|Location: Innsbruck, Austria|

Innsbruck is an amazing little town nestled in the Austrian Alps that has so much to offer, but often gets overlooked as a European destination.  I think it’s the perfect weekend getaway and should not be missed, no matter the season!  This Alpine town is so picturesque, you’ll be pinching yourself in disbelief!  What makes it unique to me is that it is a true city in the mountains.

We visited in the spring which ended up being perfect.  Blue skies and sunshine warmed the colorful town juxtaposed against the snowy mountains on every side.  People were still skiing on the mountains but we could hang out on the slopes in just our normal clothes!  In the summer you would be able to hike or bike through the mountains, and the winter brings Christmas markets to the city.  I can only imagine how much Christmas cheer Innsbruck must have, we are hoping to check out the Christmas markets here this year!

We stayed right on the Inn River at the Hotel Mondschein, one of the houses in the picture above.  It’s the pink building with two rows of bay windows.  How cute is it?!  I highly recommend it if you go!  We were right in the action and had city views looking over the river and into town.  A quick walk across the Inn brücke brought us into the old town!

Did you know, the Inn River behind me runs right through the town and the German word for bridge is Brücke. This pretty city is built in between the Alps and surrounding the river Inn, hence the town name, Innsbruck.  The German language is always so practical. : )

When you arrive, make sure to walk through the picturesque old town and admire the colorful buildings.  The Golden Roof is a popular sight to see, which still remains from approximately year 1500 when Emperor Maximilian I married his bride.  It’s a central spot in town and we actually passed a wedding reception under the golden roof!

Head throughout town to Maria-Theresien strasse and enjoy a coffee or drink at one of the numerous outdoor cafes, or grab a gelato like we did at the delicious Tomaselli Gelateria.  The Maria-Theresien strasse was bustling with tons of people enjoying the weather and each other’s company.  Look how stunning the streets are – it is impossible to not be happy here!

After our gelato and more strolling, we headed to the 360 cafe for stunning city views and an aperitivo.  As you can guess, it has 360 degrees of rooftop views and the bar area is glass encased with a patio and seating surrounding it.  The gorgeous weather meant we spent every minute outside soaking up the sun!

The city center itself isn’t too large, which is perfect because it gives you plenty of time to head up and enjoy the city from a completely different view – on top of the mountains!  You can ride the Nordkette cable car up the mountain and it really is a must-do no matter how long you have in Innsbruck.  No, you don’t need your ski gear to ride it (although you can ski if you’d like) and yes, it leaves directly from the city center.  Innsbruck has made it incredibly easy for visitors to access the gorgeous mountains!

I am serious when I say this is a must-do.  Get tickets all the way to the top so you can grab lunch at the Seegrube Restaurant on the mountainside.  I recommend doing this for lunch on Saturday because you’ll want to spend the entire afternoon here and never leave.  You’ll get to watch skiers doing jumps off of a ramp right in front of you, and look out over the town of Innsbruck and the surrounding mountains.  If you’re not convinced yet, scroll down and check out the pictures below.

When dusk comes, be sure to check out Dom Cafe with plush seats and a gorgeous chandelier.  The drink prices were very reasonable, we came here for a drink or two before heading to dinner.  We ate a fabulous dinner at die Wilderin, which we absolutely loved.  I unfortunately don’t have pictures but both the food and atmosphere were so good.  If it’s a weekend try to make reservations beforehand, we got lucky and slid into a table without reservations on this particular night!

Innsbruck, you are so dreamy.

xo

 

Get There

Innsbruck is an easy 3 1/2 hour drive from Stuttgart, and I love that it’s straight south so you don’t have to sit through the east-bound traffic on the A8 towards Munich.  We drove south through Memmingen to Innsbruck and made a stop in Garmish-Partenkirschen for lunch Sunday on the way back.

Stay

We stayed in the beautiful Hotel Mondschein right on the river Inn, you can spot it as the cute pink house on the river with the bay windows in the pictures above.

Do

Stroll through the gorgeous town but leave plenty of time to take the Nordkette cable car up the mountain, direct from the city center!