Tyrol & the Alps
The Tyrol is Austria's alpine heart, a region of soaring snow-capped peaks, flower-filled meadows and storybook villages of carved wooden balconies spilling with geraniums. It is the Austria of the imagination, where cow bells drift across high pastures and a jagged limestone wall seems to rise at the end of every valley.
Its capital, Innsbruck, is a jewel, a historic city of medieval lanes and the golden-roofed Goldenes Dachl set dramatically against the Nordkette mountains, which you can ride up to by funicular and cable car in minutes. In winter the Tyrol is one of the world's great ski and snowboard destinations; in summer it is a paradise of hiking, cycling and cow-belled alpine pastures.
Add cozy mountain huts serving hearty food, the dazzling Swarovski Crystal Worlds, and spectacular drives over high passes, and the Tyrol is the Alps at their most postcard-perfect. We love giving it a few unhurried days, so you can settle into the rhythm of the mountains and let one valley lead you on to the next.
