Innsbruck App: It’s All At Your Fingertips

If you’re still traveling with a guide book like Frommer’s or Lonely Planet, you may as well be picking up commemorative bricks everywhere you go. Apps are making print guides more and more obsolete, and Innsbruck has taken note. The Innsbruck App, available on Google Play and the Apple Store,  was recently revamped and I decided to give it a test ride to see what I could discover with it.

DIGITAL REVOLUTION

Have you ever wondered how people used to travel without the technology now available at our fingertips? Guidebooks were around for a long time, but they’re now becoming extinct thanks to apps and review sites. I imagine it must have been hard to pick a place to eat, sleep, or go to with only a few sentences and maybe a black and white photo to rely on. Fortunately, those days are behind us and we can now be bombarded with more options than we know what to do with.

Really though?

Location, location, location!

Because getting around in a new city can be tough, the map feature shows you what is near and tells you exactly how far away it is.

Top 10

Bars, restaurants, student hang-outs, museums and sightseeing hot spots lists are offered to help narrow your choices based on what you’re interests. Restaurants are divided into fine dining, vegetarian and traditional Tirolean; the ranking is based on TripAdvisor positioning. You can also filter the lists to sort by distance to your location. No list for cafes is offered, but hopefully that gets integrated in the future.

Oscar garnishing one of his dishes

Irina is vegetarian, so the vegetarian list is super useful for us when seeking restaurants. Most restaurants offer veggie dishes, but it never compares to a place that specializes in veggie dining. Oscar Kocht is one of the top choices for vegetarian and overall restaurant options in Innsbruck.

Chez Nico

Another great vegetarian restaurant and top choice in Innsbruck is Chez Nico. Not a great option if you’re balling on a budget, but worth it if you can splash out on a meal.

Accommodation

Visitors can locate hotels, hostels, inns, cottages, private rooms and even camping sites con the app. Travelers can sort results by rating, location or alphabetically. An impressive range of options are provided. Adlers Hotel, Innsbruck’s most recognized hotel, due to their impeccable service, luxurious amenities 360 degree mountain views, and classy restaurant.

Swanky vibes at Adlers Hotel’s roof top bar

Sightseeing

Historic buildings, museums, iconic churches, modern architecture, hop-on hop-of sightseer bus and so much more is listed. After selecting what most interests you, you can  sort results by distance choose to filter attractions included in the Innsbruck Card.

Triumphpforte at night

Events

This section is the coolest and most useful for me. I have lots of time on my hands when I am in Innsbruck, but I don’t always make use of it, mostly because I don’t make an effort at seeking out events. I usually wait for a friends to RSVP as “going” to a Facebook event and then tag along. The events section lists all kinds of concerts, sports matches, theater, and so much more. Because of all the events I discovered on the app, I’m planning on hitting up the F.C. Wacker match on the 28th and the Raiders match on the 1st of May. I also found a “Falco – Das Musical” event that I may go to, just out of curiosity. It seems like a very Austrian thing to do, but I can’t wrap my head around the idea of a Falco inspired musical…

Innsbruck Raiders fired up for the match

Summer and Winter

Hiking at Nordkette

The Innsbruck App also lists things to do based on the season to further customize your experience. As expected, lots of hiking, climbing and biking during the summer; the most noteworthy winter activities are sledding, skiing and a wide range of other winter sports for that season.

Innsbruck Card and INN’sider Tips (blog)

The Innsbruck App also includes two very useful links to purchasing info for the Innsbruck Card and the Innsbruck Tourism Blog for more personalized ideas. Do yourself a favor and get the Innsbruck Card, you’ll save some serious Euros with it. The app also includes suggestions for 24, 48 and 72 hours in Innsbruck – the same time windows the Innsbruck Card is valid for. The Innsbruck Card let’s you check out Nordkette and AlpenZoo in one go.

Some of the critters at the AlpenZoo

The blog is full of quirky things to do that aren’t listed on the top 10s, guidebooks, or TripAdvisor. If you want to check out some off-the-beaten path ideas or get a feel for Innsbruck from people that live here, that’s your best option.

What are you waiting for? Download the app now!!!

Google Play Download

Apple Store Download

Check out my other blog posts for more Innsbruck shenanigans.

Photos by Carlos Melgar