Innsbruck Golden Roof and Old Town

Innsbruck is a city where the Alps rise straight behind the rooftops. Its old town is centred on the Golden Roof, a late-Gothic balcony covered in gilded copper tiles built for Emperor Maximilian I around 1500, and is lined with arcaded streets and pastel houses along the River Inn.

From the centre, the Nordkette cable cars climb from the city to high mountain viewpoints, so you can go from street café to snow-capped ridge in under an hour, weather permitting.

Innsbruck makes an easy stop on the train between Salzburg and Zurich, and pairs well with Swarovski Crystal Worlds, a short drive away in Wattens. In December, a Christmas market fills the old town beneath the Golden Roof, with the snowy mountains as a backdrop.