This is my second long-term visit to Innsbruck and in both cases my body went through a real transformation due to the amount of walking that one does here. I would guess that I average walking 10 km a day, scattered around from morning to night. It's a great way to keep the body in motion.
And Innsbruck is a wonderful place to walk. The town in interesting and many places historical. There are views everywhere. The old town area is car free, but even elsewhere, the road traffic is moving slowly and respectfully. Just look at a crosswalk and drivers will stop. Austrian law is very protective of pedestrians, but drivers here are also very pedestrian aware because everyone here walks some.
One can also hike right from town, accessing mountain huts on the Nordkette north of town or if you are so inclined, ascending all the way to the ridgeline about 2000 meters above town. Public transit is exceptional so one can access hikes in the surrounding region easily or use public transit to enable one way hikes with a bus return. Believe me when I say that high-quality summertime public transit would completely transform recreation in the central Wasatch by enabling many outstanding point-to-point through hikes.
One of my favorite destinations for a casual walk or hike is the Hungerburg neighborhood that sits on a ledge about 300 meters above Innsbruck. I get a nice little climb in when I go there taking any number of routes. There is the direct route following cobbled roads, pedestrian paths, and trails, which takes about 45 minutes, or more circuitous options involving urban walking and trail hiking that might take an hour or two. I just go with what feels right and return via bus or funicular.
The route I did today merges the best of everything. It starts with a level section along the Inn River. I realize seeing this river every day how much I miss water living in Utah.
Then there's about a 300 vertical meter ascent through managed forests that occaisionally open up for a quick view.
I often return to the valley floor via the Hungerburgbahn funicular. Below is the entrance. A walk up ticket is an overly expensive 7 euro, but fortunately I get unlimited free access with my ski pass.
One reason I like to return via the funicular is that it ends near the Innsbruck Old Town and I enjoy walking through it to get back to our apartment, especially in the morning when there are no crowds.
There is a gelateria that is open early if one is inclined to have ice cream for breakfast. I showed great will power not stopping this morning, although I ultimately had a schokomuffin while walking to the office. So many bakeries. So little time.
