24903AUS
Innsbruck
City Sightseeing & Facts and Free Time
Opening days/times, entrance fees, etc. listed on Yellow Pages attachment.
· You need cash or ACIS card for entrances to the Hofkirche.
· NB: Only certified Austria guides are allowed to guide in the city centre! There are heavy penalties for breaching this rule.
· You should therefore do all of your commentary and historical introductions on the coach and simply briefly point out buildings you have spoken about as you walk past. This you are permitted to do, providing you do not give “commentary”.
· Check the opening times of the Hofkirche, particularly on Sunday mornings (it is closed until 12.30pm)
Orientation includes:
· Hofkirche inside visit
· Hofburg old town
· Golden Roof
They should try to see:
· Cathedral (if time permits)
· Column and Triumphal Arch (if time permits)
· Wilten Basilica (You will need the bus to visit here…)
· Ski jump (…and here, plus entrances payable)
WATTENS VISIT: SWAROVSKI KRISTALLWELTEN
You may have a booked visit, or you can arrange one if your group is interested; check your itinerary, voucher and/or with area office for details. Wattens is about 15km east of Innsbruck off the A12 (Exit 61).
PROCEDURE – ORIENTATION TOUR
Park in the bus park behind the Hofgarten and make a rendezvous for departure. Either arrange a meeting point (e.g. Golden Roof) or tell the group that they should return to the bus on their own; the path through the garden is clearly marked with blue bus signs. An alternative parking place is on the corner of Marktgraben by the pedestrian zone. (3 spaces for buses – may not be able to wait, so keep the group punctual and tell driver your rendezvous time).
Walk them through the garden and pause to point out the front of the Hofburg. Take them next to the Hofkirche to see the (empty) tomb of Maximilian I. There is now an excellent included multimedia introduction show here as well as free toilets.
When the group has finished in the Hofkirche, lead them the short distance into the heart of the Old Town, pointing out the turning to the right for the Hofkirche entrance and Cathedral, and finish in the square in front of the Golden Roof.
There are lots of restaurants in the old town and less expensive places on Maria-Theresienstrasse. The old town is full of souvenir shops. There are more everyday shops on Maria-Theresienstrasse, Marktgraben and Burggraben.
FACTS AND FREE TIME SUGGESTIONS
Tourist Information office and Swarovski: Burggraben 3 (Changes money on
Sundays)
There are several banks and ATMs in the old town.
There is a new Hard Rock Café at Maria-Theresien-Str 16, close to the Annasäule. It is a 5-minute walk in a straight line from the Goldenes Dächl.
THINGS TO DO
· Climb the city tower (Stadtturm).
· Visit the Hofburg. State apartments and Habsburg portrait gallery (guided tours only).
· Olympic Museum. Exhibits of the Winter Olympic Games of 1964 and 1976. In the Golden Roof building.
· St James’ Cathedral (Dom). Famous Lukas Cranach altarpiece.
· Tyrolean Folk Art Museum. Folk costume, furniture, Christmas cribs, etc. Behind the Dom.
· Fiacres (Horse Carriages) for hire at the Hofburg.