Innsbruck ski holidays double as city breaks, with the best of both worlds in one place. And when you can get there in under two hours from major UK airports? That’s called a win-win winter situation.
Innsbruck ski holidays: enjoy the great Alpine outdoors and the city together
It’s the gateway to the beautiful Austrian Alps, and a medieval city full of history and culture; thus there’s no surprise that families love Innsbruck’s duality.
You can go from winter sports to museums and castles in a day, via an efficient cable car system, ski buses and trams – car hire is optional on an Innsbruck ski holiday. And Innsbruck itself is full of great family attractions: charming Christmas markets; the Gothic wonders of the Golden Roof; St. James’ Cathedral, and the Bergisel Ski Jump, to name but a few.
Factor in the Innsbruck Welcome Card for free participation in a host of activities, feel-good Tyrolean food served in cosy mountain lodges, the educational potential of all that history, and some extremely impressive pistes suitable for all ages and skill levels, and you’ll discover that this unique Alpine-urban region really does have it all.
Tobogganing in the Nordkette mountains © Innsbruck Tourism/Christian Vorhofer
Winter attractions made easy with a Welcome Card
Innsbruck knows how to make families feel welcome on their ski holiday, and the Welcome Card is free to everyone staying more than two nights at the majority of the 100s of Innsbruck hotels, guest houses, farmhouses, private rentals and hostels registered as partner establishments. Make sure you pick yours up, because it’s the key to a winter activity programme including hikes and e-bike tours, free public transport, and discounts on pools, lakes, sights and attractions. If you stay three nights or more, you’ll get the Welcome Card Plus, giving you all of that plus four free trips on selected cable cars and lifts throughout the region.
Winter hiking © Innsbruck Tourism/Christian Vorhofer
The other card worth having, especially with older kids, is the SKI plus CITY pass Stubai Innsbruck – this one offers complete flexibility and freedom, with ski lift access to 12 resorts, and a huge range of freebies and discounts – including to the StuBay Sauna and Spa Paradise, with its glacier views and kids’ pool. It’s the only pass of its kind in the world and even extends beyond the Innsbruck region.
- Schlick 2000: more than a cool name, this little resort in the Stubai Valley is around 20 minutes from Innsbruck, and altogether great for families who like a laid-back vibe. The Schlick 2000 Kinderland has play and ski areas for kids, and offers a Family Ticket for affordable skiing. Tobogganing and snowshoeing are a draw here, and there’s a kids’ adventure trail too.
- Stubai Glacier is 45 minutes from Innsbruck, the largest glacier ski area in Austria, and perfect for a longer stay. The BIG Family Ski Camp offers ski lessons and entertainment, and kids under 10 ski free with a paying adult. The glacier also has several beginner-friendly slopes, and for this reason, it’s a great pick for first-timers. You can visit ice caves, check out the fun of snow tubing, and there’s the BIG Family Fun Slope for more adventures.
Old Town Christmas Market © Innsbruck Tourism/Christian Vorhofer
So much more than just a ski holiday in Innsbruck
Innsbruck is in its element during the winter months, and you’ll find an incredible array of diversions. The Old Town is unmissable, with its colourful buildings and lively town squares, and it’s where you’ll find the renowned Golden Roof: a three-storey balcony built in the 1500s covered in 2,657 copper tiles, and 18 reliefs ranking right up there as important Tyrolean art. Then there are the baroque wonders of St. James’ Cathedral, the Imperial Palace and its attached museums, as well as the City Tower viewing platform, with its leg-stretching 133 steps and panoramic views.
There’s nothing like a cup of mulled wine (or hot chocolate) and a wander round some of the Innsbruck Christmas Markets between 15 November and 23 December, to really get you in a festive mood. The Old Town market is one of the world’s most sought-after, a properly traditional affair between the medieval streets and the Golden Roof. The Christmas market on Maria Theresien Street is surrounded by a sparkling sea of lights, and best when seeking out souvenirs. For views, head to the Panorama Christmas Market at Hungerburg. It’s easy to get there, take the Nordkettenbahnen funicular from the city centre.
It’s easy to find a family ski resort in Innsbruck © Innsbruck Tourism/Christian Vorhofer
Finding the right Innsbruck resort for your family ski holiday
Innsbruck is brilliant for family skiing, from first-time tinies through to proficient skiers, and with 12 resorts to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect base for your family. Here are our favourites:
- Patscherkofel: at 10km from Innsbruck city centre, it has wide, easy slopes that are perfect for family skiers. There’s a kids’ zone and ski school, a magic carpet to make it easy and safe for kids, and all the fun of Yeti Kinterland. Several hotels have ski in /ski out access, and there’s a scenic winter hiking trail on the mountain, as well as a fun toboggan run. The top of the Patscherkofel cable car gives panoramic views of Innsbruck and the surrounding Alps. It also boasts an Olympic history, being a ski host during the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics, giving the resort its unique charm.
- Nordkette is 5km from Innsbruck, and accessed via the Hungerburgbahn funicular and Nordkette Cable Cars. Head here for stunning panoramic views over Innsbruck and the Alps, and there’s a lovely Alpine Zoo at its base: Europe’s second-highest. Its small but steep ski area is best for advanced skiers, with challenging slopes like the Karrinne: one of the steepest ski runs in Europe. And additionally, if you want to know what a buzzing après-ski scene is all about, head to Cloud 9 Igloo Bar.Axamer Lizum is 19km from Innsbruck, with a variety of slopes suitable for all levels. The ski school offers kids’ lessons for kids, and beginner-friendly areas with magic carpets. You’ll find reasonably priced family passes here, and it’s a great spot for toboggan runs and snowshoeing tours.
- Kühtai, 35 km from Innsbruck, is Austria’s highest ski village, at 2,020m up. You’ll find reliable snow and a great family-friendly atmosphere, including the kids’ area: Kühtai KidsPark, good ski schools, and family ski passes. Lots of the hotels here are ski-in-ski-out, which really helps on an Innsbruck ski holiday, and again it’s great for tobogganing and snowshoeing.
Making winter memories, Innsbruck © Innsbruck Tourism/Christian Vorhofer
‘Ski plus City’ is the easy way to do more of Innsbruck this winter
Innsbruck is almost unique in Europe, as nowhere else has so many great family ski resorts within such easy reach of a city. This winter, you can quite literally leave the historic centre and be in the mountains in minutes, particularly if you take advantage of one of the Ski plus City packages, which include a free ski bus.
Simple to book online and available for stays of 2 to 7 nights, Ski plus City packages include the Innsbruck Card for free entry and serious discounts at major city attractions. Then, because the Welcome Card is part of the packages too, you also have the freedom to experience the mountains, ski resorts and leisure activities across the wider Innsbruck region. Plus, the combination of both cards makes getting about incredibly easy and affordable too. There’s the free ski bus we already mentioned, but you also have access to the hop-on-hop-off Sightseer bus, as well as city bikes, and all public transport throughout the region – good news when you’re travelling with kids.
Now you know where to go this winter, visit Innsbruck and start making plans