Innsbruck Summer Itinerary – How to Spend 3 Days in Innsbruck in Summer

Nestled in the Austrian Alps, Innsbruck is a unique city, which everyone should visit at least once in their lives. Innsbruck is the perfect destination for those who don’t want to compromise between city life and nature getaways.

From Innsbruck you can go on epic mountain adventures in the surrounding Alps, like hiking, biking, skiing and much more!

You can also discover the stunning architecture of the city, taste delicious local cuisine and enjoy a bustling city vibe.

Innsbruck is famous in winter for its Christmas markets and ski slopes, but it’s an equally stunning destination also in summer. If you’re planning a summer trip to Innsbruck, but aren’t sure what to do, this article is for you!

In this Innsbruck 3-day summer itinerary I have outlined everything you need to know, including my day-by-day itinerary, practical information about travelling to Innsbruck, how to get around, where to stay, and logistics advice for all the attractions.

I hope you will find this useful when planning your own Innsbruck summer itinerary!

Practical info about visiting Innsbruck in summer

Before we dive into my Innsbruck summer itinerary for 3 days, I want to go over some practical information about visiting Innsbruck, like where to stay, how to get there, how to get around and more.

Where is Innsbruck

Innsbruck is the capital of Tyrol, and is known also as the “Capital of the Alps”. It’s located in western Austria, in a valley surrounded by mountains.

How to get to Innsbruck

Innsbruck is very easy to reach as it has its own international airport.

If from your city there aren’t direct flights to Innsbruck, there are also other airports within easy driving distance, like Munich (201km, 2 hour drive) and Salzburg (176km, 2 hour drive).

Innsbruck is also very easy to get to via train, as it has a number of trains connecting it daily to the rest of Europe.

You can get there by taking a train from Zurich via St Anton am Arlberg, from Munich, from Vienna, from Venice or even from Milan via Verona.

How to get around Innsbruck

Getting around Innsbruck and its surroundings is very easy. The majority of the Old Town attractions are all within walking distance of each other, so you can easily discover them on foot.

Innsbruck also has an efficient public transport and bus system for longer journeys, which you can use with your Welcome Card (more on that in a moment).

There is also an Innsbruck sightseeing bus, which you can jump on for free if you have an Innsbruck Card.

The sightseeing bus is great since it will drive you to all the highlights of the city, while also telling you about their history with its multilingual audio guide.

It’s particularly convenient to reach attractions outside the Old Town centre, like Ambras Castle and Tirol Panorama.

The times of the sightseeing bus are clearly displayed at every bus stop, so you can plan when to hop on, when to hop off and how long to stay in each place.

If you want to go up into the mountains you can take the cable car to Nordkette, right next to Hofburg.

Innsbruck Card & Summer Welcome Card

If you’re visiting Innsbruck in summer, you need to know about the Welcome Card and Innsbruck Card.

The Welcome Card is a guest card available for travellers staying in Innsbruck in summer, starting on May 1st and ending on the October 31st. 

You automatically receive it if you stay for 2 nights in any of the partner establishments.

This card includes free public transport within the Innsbruck region, and free guided hikes and e-bike tours, as well as discounts on many activities like entrance to swimming pools, indoor climbing, entrance to theatres and concerts, e-bike rentals and golf clubs.

If you stay for 3 nights in one of the partner establishments in Innsbruck you receive a Welcome Card Plus, which includes also a free ride on selected lifts and cable cars.

Between June 10th and September 30th you also have the opportunity to pay to upgrade to a Welcome Card Unlimited (69 EUR for adults, 34.50 EUR for children).

This then gives you access to loads more attractions in Innsbruck and surroundings.

With the Welcome Card Unlimited you get free entrance to Swarovski Crystal Worlds and other amazing attractions in the Tirol region, like Aqua Dome Therme Längenfeld and Area 47 Outdoor Playground in Ötztal Bahnhof amongst others.

The Innsbruck Welcome Card is a great way to make the most of the city, and if you do choose to upgrade to the Unlimited, you’ll get your moneys’ worth thanks to all the awesome attractions included with it.

The Innsbruck Card is a different card, which you have to pay for. It can be purchased for 24 hours (53 EUR), 48 hours (63 EUR) or 72 hours (73 EUR), depending on how long you’re staying in Innsbruck.

With the Innsbruck Card you receive Free entry to 22 museums and attractions, amongst which Ambras Castle, Bergisel Stadium and Ski Jump, and Swarovski Crystal World.

