Data: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths in Austria.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
Visa: Austria is part of the EU, EEA and Schengen Zone. Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland do not need a visa to visit Austria.
Other passport holders will require a Schengen Visa to visit Austria which permits stays of up to 90 days within the Schengen Zone.
→ Check if you need a visa for Austria.
Time of year to visit: Austria can be visited all year-round, depending on what you're interested in. Austria is lucky in that it experiences all four seasons fully: flowers in the spring, heat and sun in the summer, changing leaves in the autumn and full-on snow and Christmas in the winter.
This guide is mostly catered towards visiting Innsbruck in the summer, one of the most most popular seasons of the year, but it's also incredible to visit in winter with its close proximity to the mountains for skiing and its Christmas Market in the Altstadt.
Length of stay: I have spent about a week in Innsbruck across multiple visits and think this is a sufficient amount of time in order to be able to explore the city as well as the surrounding mountains.
By flight: Innsbruck does have its own airport, albeit a small one. There are some direct flights arriving in Innsbruck from across Europe. However, if you're coming from further abroad, Munich might be your best option (same as it is for Salzburg), as it is much bigger and an international hub.
From Innsbruck Airport, it's just ten minutes into the city by car (such as with Uber) or 15 minutes by bus. From Munich Airport, you can take a direct train in about three hours straight to Innsbruck.
By car: Of course, if you have your own wheels you can travel to Innsbruck by car.
→ Check out where you can park in Innsbruck.
By train: For my first visit back in 2022, I traveled by train to Innsbruck from my home in Salzburg. Train arrive in Innsbruck from across Europe. The main train station or Hauptbahnhof is just a few minutes' walk from the old town of Innsbruck.
By bus: FlixBus services Innsbruck with direct connections from 101 cities!
The old town and main part of Innsbruck is very walkable and allows you to explore at your own pace. You might also want to join a walking tour of Innsbruck to get insights from a local of the history and learn a bit more about the city.
For further trips, such as for hiking, or if you're staying a bit further out of town, you have a couple of options:
By car: If you have your own wheels, you can easily navigate the city by car, with parking readily available.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Innsbruck.
By public transport: Innsbruck is well-connected with trams and buses getting you where you need to go.
→ Find all the public transport options and ticket prices in Innsbruck.
By Uber: Innsbruck has Uber, making this a quick and easy way to get around.
A bus driving down a main road in Innsbruck
Hostel: I only stayed in Innsbruck on my first visit in 2022 and chose to book into a hostel for that trip. We stayed at the Meininger Hostel, about 15 minutes from the central train station. It was clean, modern and well-located and had a good self-service kitchen on site.
→ Book your stay at Meininger Hostel.
Hotel: Innsbruck is a popular tourist spot in Austria, so you'll find accommodation to suit any budget.
→ Check out other places to stay to suit your budget and accommodation type.
Image via Booking.com
Innsbruck is a mountain city, geared towards a love of being outdoors, so that is the main thing to do in the area.
However, the old town is beautiful itself and has a few things worth exploring.
See the view from the Triumphforte
Built in 1765 by Empress Maria Theresa in celebration of her son's wedding, this arch now is an iconic photospot looking down the Maria-Theresien-Straße.
Spot the Annasäule
This iconic marble column in the heart of Innsbruck was built in 1703 and features a statue of the Virgin Mary.
See the golden balcony of Goldenes Dachl
This ornate residence is decorated by over 2600 shiny tiles in the heart of Innsbruck's Aldstadt.
Wander past the pretty buildings of the old town
Hofburg Palace, a sixteenth century Renaissance palace
Visit the Hofkirche mit Silberner Kapelle
This beautiful Gothic church houses the tombs of Emperor Maximilian I and Archduke Ferdinand (the one from the 1500s though, not the one who was assassinated setting of WWI!) as well as some pretty impressive lifesize statues, including one of King Arthur.
Tomb of Emperor Maximilian I
Statue of King Arthur
See the colourful houses of Mariahilf
One of the main roads in Innsbruck and the most photographed spots of the city is the Mariahilf, a row of colourful houses sitting on the river Inn in front of the Alps.
Step inside the Dom St. Jakob
This 18th century Baroque cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Innsbruck and it's simply beautiful on the inside.
Go hiking
This is an outdoorsy city nestled right in the Austrian Alps so the best thing to do in Innsbruck is to be in the mountains! In the winter, the mountains are covered with snow and full of avid skiers and snowboarders. In the summer, make sure to get out on the hiking trails.
I have done two hikes in Innsbruck: the Zirbenweg with views across Innsbruck from the top of two gondolas and a glorious sunrise hike to Salfeiner See.
Zirbenweg
Sunrise at Salfeiner See
Bonus: Go to the Innsbruck Christmas Market!
Here at Christmastime? Visit the Innsbruck Christmas Market which stretches across many streets and lights up the city beautifully. It felt a bit packed in the tight streets at times but the crafts especially were simply gorgeous and it was so festive.
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
I Love Austria.
very good article , thank you for sharing.
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Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Nice post , thank you for sharing.