I knew I had struck gold in Innsbruck long before setting eyes on the two-time Winter Olympic host city’s most famous glistening landmark.
My only previous visit to the former capital of Austria had been all too brief, so I jumped at the chance to return for a ski-city break.
The spectacular mountain views on the descent to Innsbruck Airport set the tone for a jaw-dropping jaunt.
I continued to marvel at the scenery peering out of the window of my spacious room at the enchanting Hotel Innsbruck – ideally located in the heart of the old town on the banks of the River Inn.
Just a short stroll around the corner I was captivated by the Goldenes Dachl – Golden Roof – a lavish architectural wonder that was built for Emperor Maximilian in around 1500.
© Innsbruck Tourismus / Christof Lackner. If you’re more interested in art and culture than skiing and snow, simply make a detour to Innsbruck’s old town.
The 2,657 gilded copper shingles – on a roof covering a balcony – illuminate such a beautiful part of the capital of Tyrol, with a stunning backdrop of the mountains also catching the eye.
A more recent reason why tourists’ eyes light up is when they realise the value for money purchasing a SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck gives them.
© Innsbruck Tourismus / Tom Bause
A total of twelve ski areas are included in the SKI plus CITY Pass. These include the Axamer Lizum, which boasts among other things a 300-hectare freeride area.
The unique pass provides access to 12 ski areas in the region – along with the neighbouring Stubai Valley.
Priced at a minimum of €147 It also enables you to visit the Bergisel ski jump – extended and rebuilt for the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics – enter museums, take sightseeing tours, go tobogganing, swimming and enjoy as many as 22 adventures the city has to offer.
My first taste of the skiing the region has to offer came in Kühtai – around 40 minutes from Innsbruck.
The highest village in Austria, at 2,020 metres, Kühtai is made of mainly of exhilarating red runs, but also has blacks and a beginner zone at the foot of the slopes.
One of Austria’s highest resorts and among the sunniest in Tyrol, this was a perfect place to warm up the ski legs with wide pistes and blue skies.
© Stubaier Gletscher / Andre Schönherr
With a total area of 1,450 hectares, the Stubai Glacier is not only the largest glacier ski area in Austria, but also a paradise for kilometer collectors.
I hurtled down from the Hochalter, the Schwarzmoos and the Kaiserbahn, basking in the tranquil surrounds and quiet slopes.
The homely Drei Seen Hütte restaurant was the most cosy, traditional Alpine eatery for lunch – where the hearty food was as wonderful as the jaw-dropping views.
Following a leisurely afternoon on the slopes, there was time to unwind in the Hotel Innsbruck’s enticing indoor pool and spa.
I was then treated to more sumptuous cuisine and fine wine in the Ottoburg restaurant, where the Tafelspittz with beef went down a treat.
The following morning I took a short trip to the resort of Axamer Lizum, a mere 19 kilometres from Innsbruck.
With in excess of 40km of slopes and nine lifts, it is the largest ski area near Innsbruck and is renowned for its Olympic runs.
It takes just six minutes to take the modern Hoadlbahn gondola up to the highest point of the ski area at 2,340m.
I savoured the thrill of tackling the women’s Olympic downhill run and the men’s slalom – with considerably more caution than the elite athletes.
Max, my guide for the day, provided a combination of humour and insight into an area I knew very little about.
He informed me the striking mountains I skied alongside are known as the ‘small Dolomites’ and there was undoubtedly a strong resemblance.
The panoramic views I took in from up high at the Hoadl restaurant – where you could see Innsbruck and as far as Germany – will also live long in the memory.
After another couple of hours mainly on red runs – suitable for intermediates – and gentler slopes nearer the tree line, it was time to put my pass to more good use with another dose of culture.
You can feel yourself going back in time while wandering around the grand 16th-century Ambras Castle on the outskirts of the city.
Built in the Renaissance style by Archduke Ferdinand II, it boasts the oldest museum in the world, with an elaborate Spanish hall where many a party was thrown back in the day.
Ferdinand certainly knew how to enjoy himself, with guests tucking into 24-course feasts before singing and dancing long into the night.
© Innsbruck Tourismus / Christian Vorhofer
Alpine-urban diversity: With the SKI Plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck you can experience the best of both worlds.
Back in the city centre, the Hofkirche (Court Church) is another building to wander around for a history lesson, and look on in awe with an incredible tomb constructed along with a guard of honour of 18 life-size bronze statues of Maximilian’s ancestors and European royalty.
My final evening was spent watching a lively mix dancing, singing and yodelling at Messe Innsbruck.
I tucked into a three-course meal and the beer flowed as crowd of tourists from all over the world were glued to the stage watching thigh-slapping, musicians and some alternative moves in the Gundolf family’s traditional Tyrolean performance.
While I will leave yodelling to the experts, I returned home ready to shout from the rooftops that Innsbruck is a must for a ski-city break.
You can find details about the SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck here
SKI plus CITY: the best of Innsbruck in one ski pass
Main Image © Stubaier Gletscher/Andre Schönherr