We want to see again the beauty of Innsbruck
vienna is the cradle of classical music , the city of fairy-tale palaces and the setting for movies like Before Sunrise, who put on the map famous and always crowded Kleines Café.
But beyond its capital, Austria also hides a city through which walked the House of Habsburg and another that, apart from having witnessed the filming of Smiles and tears , has seen the birth of **one of the great masters of classical music: Mozart. **
In the background, Innsbruck's Golden Roof
We talk about Innsbruck and Salzburg -popularly baptized as the Rome of the North-, whose landscapes, history, culture and urban life they make us dream over and over again of giving our retinas **a dose of Austrian beauty. **
INNSBRUCK
Innsbruck, settled in the valley of the river Inn and escorted by the Alps, already conquered in his day Maximilian I, who covered the Golden Roof , one of the most iconic corners of the city, with **2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles. **
This relic is located in the old town, where it is worth strolling around calmly and admiring the beauty of gothic arcades, its baroque buildings such as the Helblinghaus, the imposing cathedral of Santiago and, previous coffee in one of its terraces to gain strength, go up to the City Tower. The panoramas will leave you speechless.
Even though you get lost aimlessly by Innsbruck It is the best way to soak up its essence, we must not ignore the traces of the Habsburgs, which take us from the Court Church to the Imperial Palace, one of the most emblematic monuments of Austria together with the Imperial Palace of Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace.
And to finish getting intoxicated with its palatial beauty, it is convenient to go up to the renaissance castle of Ambras, that Archduke Ferdinand II made to his wife Philippine Welser and that stands on a hill to the south of the city. Also, each summer, its Spanish Room becomes a concert stage on the occasion of a music festival that takes place in the fortress.
The colorful houses of Mariahilf and the Nordkette mountain range
Back to the city center Maria-Theresien-Strasse, its main artery, bordered by baroque and classicist palaces and where the avant-garde Rathausgalerien and Kaufhaus Tyrol shopping arcades, It is an essential stop.
as is also Wilten Abbey, whose construction, legend has it, originated from a fight between two giants. Inside, the Baroque style dominates, adorned by spectacular frescoes and bars forged by hand.
And not only can it boast of architecture, but it also has the oldest museum in the world , Schloss Ambras, and one of the zoological parks located at the highest altitude , the perfect enclave to learn about the great biological diversity of native animals.
And, of course, we cannot forget one of its greatest claims, which bears the signature of the architect Zaha Hadid: the Olympic springboard that crowns the top of the Bergisel mountain. The panoramic views of Innsbruck offered by its viewpoint are unsurpassed.
**virtual happiness**
Although we still have to wait to get lost in each of its nooks and crannies, we can open our mouths and enjoy the urban and alpine charm of the capital of the Alps without leaving home thanks to Innsbruck Virtual Reality , an initiative that, with just one click, It allows us to attend a traditional music concert in front of the famous Golden Roof, listen to the Wilten Boys' Choir in the Court Church or witness a modern dance performance in the Imperial Palace.
Innsbruck Imperial Palace
We attest that the different immersive experiences proposed by this virtual trip leave no one indifferent: from contemplating the wonders of the Swarovski Crystal World -located in Wattens- to climbing the Nordkette mountain range (at an altitude of 2,000 meters and with incredible 360-degree views in time-lapse), as well as accompanying climbers on a via ferrata or paragliding over the city.
The twelve virtual reality sessions are available for smartphones, tablets and computers at this link, recommending the use of virtual reality glasses for greater enjoyment.
Experiences in the middle of nature
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the lively urban life of the alpine city, located on the southern slopes of the Karwendel Mountains, but abandoning oneself to the mercy of nature is an obligatory task in an environment of such beauty.
These are some of the **experiences that you should not miss if you visit the capital of Tyrol in the summer season: **
1. Taste alpine mozzarella at the Juifenalm refuge: a two-hour walk from the town of Gries im Sellrain, at an altitude of 2,022 metres, is the Juifenalm refuge. Over there, the sterling marriage make a delicious butter, Graukäse -grey cheese- and its famous alpine mozzarella, They serve with fresh tomato. The walk is worth it, but the reward that awaits at the end of the road is even better.
Innsbruck will win over lovers of hiking
2.Move over a stone highline: The Innsbrucker Klettersteig via ferrata is one of Innsbruck's quintessential excursions. The tour, which lasts about seven hours, starts in the city and ends in the peaceful Samertal valley. . The landscapes from above will leave you speechless.
3. An alpine rally with a mountain bike: on the southern slopes of the north side of the Nordkette Range, around the Hungerburg district of Innsbruck , there is a large number of bike routes that lead to shelters where you can recharge your batteries by trying regional specialties like Kaspressknödelsuppe -soup with meatballs-, Spinatknödel -spinach meatballs- or Tiroler G'röstl -potato, pork tacos and minced onion, sautéed with butter-.
4.Long distance hiking: If trekking is your thing, spending a week hiking through the alpine massifs that surround Innsbruck is something you should do at least once in your life. The Kalkkögel mountains, the Stubai Alps or the famous Cembros path are some of the spectacular enclaves that are part of this experience.
5. Climb a three thousand without climbing or crossing a glacier: in the Sellrain valley, just 30 minutes from Innsbruck by car, climbers who want to do routes at three thousand meters for the first time they can make relatively easy ascents, such as **the Sulzkogel (3,016 m) and Zschischgelesspitz (3,004 m) summits. **
Bergisel Olympic Trampoline
6. Cool off in the Inn River practicing upstream surfing: thanks to an ingenious system that combines a submerged sail with a pulley, surf lovers can practice this sport in a stretch of about 300 meters , going up the course of the river.