It also includes a return journey on selected cable cars, free use of public transport and of the sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus.

On their website there is also a convenient savings calculator, where you can select the attractions you want to visit, and it will tell you how much you’re saving by purchasing an Innsbruck Card over paying for separate tickets.

We had the Innsbruck Card for 48 hours, and for our itinerary (which you’ll see the details of in just a moment) it worked perfectly.

Innsbruck weather in summer

Innsbruck is the Capital of the Alps, but just because there are mountains on its doorstep, don’t expect it to be cold in summer! The weather in Innsbruck in summer is actually quite warm.

Temperatures range from 11°C to 24°C, but it’s not unusual for particularly hot days to reach 30°C. The weather also tends to be very variable, with light showers throughout the day.

As soon as we arrived in Innsbruck, we quickly learned to pack for every occasion before leaving the house.

Make sure to bring an umbrella and raincoat with you, so that you’re ready in case it does rain, and layers of clothes so you can undress if the sun comes out.

Where to stay in Innsbruck

In Innsbruck we stayed at Hotel Nala, located right next to Triumphpforte, and a short 10-minute walk away from both the Innsbruck Old Town Centre and the Innsbruck train station.

The hotel has been modernly renovated, and has a pretty unique and quirky interior decor.

It also has a lovely garden, as well as a spacious rooftop terrace where you can relax at the end of your day sightseeing around Innsbruck.

They also offer a delicious breakfast buffet, with plenty of choices for both a sweet or savoury breakfast.

Things to do in Innsbruck in summer – 3-day itinerary

Now that we’ve gone over the essential information you need to know about visiting Innsbruck in summer, let’s dive into what to do in Innsbruck with this summer itinerary!

Innsbruck itinerary day 1

Arrive in the morning & go for a chill Old Town walk

You can start day one in Innsbruck with a chill walk around the Old Town centre. Regardless of your transport mode, you’ll probably be a bit tired from the journey, so you can take it easy to start.

Many of the famous Old Town sights are all close to each other, so you can easily see them while wandering around.

Starting at Triumphpforte, Innsbruck’s Triumphal Arch, you can make your way down Maria Theresa Street, one of the main streets in Innsbruck.

Maria Theresa Street is a lively street lined with shops, bars and restaurants. It’s also a great place to admire the unique architecture typical of Innsbruck, with its 17th and 18th century houses on both sides.

If you keep walking straight, after 10 short minutes you will reach the famous Goldenes Dachl; Innsbruck’s Golden Roof.

The roof is made by 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles, and was completed in 1500 for Emperor Maximilian’s wedding to Bianca Maria Sforza.

Just down the street from the Golden Roof you will find Hofburg, the Innsbruck Imperial Palace.

In the area there are also lots of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants, so you can take a seat and have a break somewhere if you get tired of walking.

Do a food tour with Innsbruck Food Tours

After spending the morning travelling and wandering around Innsbruck, you’ll probably have worked up an appetite! And what better way to satisfy than by joining a food tour?

We did a food tour with Innsbruck Food Tours, and it was one of the highlights of our time in Innsbruck. The tour was created and run by Kurt, he’s super passionate about what he does and it shows.

The tour has received numerous awards for originality, sustainability and the Tyrol touristic award.

It lasts around four hours, and will take you on a culinary journey to discover delicious local dishes, as well as a few unique ones you might not expect.

We started the food tour at Markethalle, the local Innsbruck market, where we tried a varied of tasty Tyrolean cheeses, which can only be produced in Tirol.

Here we also tried some local schnapps, both a homemade one made by Kurt’s brother and a local Tyrolean one.

After wandering around the market a bit we visited a local bakery, where we learnt about traditional Tyrolean bread types and practices.

The bakery we visited has been around since the 1700s, and has been family run for the last 40 years.

We then did a proper lunch stop at Weisses Rössl, a restaurant that is part of Karakter Ernte, a project where they use “ugly” food; vegetables that are too big or have a weird shape, and as such would get thrown out as they can’t be sold in super markets.

Here we tried Tiroler Käsespätzle and Tiroler Gröstl, two traditional dishes. They were both delicious, and while we ate them Kurt shared with us more about where the dishes originated, their history and how they’re made.

Up next was the first unconventional stop of the tour; we visited Coffeekult, a coffee roasting shop where we had coffee made by a world champion barista.

Coffee obviously didn’t originate in Austria, but it has become a part of the culinary culture, which is why Kurt included this stop.

