What to see in Innsbruck in 1 day

Innsbruck has a unique feature that few alpine capitals can boast: from the historic center, a funicular reaches over two thousand meters in just a few minutes, with the snow-capped peaks of the Nordkette closing the city's horizon.

Capital of Tyrol and twice-host of Winter Olympics, it unites a compact medieval nucleus with a direct relationship with the mountains, rare to find in a city of its size.

The Golden Roof, the Goldenes Dachl, opens the day: the balcony covered by 2,657 golden copper tiles, commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I to watch performances in the square below, remains the city's most recognizable symbol.

From there runs Maria-Theresien-Straße, the Baroque avenue that crosses the centre with open views over the Nordkette range framing the coloured buildings.

Nearby stands the Hofburg, the former imperial Habsburg residence, with apartments that chronicle the passage from Maria Theresa's Rococo tastes to later emperors' more restrained style.

For lunch, the trattorias of the old city offer the Tyrolean specialities such as canederli and other regional dishes, a blend of Austrian and South Tyrolean tradition.

The Hungerburgbahn funicular, designed by Zaha Hadid, ascends to the Nordkette: in minutes you pass from city centre to an alpine panorama overlooking the Inn valley.

The Bergisel ski jump, built for the Winter Games, instead has a viewing platform overlooking both the city and the jump slope.

With evening, returning to the centre, venues around the Golden Roof remain the most direct choice for dinner, with the mountains darkening behind the old town's roofs.

The Golden Roof, Maria-Theresien-Straße, and Hofburg sketch Innsbruck's imperial soul, while the afternoon choice between the Nordkette and Bergisel adds its alpine or Olympic side.

The Swarovski Museum in Wattens and a day on the surrounding slopes in winter remain chapters for a second visit. Seeing the snow-capped peaks of the Nordkette closing the horizon right behind the baroque rooftops of the center synthesizes Innsbruck better than anything else.