7. Ice Channel Summer Bob: Innsbruck's Olympia World Ice Channel opens in summer and allows visitors to enjoy a descent with 13 curves and at a speed of up to 100 km/h on a bob piloted by an expert.
In the footsteps of the Habsburgs
A walk through the corners of the city that they stepped on Empress Sissi, Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Maximilian I -to which an interactive exhibition pays homage in the Imperial Palace- will make you understand why the capital of Tyrol fell in love with royalty.
The 'Habsburg Walk' immerses the most curious in a travel in the time through postcards as iconic as those that star the Tejadillo de Oro, with its 2,657 resplendent tiles; the Court Church, where 28 bronze figures surrounding the cenotaph of Emperor Maximilian; **the Imperial Palace or the Arc de Triomphe. **
Stams Abbey
SALZBURG
The city where Mozart was born. This is how Salzburg, nestled between the Mönchsberg, Festungsberg and Kapuzinerberg mountains, is presented to the world.
Mozart came to life in the third floor of number 9 Getreidegasse, currently converted into a museum where music lovers from all over the world have walked through its rooms to admire relics such as family portraits, his childhood violin, his hammer piano, letters, annotations and other personal items.
In addition to events that pay tribute to the musician, such as the famous Mozart Week - one of more than 4,500 cultural events that take place in Salzburg each year -, places like the footbridge that crosses the Salzach river or the Mozart square they also remember the great composer.
The old quarter of the city where he was filmed Smiles and tears , declared UNESCO Cultural Heritage since 1997, is an authentic jewel of baroque architecture full of romantic corners, stately homes and narrow streets. A clear example of this is the charming district of the Festivals, which rises around Hofstallgasse. **
at the foot of mount Festungsberg, where is it located Hohensalzburg Fortress, dating from the eleventh century, is the neighborhood of the Monastery of San Pedro, that hides the most beautiful cemetery in the city.
Of equal beauty is his baroque cathedral, with its huge dome and marble facade from nearby Mount Untersberg.
salzburg
Its charm, added to monuments such as the Capuchin Monastery, the Archbishop's Residence or the Mirabell Castle Gardens, and artistic temples such as the Salzburger Freilichtmuseum -an open-air museum, the largest in the country, with 100 buildings from six different centuries-, the Museum of Modern Art or the DomQuartier -a museum complex of 15,000 square meters and 2,000 extraordinary baroque works of art- make this city in itself a compelling reason to visit Austria.
Although the contemporary buildings, that you can discover with the Archtouren routes, they also have their role in the conquest.
A clear example of this is Hangar-7, a building in the shape of a bird's wing located **next to the runway at Salzburg airport. **
As well as hosting an impressive exhibition of vintage aircraft, Hangar-7 has a Michelin star restaurant, Ikarus , by chefs Eckhart Witzigmann and Martin Klein. The perfect excuse to come and see it.
**Nature **
Green takes over the heart of Salzburg. The Furtwänglerpark, located in the Festival district, the Mirabell Gardens, the Hellbrunn Avenue or the wide meadows along the Salzach River are some of the oases in which to enjoy nature.
The wonderful Mirabell Palace in Salzburg
In turn, renting a bicycle is the best option to make the most of the environment and explore enclaves located on the outskirts, such as the Leopoldskron Palace lake -an essential stop- or the parks of Aigen and Hellbrunn. On the other hand, the funicular ascent to Mount Untersberg (1,776 m) or the routes of Mount Gaisberg (1,288 m) They are an excellent alternative if you want to contemplate the city from a bird's eye view.
Brewing tradition
The beer tradition of Salzburg dates back 600 years, with eleven breweries spread across the heart of the city and surroundings where you can enjoy the most exquisite barley juices.
The most recognized have specialized in different types of beer, see: **Trumer brews Pilsen-type beer, Stiegl has specialized in Oktoberfest-Märzen, Weisse makes wheat beer, Gusswerk offers organic beer, Hofbräu Kaltenhausen dominates the art of beer artisan and Augustiner Bräu, located in the Mülln neighborhood, maintains a tradition of several centuries of history. **
Although the savoir faire is essential, there is a determining element that makes the beers of Salzburg so succulent: the excellent quality of its spring water, which comes from the nearby Untersberg mountain . The best way to taste each of them? Carrying out the classic route through the most emblematic breweries of the city.
Leopoldskron Palace
On the other hand, those who feel especially attracted to the beer universe will be able to learn about the production process thanks to the guided tours of museums such as the Stiegl-Brauwelt or breweries such as Kaltenhausen or Trumer.
What to eat?
Austrian cuisine has influences from Hungary and the Bohemian region. A dish that will not be missing from the menu of any restaurant is soup, either beef (in its different variants), bread -Salzburger Brezensuppe- or potatoes -Eachtling-. As neither will the goulash not the classic Wiener Schnitzel or Viennese escalope.
Typical are also the recipes based on lamb or regional fish, such as river trout, char, carp, catfish and pike perch. What about the desserts? The star sweet is the puff pastry cake, both apple (Apfelstrudel) and sweet fresh cheese (Topfenstrudel).
Although Austrian confectionery offers an endless number of exquisite morsels: the Gugelhupf (sponge cake made with a concentric mould), the Sachertorte (chocolate cake with apricot jam), the Linzertorte (spice cake), the Salzburger Nockerl (a sweet soufflé) ...
salzburg cathedral
On the other hand, gourmet palates should write down the following addresses: the “Kaslöchl” Cheese Factory in Hagenauer Square, very close to Getreidegasse; Feinkost Reichl delicatessens, near the Casa del Festiva; or Feinkost Kölbl , on Theatergasse.
And those who yearn to find more rustic products, a stroll through the Schranne market in Salzburg, which is held every Thursday on Mirabell Square, It should be part of your travel agenda.
There's less left to see each other, Austria