While there we also tried Tiroler Prugeltorte, a typical lower Tyrolean dessert for special occasions, as well as a unique chocolate bar made in the region with the milk of rare alpine cows.

The next unconventional stop was at Aydin Bakery, a Turkish bakery.

It might seem odd on a food tour in Austria, but there’s a reasoning behind it. Strudel, a very traditional Tirolean dessert, was actually inspired by baklava.

The filo dough that is used to make baklava is what, back in the 1600s, laid the foundations for modern strudels. You can see why Kurt’s food tour one an originality award!

The final stop of the tour was at “Speckeria”, a shop that sold local speck and ham. It’s located right next to the Golden Roof, on a very touristy street, but the products are actually local and delicious.

One of the cool things about Kurt’s tour is that he’s all organised with takeaway boxes, so that if you don’t finish the food you can take it with you and have a picnic the following.

The portions at every stop were very abundant, so it’s very likely you won’t finish everything. However what I loved most was Kurt’s passion and mission.

He selected each stop of the tour for specific reasons, and really wants to showcase the best culinary traditions of the region, as well as the value of local-grown organic products

Enjoy a music concert at Innsbruck Promenade Concerts

Every night throughout the month of July concerts take place in the inner courtyard of Hofburg Palace. It’s a magical setting for an enchanting night.

Every night there is a different orchestra or band performing, and the type of music they play also changes every night.

From waltzes to marches, or from classical music to traditional Tyrolean tunes, there is something for all musical tastes.

On the night that we went we saw the Tyrolean Symphony Orchestra perform and it was incredible to say the least. Watching such talented musicians play in the courtyard of the Innsbruck Imperial Palace was simply incredible.

Innsbruck itinerary day 2

After an initial day of city sightseeing, it’s time to get into nature on your second day in Innsbruck! The balance between city life and outdoors opportunities is one of the things I loved about Innsbruck.

It’s a great destination for travellers who want to spend time in nature, disconnect and recharge, while offering also a buzzing city life, rich in local culture and history.

After spending the day in nature, you can then get lost in the streets of Innsbruck, discovering the local cuisine.

Take the cable car to Nordkette

You can take the cable car up to Nordkette, one of the mountains overlooking Innsbruck, for free with an Innsbruck Card, or with a 20% discount if you have a Welcome Card Plus.

You need to take two cable cars to reach Seegrube, a scenic mountain peak, and can then take a third one if you want to reach Hafelekar, the top of Innsbruck at 2,334m.

We stopped at Seegrube as the views were already stunning.

From here you can go on a walk along the Perspektivenweg, the panoramic trail above Innsbruck, and enjoy the view over the city, valley and surrounding mountains.

Sitting up here, watching the clouds rolling by over the green mountains is simply breathtaking.

Enjoy a picnic with a view

We arranged with Seegrube restaurant to pick up a picnic backpack with Tyrolean delicacies. In the picnic backpack we had a variety of fresh bread rolls, dry-cured ham, smoked sausages, mountain cheese and fruit.

It’s a great shout because you can walk around for a while, work up an appetite, and then when you find a spot you like sit down and taste some delicious local food while enjoying the view.

With a view like that, everything tastes even better!

You can also go hiking or mountain biking

Personally we didn’t do this as we didn’t have time, but if you love outdoors activities like hiking and mountain biking, today is the day to do it!

There are hundred of awesome trails in the mountains around Innsbruck that you can enjoy.

On the cable car up to Nordkette we saw loads of people in technical hiking clothes and with hiking poles peeking out from their backpacks. You can take the cable car up, and then enjoy one of the scenic trails there.

If you want to go mountain biking you will have to rent it in Innsbruck, and then either take it up the cable car with you or go for one of the trails starting in the city.

I recommend going for an e-bike, as it will help you go further and with less effort!

Innsbruck itinerary day 3

From nature back to sightseeing, and discovering some of the main sights and history of Innsbruck!

Visit Swarovski Kristallwelten

Did you know that Swarovski was founded in Wattens, a town in the administrative district of Innsbruck? No visit to Innsbruck would be complete without a visit to Swarovski Kristallwelten!

You can get there with the Swarovski Kristallwelten shuttle bus, which sets off from Innsbruck train station and Hofburg (check times here).

It doesn’t run very regular so make sure to time your trip and plan your day accordingly. Both the shuttle bus and entrance to Swarovski Kristallwelten are included in the Innsbruck Card.

