Tyrol: The Travel Guide: Attractions and Recommended Places to Stay
Tyrol is one of the most enchanting regions of Austria. It looks as if it were painted for a postcard from the 1960s: mountains, valleys, snow, rivers and lots of green as far as the eye can see. Tyrol is a much-loved destination for family trips and couples’ getaways, thanks to the wide range of activities the region offers and the things to do in both winter and summer. In this article, Tyrol, The Travel Guide: Attractions and Recommended Places to Stay, we left no stone unturned and dug deep into all the most recommended attractions and places to visit and stay in magical Tyrol. Let’s start with a few important tips:
The Tyrol region really is stunning and packed with attractions, and there’s no way you’ll be able to see and do them all! If there’s a sudden rainy day, or you feel like staying another day to rest at the spa, don’t worry! Focus on the experiences you did have rather than on what you skipped.
Don’t forget that on a trip to Tyrol you climb mountains, float up in cable cars, descend into valleys and swim in pools and lakes. And it can all happen in a single day! So bring shorts, long trousers, rain gear and swimwear too! And always take a representative sample of short and long clothing on every outing, and maybe an umbrella too.
Every area in Tyrol has its own free discount card, which you should get hold of. It’s worth checking with the hotel you booked which card is offered to visitors in the area, and don’t forget to pick them up!
In This Article
Important Information for Travelers in Tyrol
Here you’ll find everything you need to know to decide when to visit Tyrol, the best way to get there, how to get around the region and what to do about money during the trip.
Tyrol: Nice to Meet You
Austria actually has 9 “states”, a bit like the states in the USA. One of them is Tyrol, whose capital is the city of Innsbruck. The state of Tyrol has an elongated shape that stretches across western Austria, and it also has a smaller eastern part called East Tyrol, which is separated from it by the state of Salzburg. In the past the state also included South Tyrol, but that’s a region that belongs to Italy today. Part of the Alps mountain range lies in Tyrol. The highest mountain in Tyrol and in all of Austria is the Grossglockner, at 3,798 meters. The region is a green (or white, depending on the season) playground for the many travelers who flock to it every year. The famous ski resorts are Kitzbühel, St. Anton and Serfaus. But besides skiing, the region also has a stunning nature reserve and many attractions that are especially suited to trips from a single base or a touring trip from place to place.
I should point out that there really is an enormous amount to see and do here, and to cover it all we’d have to write an encyclopedia. So in our guide to Tyrol we’ve included the attractions and places most popular with travelers, and those you really mustn’t miss. After you return from your trip, we’d love to hear from you in the comments if there are other places worth adding to the guide.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Tyrol?
The best season to come depends on what you like and want to do, since this is a region with year-round tourism. Those who crave snow activities of all kinds should come in the winter season, those looking for hiking trails will come after the snow melts, and those who want to explore and enjoy the nature reserves will come in spring and summer, which isn’t especially hot. Note that the region’s many spa resorts let you swim in a pool even in winter, and there’s nothing like sitting in a steaming hot tub while it’s snowing outside! But to really make the most of all the swimming options in the lakes and pools, you need to come here in summer.
Important note: Although the seasons are predictable, there are days within each season when the weather behaves out of character, so it’s important to check the weather apps daily.
What to Do in Summer?
Summer is excellent for hiking on the dozens of walking trails, cycling, swimming in the lake and enjoying other water fun.
What to Do in Autumn?
The weather cools down significantly, but early September is still an excellent time to travel, walk some of the trails, go up to the mountain peaks and enjoy the rare colors of the mountains and surroundings, all of course while equipped with suitable clothing.
What to Do in Winter?
November is usually the start of the snow season, and since it takes time for the snow to pile up, December is the start of the winter activities season, mainly skiing (for all levels). Winter is also a good time to visit the city of Innsbruck, which dresses up for the holidays, and to enjoy indoor activities such as visiting museums or concerts.
What to Do in Spring?
In spring nature awakens, the water flows and the blossom is at its peak. So mid-spring heading into summer (late May to mid-June) is the time to come for those who want to see nature in its full glory, and to start the summer activities, such as hiking and cycling, before the summer visitors arrive.
Local Currency
The currency in Tyrol, as in all of Austria, is the euro (€). Since trips sometimes bring unexpected surprises, it’s worth having some cash alongside your credit cards. Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are easy to find.
How to Get to Tyrol?
