Best of Innsbruk and Salzburg

Salzburg and Innsbruck are the most popular destinations in Austria to experience the Apls and a flavor of Austrian history and culture.  

Beautiful backdrop of Karwendel mountains of Austria

Best of Salzburg:

Untersberg is the highest mountain near the city of Salzburg. Unterbergbahn cable car lifts from the lower terminus at St Leonhard village at 456 m to the top station at 1776 m. The cable car experience was thrilling as it was a quick ascend of 1320 m within less than ten minutes. It stands on the border of Germany and Austria, with spectacular views of both the countries from the talstation.

Mountain range of Germany as seen from Untersburg

Untersburg

How to reach Untersberg? Catch the No. 25 bus from Salzburg and get off at the stop “Grödig Untersbergbahn”. Check OBB app on play store for updated information on Austrian public transport. Also watch out for the bus schedules put up at the bus shelters.

On the way back to Salzburg, don't forget to stopover at Schloss Hellbrunn to experience the 17th-century Renaissance palace & pleasure gardens.

Schloss Hellbrunn main square

Salzburg city
The Kapitelplatz square in the old town is a bustling place with tourists, events, street performers, a happening place in Salzburg city and the best place to experience the "City of Mozart". The Salzburger Dom cathedral is situated right next to the square and the way towards the famous Hohensalzburg Fortress.

The narrow streets of the Salzburg old-town

Exquisite artworks inside the Salzburg Dom Cathedral

Hohensalzburg Fortress as seen from the Kapitelplatz square

The Festungsbahn funicular from the Festungsgasse provides access to the central Europe's largest fully preserved medieval castles.
Hohensalzburg Fortress stands high over the city of Salzburg, this magnificent structure was built over 900 years back.

Gorgeous views from the castle

It was a unique experience with courtyards, connecting rooms, chambers, towers, museums and dungeons, taking back to the medieval era. Be prepared to ascend and descend numerous stairs while exploring inside the castle, indeed it can be exhausting for some.
The views of the Salzburg city, the Salzach river and the alps from the fortress is splendid.

Views of the alps as seen from the Festungsberg

Excellent views of the Salzburg city and Salzach river from the fortress

The evening cruise across the Salzach river was the best way to end our journey of this romantic city.

Lovely sunset across the Salzach river

A day trip to Hallstatt is highly recommended! Click here for my experience of Hallstatt

Best of Innsbruck:

Nordkette:
One of the very few mountain tops in the world which can be reached directly from the heart of the city. Designed by the world renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the Hungerburg funicular starts from the Innsubruck city center at 560 m and passes through four stations, Congress, Lowenhaus, Alpine Zoo and Hungerburg which resemble the icy glaciers of the alps.

Nordkette mountains as seen from the city of Innsbruck

The Hungerburg funicular station designed by Zaha Hadid

The cable car station from Hungerburg lifts further through the Seegrube station at 1,905m, to the Highest point Hafelekar at 2,255m. The stations at Seegrube and Hafelekar cable railways were designed by Innsbruck's architect Franz Baumann.

The city of Innsbruck as seen from Seegrube

The last remaining snow caps of the Nordkette mountains at Seegrube in the late summer.

The lift from Seegrube to Hafelekar transforms the perspective from the warm city views to chilling and windy mountain view. The city views from Seegrube station suddenly transforms as the cable car ascends through the clouds and reaching the Hafelekar station which is much above the clouds and with spectacular views of the Karwendal mountains.

Breathtaking views through the hiking trail from Hafelekar station

Hafelekar is one of the few mountain stations where visitors can enjoy breathtaking view of the Innsbruck city on one side and the pristine views of the largest nature park of Austria, the Karwendal Nature park on the other side.

Sipping hot chocolate at the Hafelekar restaurant located at an altitude 2,255m above sea level

A short hike from the Hafelekar mountain station will take you to the highest viewing point at Hafelekar peak (2,334 m). At the peak, the alpine chough's kept us occupied, while we indulged in the beauty of the nature.

Alpine Chough's at the Hafelekar peak

The geotrail starts from the Hafelekar mountain station and is well guided by information boards to give insights about the formation of reef limestone rocks of Karwendel.

The geological formations of the Karwendel mountains

Panoramic views of the largest nature park of Austria, the Karwendel Alpine Park

This combination of breathtaking views of the rugged terrain, an unforgettable experience and the modern architecture, all this within a few mins away from the Innsbruck city center. Perhaps this is why it is termed as "Jewel of the alps".

Patscherkofelbahn

The Patscherkofel is one of the few valley stations in Austria which runs the cable car till late in the night but only on Thursdays. Plan to visit on Thursdays to enjoy the sunset through the valley.
The gondola lifts from the Patscherkofel cable car station in Igls ascends from 1095 m to the mountain station at 1,965 m.

Sunset through the valley at Patscherkofel

Axamer Lizum 
Not too far away from the Innsbruck city lies the magnificent hills of Axamer Lizum. The spectacular views of the Kalkkögel - the Austria's own Dolomites, is perhaps what makes Axamer Lizum one of the most picturesque landscapes of Austria. Axamer Lizum has many cable car lifts to offer to reach the surrounding mountain tops, most popular being the Olumpianbahn funicular which lifts to the Hoadl mountain station and Birgitzköpfllift open-air gondola which lifts to the mountain station Birgitzköpflhaus.

Apart from the alps, Innsbruck has much more to offer. A short day trip from Innsbruck city will take you to the magical world of Crystals at the Swarowski crystal world. Or visit the Audioversum ScienceCenter within the city itself, for a unique museum experience. 

Crystal Cloud above the black Mirror Pool with over 800,000 hand-mounted Swarovski crystals

Stroll across the town square through the famous Golden roof to experience the local cuisines and grab some souvenir. Surprisingly the Golden roof is the most visited attraction of Innsbruck.

St. Anne's Column at theTown square, with the magnificent views of the alps in the backdrop

If time permits, include the City Tower, Bergisel Ski Jump & Grassmayr Bell Museum in your itinerary.