Colorful facades in front of a mountain panorama: it doesn’t get more kitschy than this. The sight of the snow-covered hills really makes your legs itch as soon as you pass Innsbruck. Most visitors actually come here to ski down the slopes, although Tyrol’s capital actually has much more to offer than kilometers of sugar pistes. The great thing is that spontaneous decisions are possible, as the ski resorts are only twenty minutes away from the city center. If you prefer to take it easy, snuggle up on fur-covered stools in front of the café, enjoy a Melange and cake with cream and simply take a deep breath. Moritz Waller knows the best places to do this in Innsbruck.
Hotels in Innsbruck
Rustic and cozy: the Faktorei. Book early, there are only 22 rooms. Childhood dreams come true in the tree houses of the Wood Lodge on Lake Natterer See or in the furnished apartments of Visionapartments on Resselstraße – it doesn’t get any cooler than this! From Hotel Adlers you can enjoy the best view of the city, and the food here is also excellent. If you like hip interiors, book your overnight stay at the nala Individuellhotel.
Faktorei, Mariahilfstrasse 36, 6020 Innsbruck, www.faktorei-innsbruck.com
Wood Lodge, Natterer See 1, 6161 Natters, www.natterersee.com
Visionapartments, Resselstraße 1, 6020 Innsbruck, www.visionapartments.com
Hotel Adlers, Bruneckerstrasse 1, 6020 Innsbruck, www.adlers-innsbruck.com
Nala Individuellhotel, Müllerstrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, www.nala-hotel.com
Restaurants
While all the tourists are looking for a relaxing spot in the Old Town pedestrian zone, we make ourselves comfortable at Spitzbua in Reichenau. Hipsters cook home-style cooking from regional ingredients at a damn good price. Instead of guacamole made from avocados, Burrito Kartell’ s burritos now feature peas – for the sake of the environment. Vegetarians will be happy with delicious burgers at Olive, style fanatics at Café Haepinest and brunch fans at Moustache or Penz. The best place to taste regional wines is at the Culinarium. On request, a few bites are also available to accompany the good wine.
Spitzbua, Reut-Nicolussi-Strasse 12, 6020 Innsbruck, www.spitzbua.com
Burrito Cartel, Anichstrasse 29, 6020 Innsbruck, www.machete-burritos.com
Olive, Leopoldstrasse 36, 6020 Innsbruck, www.olive.com
Haepinest, Innstrasse 2, 6020 Innsbruck, www.haepinest.com
Moustache, Herzog-Otto-Strasse 8, 6020 Innsbruck, www.cafe-moustache.com
Penz, Adolf-Pichler-Platz 3, 6020 Innsbruck, www.the-penz.com
Culinarium, Pfarrgasse 1, 6020 Innsbruck, culinarium-signor.com
Shopping in Innsbruck
Hand on heart: shopping fanatics don’t go to Innsbruck. Even though the Tyrolean city lacks nothing, the focus is more on sportswear than runway collections. Nevertheless: Feinheiten sells pretty things to have, and if you want to store for fashion from big labels, you can look around at Einwaller, Petera or by Fink’s. Various crystals also sparkle on over 1,200 square meters in the largest Swarovski store.
Subtleties, Pfarrgasse 8, 6020 Innsbruck, www.feinheiten-innsbruck.com
Einwaller, Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 38, 6020 Innsbruck, www.einwaller.com
Petera, Maria-Theresien-Strasse 18, 6020 Innsbruck, www.petera.com
By Fink’s, Maria-Theresien-Strasse 18 Rathausgalerien, 6020 Innsbruck, www.finks.com
Swarovski, Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 39, 6020 Innsbruck, www.kristallwelten.swarovski.com
Going out
Drinks first! Best in the Kater Noster or the Liquid Diary. Club hopping is very popular in Innsbruck. You start at the so-called “arches” and work your way up along the bars, pubs and clubs. If you make it to the old town, stop by Prometheus, where you might have to fight with students for a stool. The city’s creatives have gathered in the Fablab or the Motel in Wilten nested. In winter, sports fans will find one of the ski resorts just a stone’s throw away from the center.
Kater Noster, Leopoldstrasse 7, 6020 Innsbruck, www.katernoster.com
Liquid Diary, Adolf-Pichler-Platz 2, 6020 Innsbruck, www.liquiddiary.com
Prometheus, Hofgasse 2, 6020 Innsbruck, www.prometheuskeller.com
Fablab, Franz-Fischer-Strasse 12, 6020 Innsbruck, www.fablab.spielraumfueralle.com
Must do’s
The best way to ski is on your own skis: Peter and Michi demonstrate their craft in the SPURart ski construction workshop. After that, it’s up to us: self-
build or have it built? After a 30-minute drive towards the Nordkette or one of the other eight ski areas, you’re off to the slopes.
SPURart ski construction workshop, Höttinger G. 26, 6020 Innsbruck, www.spurart.com
Events
Winter World Masters Games 2020
10.1.
3,000 athletes compete against each other in twelve categories.
Moritz Wallerist
is a graphic designer.
loves black-and-white films and Polaroid cameras.
hates David Guetta.
Here you can find our short trip tips for Vienna.