Just as the range of activities here is huge, so are the ways of getting here! You can fly to Vienna, which is about a 5.5-hour drive from Innsbruck, and use the journey to stop at some of the attractions of Salzburg Land, for example. And if you have the time and the desire to also see beautiful Vienna, it’s a good option. Alternatively, you can fly toMunich, which is only a two-hour drive from Innsbruck. Another option is to land in Zurich, Switzerland, which is about a 3.5-hour drive from Innsbruck. Innsbruck itself also has direct flights from a number of European cities, especially in the ski season, and you can of course fly there via a connection in another European city. Choose your route to Tyrol according to the costs and times that suit you.
How to Get Around Tyrol?
Without a doubt, this is a trip that requires a rental car. It’s neither advisable nor possible to travel between picturesque villages and mountain peaks by public transport. Besides, a big part of the fun of the trip is driving the roads and discovering the surprises along them, not to mention the scenery… It’s highly recommended to book the car in advance, before you leave home, to save the hassle during the trip of comparing prices and looking for a reliable car rental agency. You can search for cars onthe Paapm Paapm website. Note that it’s worth planning which city you land in while weighing up the flight costs and the car rental costs in each place. We also wrote a whole article with tips for renting a car abroad that we recommend reading.
Where to Stay in Tyrol
The towns and villages of Tyrol offer a wide range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to guesthouses, chalets and apartments. You’ll find hotels and lodgings right in the middle of nature as well as places in the centers of the cities and towns. Here are some of the most popular towns to stay in the region and recommended places in them:
Altstadthotel Weißes Kreuz
A 4-star hotel located in the heart of Innsbruck’s old town, in a magnificent historic building that was renovated into a modern, clean and pleasant hotel. From here you can easily reach all the attractions of the city center, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops in the area. The hotel staff give every guest VIP service and the breakfast is excellent. And the price is great too!
Other recommended hotels in central Innsbruck are Rufi’s Hotel, a popular choice that offers free parking and family rooms; The PENZ Hotel, a central hotel with a rooftop bar, unique design and a simply perfect breakfast; andHotel Innsbruck, also a 4-star hotel in the city center, with uniquely and beautifully designed rooms, a wonderful breakfast and an indoor pool.
Aqua Dome 4 Sterne Superior Hotel & Tirol Therme Längenfeld (Aqua Dome 4 Sterne Superior Hotel & Tirol Therme Längenfeld)
Along with that very long name comes the undisputed star of Tyrol’s hotels! So much so that we dedicated a separate article to it! You’re welcome to discover all the details in the article; for now we’ll just say it’s a 4-star hotel in the Ötztal valley that’s also great for families, because it includes a water park alongside its huge spa. Besides pools and saunas you’ll also enjoy a spectacular view of the Alps and excellent food! (The hotel offers packages that include breakfast and dinner.)
Other hotels that focus on pampering hospitality with a spa are VAYA Zillertal, located in the Zillertal, one of Tyrol’s most beautiful valleys, where some rooms have a private sauna. Next to the hotel is a ski resort reachable by ski bus, and a leisure center (Aufenfeld Leisure Park) with a pool and many sports facilities. The hotel offers packages including breakfast and dinner; TUI BLUE Fieberbrunn, surrounded by the Kitzbühel Alps and right next to the cable car of the Fieberbrunn ski resort. It has a large spa area including an indoor pool, and you can choose between a half-board package and a breakfast-only package. There are also family-friendly rooms; another hotel in the Kitzbühel area is the Kempinski Hotel Das Tirol, a luxury hotel with ski-in/ski-out access, a pampering spa and fine restaurants. https://youtu.be/1wjDoKg2efc
Aktiv Panoramahotel Daniel
The hotel is located in the charming Ötztal valley and has a large spa center, including a pool heated in summer, saunas, massage showers, a Kneipp pool and mountain views. You can also book massages and beauty treatments. The hotel also has a games room with billiards, table football and pinball, and once a week tastings are offered in the local wine cellar. In winter there are shuttles to the nearby ski resorts. The hotel offers half-board accommodation and its food is praised for its taste and the variety that changes daily. Besides the beautiful, spacious rooms, some of which are also suitable for families, what stands out most of all is the warm, family-style hospitality of the owners. It’s a hotel you’ll surely return to!
Other excellent hotels for families are APART Resort Westendorf, which has large, well-equipped apartments and is located in Westendorf, near several ski lifts; The Secret Sölden, also in the Ötztal valley, in the town of Sölden, which offers a summer card for free use of the region’s cable cars and pools and has a spa, pools, play facilities for kids and spaces for relaxing in nature; the hotel die berge, also in Sölden, which gives access to a huge spa and a summer card for the region that allows free entry to a range of sites, cable cars, and the Aqua Dome spa too; andDas Heimsitz, with especially reasonable prices, located near Kitzbühel, with apartments, some of which have a private sauna.
