Innsbruck's Golden Roof and Baroque old town sit almost literally at the base of the Nordkette range, a cable car starts within a twenty-minute walk of the centre and reaches ski terrain and hiking trails above 2,000 metres in under half an hour, an alpine immediacy that few other cities can offer.
The Old Town
The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl), a balcony covered in over 2,600 gilded copper tiles commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I in 1500, marks the centre of the old town's pedestrian core, a small landmark that anchors a genuinely lovely stretch of colourful Gothic and Baroque buildings.
The Hofkirche, home to Maximilian I's elaborate but never-finished cenotaph surrounded by 28 larger-than-life bronze statues of ancestors and historical figures, is one of the more overlooked but impressive sights in the old town.
The Nordkette and Winter Sports
The Nordkette cable car, designed by Zaha Hadid for its futuristic stations, climbs directly from the city centre to the Hafelekar summit at over 2,300 metres, a journey of under 30 minutes that goes from Renaissance architecture to high alpine terrain with no transition in between.
Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, and the ski jump built for the 2002 games, designed by Hadid as well, has an observation platform and restaurant at its top with a view down the jump itself and across the whole city.
Recommended Stay · Innsbruck · City Centre
Grand Hotel Europa
A 19th-century grand hotel opposite the main train station, with mountain views from upper floors and a short walk to the old town's Golden Roof.