If you have a Welcome Card, only the entrance fee is included, you can either pay the shuttle or arrange alternative transportation there.

It opened in 1995, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Swarovski. You will walk past the Giant, and enter the 18 “chambers of wonder”, where you will walk through a sensory and artistic experience.

The chambers were designed by Internationally recognised artists and designers, in their unique interpretation of crystal. Each room is different, and makes you reflect on something different. 

The concept of the “chambers of wonders” is based on the 16th century chambers of arts and curiosities that aristocratic families favoured. You will learn all about this on your next stop of this Innsbruck itinerary!

Overall I really enjoyed my experience at Swarovski Kristallwelten. It was something different, which I wasn’t expecting to find in the Austrian Alps.

It’s a great place to disconnect, and immerse yourself in a completely different world for a while.

Discover Ambras Castle

If you take the 10AM shuttle bus to Swarovski Kristallwelten you can then take the 1PM return shuttle, which will drop you off at the Congress / Hofburg bus station.

You will only have to wait 10 minutes or so for the tourist sightseeing bus to arrive, and you can jump on it with your Innsbruck Card.

The sightseeing bus is the most convenient way to get to Ambras Castle, as it’s located a bit outside the centre of Innsbruck.

Plus on your way there you’ll drive past other famous sights, and learn about them thanks to the audioguides on board.

Ambras Castle was built in the 16th century on the spot of an earlier 10th-century castle.

It became historically important when in 1567, when it became the family residence of Archduke Ferdinand II and his wife Philippine Welser. Ambras Castle is fairly big, with different sections that you can explore.

We started in the Armoury, which had actually been started by Archduke Ferdinand II, who collected armour from famous personalities of his time in his “Heroes Armoury”.

From there we visited the Chamber of Art and Wonders, where Archduke Ferdinand II collected and displayed wonders from all over the world.

Some of the curiosities you can see include carved corals, portraits of hairy people, goblets made of rhinoceros horn, glass figured, turnery made of wood or ivory, and many other interesting items.

This Chamber of Art and Wonders is especially famous because everything is still in its original place, showing you all the wonders in the place and order that Ferdinand intended it to be seen.

In the castle itself you can then admire the famous Spanish Hall, a famous Renaissance hall with an intricate wooden roof and whose walls are dominated by the 27 full-length portraits of past rulers of Tyrol.

The floors of the Upper Castle now house a variety of collections, amongst which the Strasser Collection of Glass, the Collection of Gothic Sculpture and the Habsburg Portrait Gallery.

You’ll also be able to see unique rooms like the bathing chambers of Philippine Welser, and the chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas.

You will need at least two hours to discover all the rooms and collections of the castle, and can then spend some time relaxing and wandering around the gardens.

It’s a really interesting place to visit, which gives you an insight into the history of the area.

Discover Innsbruck by night

Innsbruck has a huge student population, almost 30,000 people out of 300,000 inhabitants in Innsbruck are university students. And where you have university students and young people, you also have a bustling nightlife.

Students also tend to attract modern and “hipster” trends, meaning that in Innsbruck you’ll find plenty of interesting bars and restaurants, which offer dishes beyond the classic Tyrolean delicacies. 

Personally, I loved that as I like having the options and variety. I love trying new dishes and tasting local food while travelling, but especially if you’ve been on the road for a while, it’s nice to also dig into something familiar.

We had dinner at Olive, a vegan restaurant that offered lots of delicious vegan dishes. It’s located in the Wilten neighbourhood, where you’ll find loads of other fun bar and restaurants.

Final thoughts on the best Innsbruck activities summer

There you have it, the ultimate Innsbruck summer itinerary! Have you been to Innsbruck before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

Obviously if you’re visiting Innsbruck at a different time of year you will have a different experience.

For example if you visit in winter you will probably want to go skiing, and you wouldn’t do some of the other activities I listed like the Promenade Concert or hiking.

That said, Innsbruck is a fairly big city, with lots of things to do that aren’t affected by the weather (like Swarovski Kristallwelten and Ambras Castle), so you could still do some of the activities I outlined in this post even in winter.

If you’re looking for a fun summer destination, where you can both get lost in nature but still have a buzzing city life experience, then Innsbruck is the place for you.

It was my first time in Innsbruck, but I already know it won’t be my last.

I hope you find my Innsbruck itinerary useful in planning your own summer trip to Innsbruck! If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below.

* This article was sponsored by the Austrian Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *

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