wckate

I will be in London with a friend in June. My mother (a spry 85 yr old) is arriving with my 18 yr old nephew Friday 2 July about noon. This is were I need the help. I am planning to fly to Innsbruck the next day, Saturday. Sunday about noon my son flies in to join us from his trip ending in Athens. So here we all are in Innsbruck noon Sunday. My next plan is we fly to Inverness Tuesday Morning. That puts 4 of us in Innsbruck Sat afternoon to Tuesday morning. Is there enough to do there?? I was there many years ago for 1/2 a day on a tour at 18 years old...so I don't remember much.
As my Mom is flying from LA leaving the 1st, overnight to London, then I fly her to Innsbruck the next day....is leaving Innsbruck for somewhere else on Monday, then flying back to Inverness too much travel?? I am not a live out of a suitcase and if it's TUesday it must be Belgium kind of traveler. BUT, I also don't want all these people to be bored. This is a very very special trip for all of us for different reason, and most likely the last one my Mom will be able to do...so it needs to be extra special.
Any suggestions about Innsbruck? Things to do, how long to stay...whatever would be very helpful. Oh yeah,,,we've all been to Italy, and that is part of the trip my son is just coming off of...so that is one direction we probably wouldn't want to go this time.
Thanks in advance!

pja1

Hi,

Just out of curiosity, why Innsbruck?

That's only 2.5 days. While I'm not crazy about Innsbruck itself, the area (and scenery) is beautiful. I think you can keep as busy as you like. Things we liked in and around Innsbruck:

The old town of Innsbruck is worth half a day to a day at least.
www.innsbruck-tourism.at

Nordkettenbahn
www.nordkette.com/en/top/home.html

Schloss Ambras
www.khm.at/en/ambras-castle

The charming old town of Hall in Tirol which is about 15 minutes away. Easy by train.

Mittenwald, Germany is our favorite Bavarian village, is about 45 minutes away. Again, easy by train.

I have to say, we've never stayed IN Innsbruck, but we have stayed in Hall in Tirol on three seperate trips. Our favorite place to stay there is the gasthof Badl.

www.badl.at

www.worldisround.com/articles/324697/index.html

www.worldisround.com/articles/343800/index.html

Hope this helps.

Paul

spaarne

I second Hall-in-Tyrol. I've stayed there a few times, once in a cloister courtesy of a great aunt. It's on the sunny side of the Alps with great views and, as pja1 says, it is a charming old town, very old. I wish I had paid better attention as my aunt guided me around and related the history of the village.

The Swarovski Crystal works is about half way between Hall and Innsbruck on the south side of the river.

pja1

Just thought I'd add the link to Swarovski. We went there in '05. Some interesting exhibits, but it seems the main attraction is the store.

kristallwelten.swarovski.com/Content.Node/homepage.php

We also liked Tratzburg Castle not far from Innsbruck.

www.schloss-tratzberg.at

Paul

wckate

Thanks Paul, a lot of good suggestions. Why Innsbruck? I was there for about 3 hours when I was 18, and guess I just wanted to see it. We're not into big cities, like Vienna, and I looking to buy some wood carvings, and remember buying one in Innsbruck..granted, that was almost 40 years ago! I juat had those 3 1/2 days and didn't know where to go! Been to France, Norway, lots of time in Germany (my cousin lived there), most of Switzerland...but only 3 hours in Austria.
Our other choice was Bruge, but that looked like it was even smaller. I am certainly open to suggestion from anyone who has one! I will definetly look into Hall...all of you do seem to totally agree that it;s the place to stay!

Vttraveler

Have you spent time in Salzburg? I would pick that over Innsbruck both for charm of the city and things to do in the area.

logos999

Zillertal? Innsbruck isn't a place where I would want to spend too much time, Why not drive up tp Jenbach and enter the Zillertal. MANY MANY tourists there (DUTCH campers arghhh...), but nice anyway. As someone from Munich, I wouldn't go to see Innsbruck, but I would visit the Zillertal and maybe go back to Munich from Jenbach and see the Achensee. OR I'd drive to south Tyrol on the right side of the Brenner. That is fun, because the roads are soooo small. If you want, search for EllbÖgen. ;-) on Google.

logos999

OR maybe try Gerlos, I love it! There were cows on the road there when I was "cruising" up to Gerlos, you hardly could see them, just like they were hidden right behind every turn.
There aren't that many tourist there! Driving there is fun, but just don't hit that cow on the road!

Gerlos ist just as good as it gets if you drive....

J62

I've spent a lot of time in and around Innsbruck - it's not a place I'd pick for a multi day visit unless I really wanted to enjoy hiking in the mountains.

The historic old town is good for about 1 hr, maybe 2. The attractiveness of the area is the skiing in the winter and abundance of hiking in the summer. A great day hike is to take the cable up the Patscherkofel mtn from the village Igls (just outside Innsbruck), then spend the day hiking back down the mtn, past the olympic bobsled runs, back to Igls.

If you have a choice, I'd suggest Salzburg for a few days over Innsbruck. If not, there's plenty to see and enjoy nearby to Innsbruck and you've gotten some good ideas above.

pja1

Hi again,

As far as old towns, I have to agree with Salzburg over Innsbruck any day. For the alpine scenery... I'd go with the Innsbruck area, meaning a stay in Hall in Tirol and visiting Innsbruck for an afternoon or evening.

logos999

Just to give you an idea, while Innsbruck is a "southern suburb" of Munich, with a lot of of people driving there from Munich down the river Isar via Achenkirch on weekends (less than one hour), Salzburg is a "far away!!" town. Folks from Munich buy gas at Jenbach for 1.15€ per liter, while at home, it costs 1.40€. It's only a short trip on a friday afternoon.

wckate

Thanks so much for the great info! I think we'll do Salzburg. The other ideas were very good, but as I live in the country, on a cattle ranch, I try to travel to at least one major city in the summers, and Salzburg sound about right..not overy Huge and very historical for the older kids.
If my Mom wasn't with us on this trip, I would have probably gone for the hiking ideas, which I am actually writing down and storing for our next adventure. Thanks SO much...
Any suggestions while in Salzburg? Any special shopping or seeing the off the path unusual is one of my passions (like the tiny little "chapel" in Rome where everything is decorated by Monks with the bones of past Monks. Weird, but highly interesting.