Relax in Salzburg at the Hotel Vogelweiderhof

Book a “Shaolin Package” at the lovely Hotel Vogelweiderhof in Salzburg for 210 euros per night. Special Offer including stay in a double room, breakfast, lunch, WOK dinner and 1 Shaolin treatment.

Visit Vienna and stay at the Hotel Am Brillantengrund

Book a 4-night stay at the 3-star Am Brillantengrund Hotel in Vienna city center and get a special price: Double room for 77 euros per night.

More Special Rates on Austria Hotels

Double room at the 4-star Hotel Mercure in Vienna for 139 euros per night (prepaid, not refundable).

Double Room at the 4-star Goldener Alder Hotel in Innsbruck for 119 euros per night (prepaid, not refundable).

Double Room at the 4-star AktivHotel Veronika in Seefeld mountain resort, Tyrol, for 140 euros per night (prepaid, not refundable).

On its north end is the Karwendel range with Nordkette raising its jagged head. Its south is ringed in by the Saile and Serles group of mountains. The Patscherkofel stands with its rounded summit on the south eastern end. The city sits on the bank of the river Inn and ‘Bruck’ means bridge. So the city is, in effect, the bridge over river Inn. Innsbruck’s largest income comes from tourism and so the city authorities take special care to ensure a special experience for all its tourists. The capital of the province of Tirol Innsbruck is an important city of the federal district. As a year round holiday destination Innsbruck has something to offer every tourist irrespective of the time of year.

Winter tourism in Innsbruck

Innsbruck is one of the few ski resort cities in the world that offers a snow guarantee wherein if it doesn’t snow there during your winter trip they will take you to a place with plenty of snow. And why is it so easy to make that guarantee? That is because Innsbruck almost never spends a winter day starving for snow. Is it then any surprise that twice it has played host to the winter Olympics! The Innsbruck area offers almost 200  trails. Axamer Lizium and Glungerez together form the ‘white roof’ where the majority of the events during both the 1964 and 1976 Olympics were held. This natural ski area boasts of a permanent training run and several rails and jumps, enough to satisfy the most snow hungry tourist.Patscherkofel, Muttereralm and Nordpark are other very popular ski resorts around Innsbruck. Easy transportation facilities and all in one ski passes make all the ski resorts in the vicinity easily accessible. For those whose enthusiasm for snow sports is more in the capacity of a viewer than a participant there is the Air and Style competition that is held in early December at the Olympic Ski Jump Stadium. In March the top snow boarders in the world participate in the Innsbruck Extreme, a contest that draws huge crowds every year.

Summer Tourism in Innsbruck

Missing winter at Innsbruck does not mean you have to miss skiing. The Stubai Glacier, about forty kilometers from Innsbruck offers an year-round skiing opportunity. As the snow melts off the mountains the lush greenness of the oak and maples envelop the slopes and transform ski slopes into wonderful hiking tracks. The region offers ample opportunities for paragliding and rafting too.Then there are the countless summer festivals. The International Folk Festival held in the second half of July has performers putting up authentic dance and music acts. From June to August the Spanish Hall of the Ambras Castle holds a concert every Tuesday. In late April there is the week long International Dance Theater Festival. Also known as the ‘Organ Town’ Innsbruck holds concerts from May to September every year to showcase the two most interesting organs that the town possesses. One is the Ebert organ that dates back to 1558 and the other, located in the Silver Chapel, is the Italian Renaissance organ. The International Organ Competition brings the organ festival to a grand close. The seasonal flowers are in full bloom during the summer at the University Botanical Gardens.

Year round attractions

There is the special summer and probably the even more special winter. Then there are attractions that make the city worth a visit irrespective of the weather. You can catch a breathtaking view of the city and its surrounding mountains from the top of the fourteenth century Stadtturm, also known as the Town Tower. Above the ski jump stadium is the Bergisel Tower which offers an unrestrictive panorama of the Alps. The Golden Roof or the Goldenes Dachl is a stunning sight. Built to celebrate the marriage of Maximillian I, it is so named because of the more than two thousand five hundred gilded copper tiles that shimmer on top of a Gothic Oriel window. Situated in the old part of the town the Golden Roof is surrounded by quaint old building with the Nordkette Mountains making for a striking backdrop.The Schloss Ambras is a tenth century castle built by Archduke Ferdinand II. A must visit is The Chamber of Art and Curiosities located in the castle. Everything from precious objects to toys and scientific items is on display here. The Upper Castle houses the ‘Hasburg Portrait Gallery’ with about three hundred portraits to view. The Cathedral of St James with its sumptuous Baroque interiors and its Madonna, painted high above the altar by Lukas Cranach the elder is definitely worth a visit. Hungerburg is a small town on the outskirts of Innsbruck from where you can take a cable car trip up the Alps. The Swarovski Crystal World is a multimedia facility that is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. The Grassmayr Bell Museum, that showcases the world famous Grassmayr bells, the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum, with everything from classic painting to Tyrolean weapons as exhibits, and Tyrolean Provincial Museum, dedicated to history round up the list of famous museums in the area.Add to all these famous restaurants, and the Casino Innsbruck and you will know why the city has earned the reputation of being Innsbruck-the year round holiday destination.Photo of Innsbruck houses originally posted by James Cridland

No pun intended in that last sentence. Okay, actually it was intended. In any case, Innsbruck has an “energetic” nightlife (there I go again!), thanks in part to the university located near the center of town. During the academic year, Innsbruck’s bars are filled with lively students trying to turn every night into one they’ll never remember. If that’s not your style, don’t worry; Innsbruck offers a fantastic variety of late-night locales, and there’s really something for everyone:

1. Zappa Music Bar

Address: Rechengasse 5

Hours: 6:00pm–2:00am Daily

Right next-door to student housing, Zappa’s lures young scholars away from their books for great music and favorable drink prices in a dark and (warning!) smoky lounge-atmosphere, complete with comfy movie-theater seats. A personal favorite, with a great staff and service.

