Innsbruck (Winter)

Stroll the narrow, cobblestoned streets of this quaint medieval gem, sandwiched between the German and Italian borders, and you’ll experience alpine lifestyle at its highest. Virtually surrounded by steep mountains, the magnificent snowcapped peaks dominating the landscape are always felt if not seen. There’s plenty to see in town, like the famous Golden Roof, the Schloss Ambras Castle, lavish palaces, museums, and a world-class opera – but when snow arrives, the area becomes a winter sports destination extraordinaire. Situated in the beautiful River Inn valley in northern Austria, also know as the Tyrolean Alps, Innsbruck is conveniently ...

Stroll the narrow, cobblestoned streets of this quaint medieval gem, sandwiched between the German and Italian borders, and you’ll experience alpine lifestyle at its highest. Virtually surrounded by steep mountains, the magnificent snowcapped peaks dominating the landscape are always felt if not seen. There’s plenty to see in town, like the famous Golden Roof, the Schloss Ambras Castle, lavish palaces, museums, and a world-class opera – but when snow arrives, the area becomes a winter sports destination extraordinaire. Situated in the beautiful River Inn valley in northern Austria, also know as the Tyrolean Alps, Innsbruck is conveniently located at the base of numerous ski areas within a one-hour radius of town. There is also a complimentary shuttle that will pick you up at the main rail station (Hauptbahnhof), 10-minutes by foot from the old town (Altstadt), and drop you at any of the resorts. Most of the terrain is intermediate, often compared to Aspen, Colorado, but thrill-seekers can opt for the runs of Hafelekar, Axamer Lizum, and Stubai Glacier.

About the Expert

Aaron Anderson is coauthor of Lonely Planet's Washington, D.C. City Guide, a contributor on western states to Lonely Planet USA, and he wrote the Austria chapters for Lonely Planet's Western Europe and Europe on a Shoestring.