Main Attractions in Tyrol
There truly are endless things to experience and places to explore here; these are the main ones you mustn’t miss:
What to Do in Innsbruck
The city of Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol, was founded on the banks of the River Inn and is surrounded by the Alps. South of it, near the border with Italy, lies the Stubai Glacier, famous for its ski resorts. It’s the fifth-largest city in Austria, with about 120,000 residents, and you won’t regret choosing to spend two or three days here.
The Innsbruck Discount Card
First of all, it’s recommended to get the city discount card. You can choose a card for 24, 48 or 72 hours. It includes free travel on public transport, on the hop-on hop-off tourist bus, on the cable car up to the amazing “Top of Innsbruck” viewpoint, and entry to a range of museums, historic buildings, cable cars and more.
It’s recommended to joina guided tour of the old town, which includes a visit to the house with the Golden Roof, the imperial Hofburg Palace and its beautiful gardens, and the Court Church (Hofkirche) with its bronze statues. It’s also worth climbing the City Tower (Stadtturm), which was once considered very tall and today still promises a spectacular view to those who survive the climb up its stairs. If you have more time, pop over for a visit to Ambras Castle, overlooking the city, which is one of Innsbruck’s most important sites. It’s a 16th-century castle with collections of art and antique weapons, as well as a variety of objects from around the world collected by the nobles who lived here. And of course you can admire the antique design and furniture.
And we’ll finish with the shopping lovers, if you’ve had enough of all of Tyrol’s nature and want to go home with a few new purchases too, Innsbruck is the place for you! It has a range of shopping malls, such as the Kaufhaus Tyrol mall in the old town, where you’ll find a variety of shops like H&M, Benetton, Esprit, Levi’s, Lindt, Swatch, and lots of local shops. Next to it is the RathausGalerien mall with its glass roof, with shops like Lacoste, Mango and Tommy Hilfiger. You’ll find the popular Primark chain in the Sillpark mall near the city center, alongside H&M and other less well-known shops. In the huge DEZ mall in the east of the city you’ll find Zara, Bershka, H&M, Flying Tiger, Guess, MAC, Levi’s, and even an IKEA branch, though obviously you won’t be able to take a sofa home… Nearby is also the Greif Center with places to eat and shops like Toys “R” Us.
Attractions Around Innsbruck
When you start heading out of the city into the countryside, there are a few attractions you mustn’t miss.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds
This wonderful place is in the town of Wattens, about a 20-minute drive east of Innsbruck. It’s a kind of museum established to mark the 100th anniversary of the Swarovski brand, and it has surprises outside and inside. Outside, the place is designed as a giant head covered in vegetation with a waterfall for a mouth, and in the garden around it there’s a range of attractions such as a natural maze in the shape of a hand, a carousel, an activity tower for kids and a playground. Inside there are 16 rooms with various spectacular works made of crystals. There’s also a café-restaurant and of course the largest Swarovski store in the world! Open daily from 9:00 to 19:00, but the hours may vary between seasons, so it’s best to check in advance.
Muttereralm: Downhill Riding and Other Experiences
At the ski resort next to the town of Mutters, about a 15-minute drive south of Innsbruck, there are two cable cars going up the mountain. One, departing from the town of Götzens, operates in winter and the other, from Mutters, in summer. Besides skiing, of course, and depending on the season, there’s a range of activities here for kids and adults. The highlight is the ride down the mountain on a kind of tricycle, on a 5-kilometer trail. There are also hiking trails, cycling trails, a bike park with trails for kids too, a children’s playground with water features, a treehouse and other fun things for kids. The tricycle ride is for ages 10 and up accompanied by an adult, and 16 and up unaccompanied. Address: Nockhofweg 40, 6162 Mutters, Austria. Cable car opening hours: daily between 9:00 and 16:00.
The Stubai Valley and Glacier
This charming valley lies a little south of Mutters, about a 20-minute drive from Innsbruck. It begins at the town of Schönberg im Stubaital and has several glaciers. On one of them, the Stubai, there’s a ski resort for beginners and advanced skiers that’s open almost all year round. But even if skiing isn’t what interests you and you come in summer, the valley is dotted with picturesque towns and a range of activities for the whole family. On the Stubai Glacier you’ll find a variety of hiking trails and bike trails in nature; a giant mammoth that serves as a play structure for kids; and the Top of Tyrol viewpoint, from which you can see no fewer than 109 peaks! There’s also a range of restaurants at the site, so you can easily spend a whole day here. The glacier path trail takes about two hours and is recommended for fit families. The other trails suit those used to longer and more strenuous hikes. Note that these trails run at altitudes above 3,000 meters, which can cause altitude sickness in some people. If you don’t feel well, descend to a lower area!