2. Krahvogel

Address: Anichstrasse 12

Hours: Monday–Saturday 10:00am–2:00am; Sunday/Holiday 5:00pm–1:00am; Kitchen open until 11:45pm

Krahvogel is a bistro/bar that serves up some tasty food in a nicely-designed facility. It’s a great place to take a group of friends or clients for a night out. Choose your table on their website before making a reservation. Groups tend to start at Krahvogel and migrate to nearby Couch Club around 2am, where several DJs offer a fresh music program including house, electro and hip-hop.

3. Elferhaus (11er Haus)

Address: Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 11

Hours: 10:00am–2:00am Daily; Kitchen open until 10:00pm

Café/Bistro/Bar in the middle of the Altstadt, just to the left of the Goldenes Dachl. Long, narrow and loud, try and squeeze through the bar area and find a table in the back. Elfer features a live band on the 11th day of every month and has an excellent beer selection.

4. Café Sphinx

Address: Anichstrasse 8

Hours: Monday–Friday 3:00pm–1:00am; Saturday 3:00pm–2:00am

A place for you, Mr. and Ms. Insider: Next to Krahvogel, but tucked away in a small passage, look for a glass door on your left. Go upstairs and enter this very comfortable, authentic (albeit a little shabby) hookah bar. Café Sphinx offers a wide selection of tea and tobacco, and the friendly Egyptian owners don’t skimp their guests on the latter—try the green apple. Reservations are a good idea if your party is larger than four. Occasionally live music (Egyptian classical, pop) and belly-dancers.

5. Blue Chip Club

Address: Wilhelm-Greil-Straße 17

Hours: Wednesday 9:00pm–4:00am; Friday 10:00pm–4:00am; Saturday 10:00pm–4:00am

A very fun and popular dance club near Bozner Platz. Wednesday is student night and there is no cover. If you want a table, get there early. And PS: for you single travelers interested in such things, Blue Chip is a place where many students look for…how should I put this…tail. (There, I said it!)

6. Café Central

Address: Gilmstrasse 5

Hours: 7:30am–11:00pm Daily

Don’t be fooled: in Austria, practically every moderately-sized city has an establishment named “Central.” They’re all copying the original Café Central in Vienna, made famous in the late 19th century by a few intellectually bombastic guests. Although Innsbruck’s Central doesn’t really look like its Viennese exemplar, this café is truly a wonderful space with high ceilings, chandeliers, and that agonizingly slow service unique to the country’s Kaffeekultur. Tip: on Sundays in October through April, from 8:00pm–10:00pm, Central turns into a piano lounge. Arrive shortly after 7:00pm to get a table, then sit back, nurse your latte, and browse the world newspaper selection. Ah, the life!

7. Prometheus

Address: Hofgasse 2, Altstadt

Hours: Café: Monday–Saturday 7:00pm–2:00am; Disco: Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10:00pm–2:00am, Friday 10:00pm–4:00am

To get to Prometheus, turn right at the Goldenes Dachl and walk down the Hofgasse for about 100 meters. You’ll find two floors and two bars: at street-level there’s a chill music café with a Happy Hour from 9-10pm and other fine specials. Go downstairs to the disco and you’ll think you’ve stepped into a scene from The Crow. Dark, smoky, punk/gothic atmosphere. Cover charge: Mondays and Saturdays € 1,00; Fridays before 11:00pm € 1,40, then 2,40 / € 3,40; No cover on Thursdays! Another personal favorite.

8. Hofgarten

Address: Rennweg 6a

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 6:00pm–4:00am

Nestled in the English garden behind the historic royal palace (Hofburg), Hofgarten is crammed with a mixture of students, young professionals, and their bosses. On Tuesdays the special is six beers for € 10,00. I approve. But there is a dress code and an age limit (21). For some reason, females don’t encounter as much resistance when getting past the Hofgarten bouncers as their male counterparts…when it comes to parts, that is.

9. Bögenstrasse

Address: Ingenieur-Etzel-Strasse

Hours: It varies, but most bars are usually open until 4:00am

The word Bögen means “arches” in (Austrian) German. Ingenieur-Etzel-Strasse is the street running along the Viaduktbogen, a railroad bridge with several bars that fill the spaces between the supports. It’s a fun place to end the evening; Down Under and Plateau are most popular. From the city center, take the “R” bus line to Bienerstrasse, traveling in the direction of “Gumppstrasse,” or the “F” line to the same stop in the direction of “Schutzengelkirche.”

10. Theresienbräu

Address: Maria-Theresien-Strasse 51-53

Hours: Monday–Wednesday 10:00am–1:00am; Thursday–Saturday 10:00am–2:00am; Sunday 10:00am–12:00am

I’m putting this in here against my will. But just because I don’t like a place doesn’t mean that you won’t, right? We each have our own tastes and should stick to ‘em. That’s what makes the Free World so kick-ass. Anyways, I don’t like Theresienbräu simply because it’s a rip-off. The quality of their food does not deserve such menu prices. If I was forced to say one nice thing about Theresienbräu, I’ll admit that their house-brewed beer tastes excellent. But if you think I’m going to pay € 8,50 for a 1,4 L pitcher ever again, you’re out of your mind. Large and easy to locate, it’s also pretty touristy.

Hopefully this short list of bars and cafés will keep you occupied during your evenings in Innsbruck. But before you erase your brain, raise a toast for the life of the traveler. Of course I’d be happy to join you, but um…do you think I could grab one on the cuff?

Photo of Innsbruck by night originally posted by neubda