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Innsbruck is the capital city of the federal state of Tyrol in western Austria. It is located in the Inn Valley at the junction with the Wipptal (Sill River), which provides access to the Brenner Pass, some 30 kilometers (19 mi) south of Innsbruck. Located in a broad valley between high mountains it is an internationally renowned winter sports centre and hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It is to host the 1st Winter Youth Olympics in 2012. The word bruck comes from the German word Brucke meaning "bridge" which leads to "the bridge over the Inn".
Innsbruck has a late medieval city centre. In the 15th century, it was made a "Residenzstadt", a centre for representation and administration, by Emperor Maximilian I. He built a balcony with a golden roof called "Goldenes Dachl", which is still the main attraction of the town. Explore the narrow alleys and ancient courts for a while, go down to the river and the triumph arch ("Triumphbogen") that Empress Maria Theresia built in 1765. Austria′s "mother of the nation" was very fond of Innsbruck.
Lienz: A Tyrolian chunk of Carinthia
Lienz lies at the heart of Eastern Tyrol, which has strong historical and cultural ties with the nearby province of Carinthia. Nonetheless, Eastern Tyrolians have a very distinct local pride typical for mountain people and will not be appreciative of individuals considering them as anything but Tyrolian. The town itself is easily identified as a real stunner: Set by two of Austria′s most important mountain passes, the Felber Tauern Pass and the GroYglockner Pass, the geography around Lienz alone would justify a visit.
The first people to stay in the region permanently were probably the Romans, who realised the significance of the two passes. Later, the region was populated by various tribes primarily of Bavarian kin in the 9th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the strategic position and access to trade routes made Lienz a rather important place, and the counts of Gorz (now Gorizia in Italy) chose the town as their main place of residence. The last one of the house of Gorz died in 1500, and the county went to the growing portfolio of properties of the Habsburgs, then ruled by the legendary Emperor Maximilian I.
Kufstein: The Pearl of Tyrol
Of the many pretty towns that you will find nestled in the Tyrolian Alps, Kufstein - alongside with Schwaz and Hall - is among the prettiest. Throughout the Middle Ages, it was subject of vicious fighting between Tyrolians and Bavarians, until Emperor Maximilian I finally secured it for the Habsburg′s portfolio of properties. Ever since then, Kufstein was Austrian, however, it preserved a cultural affiliation with the nearby Bavaria that one can sense even today.
The most distinguished spots are concentrated in the town centre, so our sightseeing tour is best enjoyed through a general stroll around the medieval alleys. The main square is called "Unterer Stadtplatz" and nearby you will find the Dreifaltigkeitskirche or "Church of the Holy Trinity". Its base was built in Gothic style, but it was seriously extended several times since the initial construction and today, it unites various architectural styles. Nonetheless, it looks surprisingly coherent.
The most important features of the Dreifaltigkeitskirche are the interiors, in particular the Rococo altar and the "Heldenorgel" or "Organ of the Heroes".
The 13th century (though it was extensively remodelled in the 16th century) fortress of Kufstein is among the most impressive military buildings of Austria. You can get there by a mini-railway or you can have a walk. Either way, once you are up there you will enjoy great vistas over the Tyrolian Alps as well as the prettier part of Bavaria.
The most significant feature of the fortress if not all of Kufstein is the Kaiserturm or "Emperor′s Tower". Nearby you can also find the obligatory Heimatmuseum or regional museum dedicated to local Tyrolian stuff from all sorts of disciplines, mostly religion and warfare (matching in general with Tyrolian culture). The youngest part of the fortress was built under the reign of Emperor Joseph II in the late 18th century.
Bregenz is a market town with a population of around 27,000. In terms of sightseeing, it offers a range of nice medieval and early modern buildings. The Martinsturm Tower has a Roman core, there is the Gothic Church of St. Gall and a variety of smaller buildings. Bregenz also makes a good base for excursions to the Bregenzer Wald Forest, which is said to be among the most scenic in Austria. The centre of the forest is Bezau. There is also a small monastery nearby.
In the summer, the Bregenz Festival is organised - a festival of classical music and opera, performed on a stage that is built directly on the surface of Lake Bodensee. It is famous for its extravagant stage settings and the beauty of the scenery with the lake and mountains framing the performance.
Feldkirch , a village more than a town, has a long-standing history leading to the presence of a whole bunch of medieval buildings in the centre.
Stay around Neustadt and Marktgasse for the most pleasant array of medieval burgher houses. This part of the old town is outlaid in a grid of roads, a rare sight in a country that typically has bizarrely grown towns following rivers, bending around mountains and getting distorted along valleys. The city centre was fortified by the Habsburgs at the time of Emperor Maximilian I.
Note the powerful Churgate and the Katzenturm ("Cat Tower", no idea why a cat should be intimidating). There is also a local castle, the Schattenburg, which hosts a reasonably interesting Heimatmuseum or Town Museum. It was the home of the counts of Montfort for approximately 200 years from the 12th century.
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