Author: Paul Johnson

Innsbruck has long been a haven for adventurers. With its history steeped in mountaineering, this city breathes a culture of climbing in addition to many other outdoor pursuits. From simple bouldering opportunities to the limestone cliffs of the Karwendel, Innsbruck offers a vertical playground for climbers of all abilities. Whilst we’ve done a little climbing in the past, we’re very much beginners so we were happy to find ourselves at the K1 Climbing Centre, ready to test our skills with some low-level bouldering.

Having opened in May 2017, the K1 Climbing Centre is a modern purpose-built centre with a spacious interior. With walls reaching up to 17 metres, the centre caters for a whole range of abilities.

Thankfully, we were bouldering at low levels so all we needed was climbing shoes – no ropes or harnesses, just us, the wall and gravity… and crucially

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Rising above Innsbruck – and often said to look like a cobra from afar – the Bergisel Ski Jump is more than a monument to sport — it’s a place where history and adrenaline collide. And ski jumping in Austria couldn’t be at a more pivotal moment. Just days before our visit to Bergisel Ski Jump, Daniel Tschofenig came from behind in the prestigious Four Hills Tournament to complete an Austrian 1-2-3 on home snow.

We set out to explore this iconic venue on a crisp morning, having skipped the hotel breakfast. Catching tram 1 to Bergisel, we walked to the ski jump where the funicular whisked us up the hillside, followed by a lift to Bergisel Sky, a glassy vantage point perched high above the city.

The views from this sleek look-out are breathtaking—in the foreground, the skip jump and a panorama of the city beyond, against

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As twilight descended upon Innsbruck, we ventured into the Hofgarten, where LUMAGICA awaited — an impressive series of lights displayed throughout this historic park.

The park dates back to the 15th Century having been initially created as part of the imperial gardens for the ruling Habsburg dynasty. And this annual light festival, running from November to February, transforms the gardens into a realm of enchantment, inviting visitors to experience the magic of peace, love and family.

LUMAGICA dates back to an installation at Hückelhoven, Germany, where an installation was displayed on a former coal hill. The concept has since been extended to locations all over Europe, including Warsaw, Trondheim, Barcelona, and – of course – now Innsbruck.

It’s a spectacle that will delight young and old alike. The over one-kilometre circular route is adorned with

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We didn’t know quite what to expect when we visited Experience Tirol on the top floor of a shopping centre in the heart of Innsbruck.

We’d previously visited Fly Over Iceland, an attraction in Reykjavik, but this was something quite different – a series of interactive rooms and experiences, enveloping us in the essence of Tyrol. It’s an immersive show that transcends traditional exhibitions, offering a sensory journey through the region’s history and culture.

Upon arrival, the friendly staff provided us with a brief introduction and guidance on using the VR equipment. The adventure begins in a room where holographic figures – a father and his daughter – narrate the of Tyrolean customs – a seamless blend of storytelling and technology.

With virtual reality headsets, we’re next transported back to pivotal moments in Tyrol’s past. We stood alongside Ötzi, traversed the reign of Emperor

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After an exhilarating snowshoe hike through pristine snow at Kühtai, we headed up the road to Restaurant Jagdschloss, part of the historic Jagdschloss Resort. We already have it on good authority from our snowshoeing guide, Nick, that it’s the best place to eat in the village. So, nestled in the shadow of Kühtai’s soaring peaks, this establishment promised a hearty embrace of Austrian hospitality, and we had definitely worked up an appetite for it.

The food

We didn’t have so long before catching our bus back to Innsbruck so each just chose one dish from a menu of soups and mains. The comforting bowl of cream of pumpkin soup was generously laced with coconut milk and scattered with crisp croutons. The subtle sweetness of the coconut complements the earthy pumpkin, and it’s satisfyingly warming after our outdoor excursions.

I chose the wiener schnitzel, a delicious golden veal dish

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There’s something magical about the journey to Kühtai. As our bus ascends from Innsbruck, winding its way along Alpine roads that climb progressively ever higher, there’s a slow transformation from city life to a snow-covered playground.

At 2,020 metres, Austria’s highest skiing village welcomes us with its crystalline air and towering peaks, the perfect stage for our snowshoeing adventure. We meet Nick, our Belgian guide from the aptly-named Follow Me ski school.

We’re in experienced hands – he’s worked in the area for man years and knows the region intimately. His respect for the landscape is also evident and he warns us of heightened avalanche risks, but assures us our route had been carefully chosen.

Strapping on snowshoes was relatively straight-forward. These lightweight contraptions expand our feet like oversized paddles, and the accompanying poles provide us with additional balance.

Nick

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Reaching Umbrüggler Alm is an adventure in itself, a journey that blends the charm of modern engineering with the timeless beauty of the Tyrolean mountains. Our escapade began with a walk to Altstadt station of the Nordkettenbahnen. From there, a swift ride on the funicular whisked us partway up the mountain with the opportunity to admire majestic views over the city.

Our final leg was a 40-minute uphill hike along a woodland forest path from Hungerburg, occasionally interrupted by careful navigation of icy patches as we got higher.

As the trail opened up, Umbrüggler Alm emerged, proudly bearing its name and elevation — 1,123 metres — on the building façade.

This architectural gem promises a traditional mountain hut experience with a difference. To be honest, the view alone is enough but here classic Tyrolean dishes are prepared with

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Hidden in plain sight in Innsbruck, Weinhaus Tyrol is known to locals but still flying under the radar of most tourists. It’s the kind of place you dream of stumbling upon, and offers an intimate private dining and wine tasting experience.

Inside, there’s an extensive display of wines, a bar and occasional barrels used as make-shift tables to enjoy a drink or two.

At the end of this corridor and down a few steps, is a small converted cellar. With its arched ceiling, stone walls half-clad in plaster and dimly-lit ambience, it exudes a rustic charm and enjoys various quaint details.

Now I don’t profess to be a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy a glass or two, and here we were in for a treat – this wasn’t just a dinner and a few glasses of wine, but an invitation to slow down, savour and

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The first thing that struck us as we disembarked our flight at Innsbruck Airport — other than the fresh, bracing air—was the breathtaking mountain scenery encircling us. Towering, snow-dusted peaks are all around, glowing in the morning sunlight – a natural amphitheatre promising several days of history, fun and adventure.

The second thing that stood out was the remarkable ease of travelling from the airport to the heart of Innsbruck. Few international airports in Europe allow you to be dining in a restaurant in the city centre within an hour of landing, but in Innsbruck it’s possible to achieve this effortlessly. Once through passport control and the baggage claim area, the F bus immediately outside the airport doors swiftly connects you to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (the main train station from which you can easily explore the Old Town on foot) in just 15–20 minutes.

And so, we

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