Set between two mountain ranges, Innsbruck offers one of Europe’s most filmic descents
INCREDIBLE Innsbruck is the most magical place – whether you are an Olympic standard skier or more of a novice. Set in the valley between two mountain ranges, it offers one of the most filmic descents in Europe.
Nestled within meringue-like peaks as far as the eye can see, it’s one of Olympia Ski World’s nine ski resorts, with 300km of slopes suiting all abilities – even mine.
I was lucky to go at the end of the season when the winter jet set is replaced by families, the occasional gaggle of students and, crucially, there are no queues for the ski-lifts.
These are perfect conditions for the long-suffering Brit who wants slope time, even if haunted by childhood memories of icy Glencoe.
You can be on the piste within three hours of leaving the UK. We flew on budget flights from Stansted Airport mid-March, staying at the boutique four-star Hotel Innsbruck.
Although there are many cheaper chalet options, the hotel boasts spa facilities including sports massage for tired limbs; an excellent lobby bar with a well-sampled cocktail list – and perhaps the best buffet breakfast in town. Key to Innsbruck’s success is its all-season credentials. Skiing is open until April with the chance to enjoy a later season into May at the Stubai Glacier.
And with plenty of bus and taxi options, it’s a breeze getting around. During a fourday trip we sampled three resorts.
Having not skied in several years – okay, 15 – I eased myself back into my boots at Kuhtai, Austria’s highest ski village, and hit the nursery zone.
After all that exertion – 20 minutes to clip the skis on alone – my companion and I needed a bite to eat. So we headed for traditional Austrian fayre at the former royal family’s Habsburg hunting lodge, Jagdschloss Kutai.
We opted for a change of pace
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■ after our steak lunch with a snowshoeing experience, strapping on tennis racket-type contraptions under our boots to hike up through the valley floor and woodlands. Although sceptical as to the merit of this, snowshoeing now comes highly recommended. It was a little hairy at times but all the more exhilarating for it, and all that mountain air will have you sleeping like a baby afterwards.
It should be noted, however, that with all the ravines and gullies, it’s best only to venture out with a guide. Mine told me not to eat the snow!
You quickly discover Austrian food is
■ Ski equipment was hired from Die Boerse (dieboerse.at/concrete5/en) and guides and instructors were from Innsbruck Ski & Snowboard Schule (skischuleinnsbruck.com/en/). Visit innsbruck.info/en for more. on the whole a bit heavy, especially in the ski resort restaurants where the emphasis seems to be on fuelling up on starchy dumplings, breaded meats, sausage, potatoes and cheeses, before hitting the slopes again.
If this isn’t to your taste, you will find most accomodation offers so much bread and meat for breakfast that it would be easy to slap a quick sandwich together for lunch and save a few pennies.
At Innsbruck Hotel, breakfast is a more sophisticated affair, with starched linens and even the offer of prosecco, alongside platters of hot bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, fruit, cheese, pastries – the works.
As you are in the capital of the Alps, there’s a good selection of fine dining restaurants to choose from. I’d particularly recommend Lichtblick.
On the top floor of the Rathausgalerin town hall and shopping centre, it does some excellent set tasting menus.
On our second ski-day myself and two companions went to family favourite resort Mutters/ Götzens, where the ski shop staff are especially lovely – even fastening your boots for you!
Buoyed by the newfound confidence of not falling over, in the afternoon I went for it on the red slopes of Pastcherfofel, home to the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Games.
If you, like me aren’t a hugely practised skiier or want to take it more slowly, the city is full of historic interest.
Our last day was spent touring the Hofburgh Imperial Palace and Hofkirche Court Church, where there is an impressive ornate memorial tomb flanked by gigantic bronzes representing the sentry ancestors of Emperor Maximilian I.
He was also responsible for the city’s landmark Golden Roof, which stands on a main street near the shops.
And don’t miss the chance to get your bling on at Swarovski Crystal World, with its magnificently quirky gallery, including an exhibit of the crystal slipper Lily James wore in Disney’s new Cinderella, and dazzling shop displays.
But if you only do one thing other than ski, take the Hungerburg funicular, designed by Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, to the top of Innsbruck’s party mountain, Seegrube.
It’s like Narnia, permanently in snow – even if it rains in the valley below. Simply magical.