TYROL/ZILLERTAL/INSBRUCK

After several multi-week trips to surrounding countries we decided to check out another part of Austria. The most impressive mountains here are in the province of Tyrol, where Innsbruck is the capitol.

We were able to book several nights in a private house in the Zillertal (a mountain valley in the middle of the Alps).

On the way there you can take the freeway (autobahn) but the back roads are so much more beautiful. We drove and wandered through the mountains on the way.

If you are ever in this area you need to stop for a few hours and walk the trails to the Krimml waterfalls. This series of waterfalls, the highest in Austria, cascade down the mountainside 385 meters.

From Krimml you can take the highway, or you can pay a toll and drive over the mountains (definitely the better choice). On the way you pass several ski resorts, and of course mountain lakes.

Now there's a scene straight out of the picture books. Alps, with little farm houses on the mountainside.

If you're going to Insbruck and have a half day to spare it is well worth the cost to take the trams up to the top of the mountain to the north of town ("Nord Kette Bahn").

There we are at the top, and yes, there's my trusty knee brace to make the journey go smoother...

When you look across the valley over Insbruck, to the mountains on the south, you can see in the distance the Brenner pass, which leads into Italy.

Yes! now there's some impressive mountains!

Of course, you're in Austria, so every peak has to have a cross on it.

Back in the city now, we spent some time wandering the gardens of the local palace/schloss.

Not to be out-done by Paris, Innsbruck decided they also needed an "Arch Triumph."

And of course there have to be plenty of statues.

Usually it is fun to wander the narrow streets in the center of town, but this year they had them all torn up for plumbing improvements, probably because there were almost no tourists due to COVID.

The royal palace in the middle of town is also worth touring.

Heading back to the Zillertal we decided to stop off at some small towns on the way and explore a few hilltop castles (Burgs).

Hmmm! Something got lost in the translation there...

And back in the Zillertal, if you drive up the end of the valley/canyon you end up at a huge reservoir almost at the top of the mountains. Italy is on the other side of that mountain in the background.