PlanetSKI’s Extended Innsbruck Stay Enters Week Three

27th March 2024 | James Cove, Innsbruck, The Tirol.

Last modified on March 30th, 2024

We’re here in Innsbruck in the Tirol for a month or so – the ultimate Ski + City location in the Alps. 13 ski areas around the city with 23 attractions off the slopes – all on one pass.

Since arriving a couple of weeks ago we’ve skied Axamer Lizum, Muttereralm, Oberperfuss, Glungezer, Schlick 2000 and Stubai.

Read all about it in our blogs:

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

They detail all that is on offer in Innsbruck City and Ski Pass and we also have extra information at the end of this article.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

Update:

Easter in Innsbruck is rather special.

A Ski + City day

It’s a day’s Ski+City again, but this time in somewhat better conditions than last week when we skied Glungezer and visited Schloss Ambras in some rather bleak weather.

Glungezer, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

Now we have hit the slopes of Patscherkofel and some sights in Innsbruck, in much better weather – in fact total blue sky.

Patscherkofel is about 15-minutes drive from Innsbruck and can be seen easily from the city.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

The slopes start at 1,009m and rise to 1,965m, ski touring and hiking to the summit at 2,248m with views across the Inn Valley towards Nordkette.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

It is not a huge area with just 19kms of slopes.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

Six blues
Eight reds
Two blacks

The snow at the bottom is currently scratchy, but up top it remains in plentiful supply.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

However, there is something for everyone with a fun park at the top and plenty of opportunities for ski tourers who want to reach the summit at over 2,200m.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

Then there are the snow-shoers, and those just out walking their dog.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

It is a real mix of alpine attractions.

It also has a fabulous panorama with some of the other resorts around Innsbruck in clear view.

The slopes of Patscherkofel are perhaps best known for THAT Olympic gold by Franz Klammer back in 1976 Innsbruck Olympic Games – perhaps the greatest downhill ski run of all time.

It shot Klammer to superstar status and he remains a living legend in Austria and beyond.

He went on to take 25 World Cup victories in the downhill and five titles in the downhill discipline ranking after his gold on the slopes of Patscherkofel.

He was Austria’s Athlete of the Year three times.

PlanetSKI celebrated his 70^th birthday with the man himself earlier this season in his home resort of Bad Klenkirchheim in Carinthia:

Ski legends turn out to honour Klammer

Less remembered in Patscherkofel is the biggest team success ever in World Cup history when nine Austrian racers were in the Top Ten in the Super-G in Patscherkofel in the 1998/99 season.

Today’s aspiring racers are out in force making their turns.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

Lunch was at the Schutzhaus near the top of the main lift.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

Did someone say ‘appelstruddle’?

Innsbruck Ski + City, Patscherkofel. Image © PlanetSKI

We finished skiing after lunch and headed down to the city.

Where better place than Innsbruck’s most famous landmark, the Goldenes Dachl – the Golden roof.

Innsbruck Ski + City. Image © PlanetSKI

It was constructed on the orders of Maximilian I (1459-1519) around 1500.

Since 1498 it had been the city’s treasury.

The building itself, the Neuer Hoff, was built c.1420.

The views from the balcony are quite stunning and are accessible on the Ski+City Pass.

Innsbruck Ski + City. Image © PlanetSKI

A tour of the museum is a must and is also on the Ski+City Pass.

Innsbruck Ski + City. Image © PlanetSKI

And then up the neighbouring Innsbruck Tower and its fabulous view of the centre of this stunning medieval city.

It was built between 1442 and 1450 as a lookout station for fires and approaching invaders.

It is 51m high and the octagonal shape was added in 1560.

Innsbruck Ski + City. Image © PlanetSKI

There is only one way to the top – 133 steps.

With one staircase going up and another down, it is a design wonder in itself.

Innsbruck Ski + City. Image © PlanetSKI

Then the views:

After the easier descent of the 133 steps it was a gentle stroll as the sun set.

No ski day in Austria is complete with a spot of apres ski.

This time is was in the Cafe-Bar Weli that resides under the railway arches near the main station.

Not your usual type of apres ski music as a group of young city-dwellers just turned up with their instruments and improvised.

I counted 14 joining and leaving as they wished, while the band played on.

It brought a wonderful end to yet another wonderful day of Ski+City in Innsbruck.

Do check back.

Next we’re going skiing touring.

Everyone else here seems to.

INNSBRUCK SKI+CITY INFO:

On the Ski+City Pass there’s the high-altitude glacier resort of Stubai, the ever-popular resort of Kuhtai + the hidden gems of Axamer Lizum and Schlick 2000.

Then some little-known ones off the beaten track:

Patscherkofel
Glungezer
Bergeralm
Muttereralm
Hochetz
Oberperfuss
Serles
Elfer
Nordkette

13 ski areas with 296 kms of slopes, 50km of ski routes and all served by 111 lifts.

They are all within an hour of the city, some are under half an hour away and one, Nordkette, has its base lift station in the centre of Innsbruck itself.

It’s a 5-minute walk from the front door of the apartment PlanetSKI has rented.

Nordkette is situated at an altitude of 2,000m with some gentle beginner slopes and a super steep descent on the ‘Karinne’ – it’s a 70% gradient and for experts only.

You wouldn’t want to be in some of the resorts for a week-long holiday, but you don’t have to be on the Innsbruck City and Ski Pass – just a day will do, thank you very much.

Then there’s the 23 attractions on the Pass including the Bergisel ski jump, The Imperial Palace, Ambras Castle, the Golden Roof museum, the Alpenzoo, the Swarovski Crystal World in Watten, the Hofkirche and many, many more.