Other attractions in the valley include a mountain coaster reached by a cable car departing from the village of Mieders; the pool park in the village of Telfes; and rafting on the Ruetz river. https://youtu.be/R0sbg3KjZd0
The Ötztal Valley
The valley is considered one of the most beautiful and popular places in all of Austria, and when you get here you’ll understand why! It lies southwest of Innsbruck, between the Stubai Alps and the Ötztal Alps. Austria’s second-highest mountain (after the Grossglockner) is here: it’s 3,770 meters high and called the Wildspitze. So is Austria’s highest village, Obergurgl, which sits at about 2,000 meters above sea level. In the Ötztal you can spend several days and enjoy skiing in winter, of course, and hiking trails in summer, as well as waterfalls, lakes, amusement parks and the Aqua Dome, the famous spa center you mustn’t skip!
Stuiben Falls
These are the highest waterfalls in Tyrol. To get to the top you need to climb about 700 steps. If you’re with small children or simply not in shape, you don’t have to go all the way! The trail starts in the town of Umhausen and includes 5 viewing platforms. The walk to the first viewpoint takes about 45 minutes and is suitable for kids too. The rest of the trail includes a climb, 2 formidable stair towers and a suspension bridge over the river that takes quite a bit of courage to cross… The whole trail there and back takes about 3 hours, and it’s definitely fun and exciting, and includes meeting the waterfall very close up! But remember that settling for the first viewpoint is impressive and exciting enough in itself. https://youtu.be/E_zHU3D29rw
Amusement Parks for Little Ones and (Bigger) Kids
The Widiversum, in the mountains above the village of Oetz, is a magical world for kids that revolves around a cute sheep who sets out to rescue the precious crystals from the evil wolf. The park includes countless activities, games and challenges as part of the rescue mission, as well as a 5D film and hiking trails. There’s also a picnic area.
Older kids will enjoy AREA 47, which is also a large park with countless activities, divided into 5 zones: a water zone with slides and water play facilities, including one that shoots you straight into the lake with a powerful jet of water; a wakeboarding zone, a mountain biking zone, a climbing zone with a rope park and the highest climbing wall in Austria, and a rafting and cliff-jumping zone. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! In short, get ready for a day of adrenaline-packed fun. Address: AREA 47 Betriebs GmbH, Ötztaler Achstraße 1, 6430 Ötztal-Bahnhof. https://youtu.be/IhQ75gy701Q
Freizeit Arena Sölden
A venue for the whole family that combines sport, fun and relaxation, all in one place! There are sports courts, a fitness center, bowling, a sauna, a heated pool with a range of adventures such as a bubble area, a bridge, a slide and more, and also a restaurant. Recommended for rainy days. Address: Gemeindestraße 4, 6450 Sölden, Austria.
Aqua Dome
This is the region’s famous wellness and spa center, with several heated indoor and outdoor thermal pools, hot tubs, saunas, a range of treatments of various kinds, a gym, a kids’ area with slides and other “dry land” fun, and a variety of restaurants facing a stunning view. In short, there’s plenty of pampering here for adults and a bit for kids; recommended for a visit on rainy days. Address: Oberlängenfeld 140, 6444 Oberlängenfeld, Austria. https://youtu.be/py6JeG03mLE
A Warm Lake?
If you haven’t had enough of dipping in water parks and pools, you can always jump into the lake (Piburger See), which is known as the warmest lake in the area, its water temperature is about 25°C (77°F)! That’s not exactly hot by everyone’s standards, but if it’s too cold for you to swim in the lake, there’s a range of walking trails around it. And in winter you can ice skate here.
The Town of Imst and the Longest Mountain Coaster in the World
This pleasant town lies a little north of the Ötztal valley. Next to it is a family-friendly ski resort on the Alpjoch mountain, which is “only” 2,100 meters high. From the town you can also set out on a hiking trail in the Rosengartenschlucht gorge, part of which runs on wooden walkways above the river.
But the highlight of a visit to the town is the mountain coaster, about 3.5 kilometers long, which offers an adrenaline-packed experience. For those not yet familiar with the concept of mountain coasters, you sit in a kind of personal cart that travels down the slope on a narrow track and simply ride down fast! It’s as scary as it sounds, but just as much fun. Address: Hoch-Imst 19, 6460 Gemeinde Imst, Austria. https://youtu.be/B4BFnrJTFu4
There’s still a lot more to discover and do in Tyrol, but these are our main recommendations that you really mustn’t miss! When you return from your trip, we’d love to hear about your special experiences in the comments, especially if you think there’s an attraction or place we didn’t mention that you wouldn’t give up.
