Day 2: Innsbruck

The next morning, we woke up feeling completely refreshed. We first found a nice café where we ordered breakfast: hot coffee, freshly baked pastries, ham, salami, even salmon. What a delightful start to the day.

Afterwards, we walked through the Triumphal Arch into Innsbruck’s main shopping street, Maria-Theresien-Straße.

This street is perfect for getting a first impression of Innsbruck.

I love looking at the shop windows of various stores. A little shopping was of course part of it too.

Since Innsbruck lies in a valley, we repeatedly enjoyed wonderful views of the mountains framing the city romantically.

Along the street, there are numerous cafés and restaurants inviting you to linger.

We then took the tram to Bergisel. There, an elevator took us up to the Sky Restaurant on the famous Bergisel ski jump in just a few minutes. From there, you have a unique view of the city and the mountains of Tyrol.

We ordered coffee, beer, and of course a piece of Bergisel cake was a must.

From our window seat, we could overlook the whole area.

Later, we also visited the observation terrace, but due to the cool temperatures, we did not stay long. The view of the ski jump was especially spectacular. It is unimaginable that people actually jump down here with skis, although I have seen many broadcasts on TV. But on TV, the ski jump never looks as spectacular as from up here.

On the way back, we visited the Olympic rings, a monument commemorating the Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck.

Next to them are the fire bowls where the Olympic flame once burned. I can even remember the 1976 games, although I was a small child then.

Another monument on Bergisel is dedicated to the famous Tyrolean freedom fighter Andreas Hofer. One of his most important battles took place here. To this day, he is regarded by the people of Tyrol as a symbol of freedom and resistance.

Back in the city, we took a short walk along the Inn River.

Then we took a bus to the cable car that would take us to Hafelekar.

We first traveled to the mountain station, the "Top of Innsbruck," which lies at 2,334 meters. We had to change trains at the Seegrube station.

At the top, it was cold as expected. The landscape lay deeply snow-covered before us. Unfortunately, it was quite foggy, so the visibility was somewhat limited. Nevertheless, the view over Innsbruck was impressive.

Afterwards, we went back down to Seegrube, where we took a short walk in the snow. In the restaurant, we treated ourselves to a glass of Schiwasser and a beer. Then it was time to return.

Once down, we saw that the Christmas market was still open here as well — on Hungerburg. We curiously looked at the stalls and tried typical local delicacies being sold.

While we were at the market, it slowly got dark. The lights in Innsbruck turned on, and the view cleared. The illuminated city lay beautifully at our feet, framed by snow-covered peaks. It was a sight straight out of a fairytale.

Later, we took the Hungerburgbahn, a funicular, back to the city center.

There, we strolled through the brightly lit alleys of the old town to the famous Golden Roof. The city was enchanting in the warm light of the lanterns.

The Golden Roof is Innsbruck’s landmark. It covers an oriel window dating back to the 15th century. It was built on the orders of Emperor Maximilian I and covered with gilded shingles. The ruler had a good view from there over the square where festivals and tournaments were held at the time.

On the way back, we walked through Maria-Theresien-Straße again. We bought a few souvenirs and enjoyed the last hours in this dreamy city.

 In a supermarket, we got salad and tortellini, which we prepared and ate in our apartment’s dining room.

Thus, we ended the evening pleasantly.