Why should I go? To visit the only city with full-blown Alps
at the end of the street. Innsbruck is squeezed between 7,370ft
Patscherkofel and 6,250ft Seegrube — a unique side serving of adrenaline.
Eaten too much sachertorte? Then jump on the J bus to suburban Igls and ski
the Olympia Abfahrt, as used in the 1976 Winter Games. Or how about a
bobsleigh run? Also at Igls (00 43-676 883 38270), this is where national
teams train, and you can try a “tourist class” descent for about £20pp — a
real contrast to the art galleries and Hapsburg palaces in the streets
below.
Where do I stay? Innsbruck is both cosy mountain town and
slick metropolis — and it shows in the accommodation. Hotel Congress (512
2115, www. austria-trend.at) is the latest in minimalist chic, with doubles
from £125. Most weekenders, however, will be happier in the medieval old
town, which is home to Weisses Rössl (512 583057, www.roessl.at; doubles
from £76, B&B) — a family-run classic of the gasthof genre, just a
hop and a skip from the sights.
Where do I eat? Austria’s Alps are no place for birdlike
appetites. For the full gutbuster, try Theresienbräu (512 587 5800,
www.brauwirtshaus.at; Maria-Theresien-Strasse 51-53), a microbrewery that
doubles as a gastropub. Its Theresienpfandl — an £8.50 calorie-fest of pork
fillet, dumplings and cream sauce, served in its own frying pan — is
heavyweight insulation. As this is a popular watering hole, try to eat
before 7pm, when it starts to fill up. In the Ferdinandeum museum (see
below), the Kunstpause (512 572020; mains from £6.50) is a hot spot for a
civilised lunch. It, too, serves Tyrolean specialities, but cooked with a
lighter, more imaginative touch.
What do I do? Between trips to the mountains, there’s plenty
to see in the city. A long-standing association with the Hapsburgs has left
two palaces: Schloss Ambras and the Hofburg. But the most remarkable
monument to the city’s golden age is the cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian in
the Hofkirche (www.hofkirche.at; Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm, Sun 12.30pm-5pm; £2). He
died in 1519, after a life spent nurturing the power and reach of his
dynasty, and his self-designed mausoleum sports a huge tomb and 28 statues
of his ancestors. Which is ironic, really, given he is not actually buried
here.
Another treat is the Ferdinandeum (512 59489, www.tiroler-landesmuseum.at;
Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm; £5.50). Rembrandt and Klimt will draw you in, but it’s
the painters you probably haven’t heard of — Albin Egger-Lienz, Rachel
Ruysch — who will keep you.
Finally, don’t forget to pick up a pot of marmot oil — locals swear by it to
ease sore joints — at St Anna Apotheke (Maria-Theresien-Strasse 4). It’s top
stuff after a weekend spent hammering the slopes and the museums.
How do I get there? British Airways (0870 850 9850,
www.ba.com) flies from Gatwick; from £70.
