Things To Do in Innsbruck

Maria-Theresien-Strasse, Innsbruck's main street, cuts through the heart of the city from north to south, and it's a good place to begin your exploration. It's fascinating just to watch the passersby, especially when they're attired in Tyrolean regional dress. Once, this street was traversed by wayfarers heading over the Brenner Pass from Italy and on to Germany. Today many 17th- and 18th-century houses line the street.

On the south end of this wide street, a Triumphpforte (Triumphal Arch), modeled after those in Rome, spans the shopping street. Maria Theresia ordered it built in 1765 with a twofold purpose: to honor the marriage of her son, the Duke of Tuscany (later Emperor Leopold II), to a Spanish princess, and to mourn the death of her beloved husband, Emperor Franz I. From this arch southward, the street is called Leopoldstrasse.

Traveling north from the arch along Maria-Theresien-Strasse, you'll see Annasäule (St. Anna's Column), a much-photographed attraction. It enjoys the same renown in Innsbruck as the Eros statue does in London's Piccadilly Circus. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands on a crescent moon atop this Corinthian column, which has statues of saints Cassianus, Virgilius, George, and Anna surrounding the base. Standing in front of the 19th-century Rathaus (Town Hall), the column was erected in 1706 to celebrate the withdrawal, in 1703, of invading Bavarian armies during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Not far north of the Annasäule, the wide street narrows and becomes Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, running through the heart of the Altstadt. This street is flanked by a number of well-maintained burghers' houses with their turrets and gables. Look for the dormer windows and oriels. Most buildings here are overhung with protective roofs to guard them against snowfalls.

Innsbruck's Open Sesame Card

To attract more visitors to Innsbruck, the city has come up with the Innsbruck Card (www.innsbruck.info/en), granting you a number of discounts to attractions, including 18 museums and all city-operated public transportation. The card costs 11€. The card is half-price for children under 15.

Innsbruck is more lighthearted about its nightlife than Vienna. If you're in luck, you'll get to attend a summer concert in the park or perhaps take in an operetta at the theater. You might retire to a beer hall to listen to brass bands and yodeling, or be lulled by zither music at a restaurant. Best of all, you can attend a Tyrolean folkloric evening or retreat to a local wine tavern offering entertainment. Many restaurants offer Tyrolean evenings (featuring evergreen music and dancing) in addition to food.

Ask the tourist office about current events. In summer, a Tyrolean brass band often parades in costume, with a concert at the Goldenes Dachl. There are also often concerts at Schloss Ambras, ecclesiastical music at Wilten Basilica, and organ concerts at the Igls parish church.

In the center of the Altstadt, across from the Hofburg, the 150-year-old Landestheater, Rennweg 2 (tel. 0512/52074; www.landestheater.at), is the major venue for theatrical or operatic presentations. The box office is open daily from 9:30am to 7pm, and performances usually begin at 7:30 or 8pm. Ticket prices are 15€ to 60€  for most operas or operettas, and 10€ to 60€  for theater seats. It's also the showcase for musicals and light operetta.

Concerts are presented at the Kunstpavillon in the Hofgarten in summer.

If you want to gamble, you have to drive to the resort of Seefeld, where the Spiel-Casino offers roulette, baccarat, and blackjack daily from 5pm. Or you can try your luck on the slot machines at the Hilton Hotel Innsbruck.

Gay Clubs

Gay people throughout the Tyrol tend to agree that the bars and dance clubs that cater to them are bigger, more fun, and a lot more spontaneous in Vienna or even better, Berlin. If you're looking for a gay bar in the alpine fastnesses of Innsbruck, the options are extremely limited.

Folk Music

Throughout the Christmas season, Easter, and the high season, from 6 to 11pm, you can visit the Goethe Stube, in the Restaurant Goldener Adler, Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse 6 (tel. 0512/571111; tram: 1 or 3), to hear authentic Tyrolean melodies, including the zither and yodelers. There's a one-drink minimum, and a large beer costs 5€. Meals start at 9€.

Another evening of authentic Tyrolean folk entertainment can be experienced courtesy of the shows of Tiroler Alpenbühne/Geschwister Gundolf (www.tiroler-abend.com; tel. 0512/263263), who have been performing in Innsbruck for nearly 4 decades. While you have dinner, a brass band plays along with traditional Tyrolean instruments such as an alphorn, zither, singing saw, and Tyrolean folk harp. It's big, boisterous, and definitely unique. Shows are presented daily at 8:30pm atthe Gasthaus Sandwirt, Reichenauerstrasse 151 (bus: O or R). Tickets for the shows start at 30€. Tickets can be purchased on-site at the venue, but it's highly recommended that you secure a reservation. Scheduled performances are not held in November; from December to March, however, special shows will take place once a week for groups by request. If you're traveling alone or in a small group, call ahead to see if a show has been booked.