I have been roaming Innsbruck, treading on cobblestones, hearing my footsteps echo off centuriesold buildings. It’s time for a change of scenery, so I make my way to a radically new building. Designed by superstar architect Zaha Hadid in 2007, it hovers beside a downtown street like a smoothly melted lump of ice. It is the starting point for a journey through the clouds.

This futuristic structure is a funicular railway station, the first leg of the Nordpark Cable Railways (www.nordpark.com). I take an escalator underground, board the waiting train and begin my ascent. The line emerges from a tunnel, crosses the glacial-blue Inn River, then climbs the forested slopes.

Innsbruck is the major city of the Austrian Alps, nestled in the valley carved by the river. To the immediate north, high mountains form the border between Austria and Germany. To the south, the rugged stone barrier conceals the Brenner Pass, which leads to Italy. Ever since humans settled in Europe, their migrations and invasions have been channeled through this valley.

When I reach 2,838 feet, the funicular terminates at another station designed by Zaha Hadid. Here I switch to a cable car and ride above the thinning forest, passing through wisps of cloud. The trees peter out completely before the next station, at 6,286 feet. The final leg takes me in another cable car across a sheer scree slope. Then, on foot, I follow the switchback path to Hafelekar Peak, 7,702 feet above sea level.

On one side, the German Alps stretch endlessly in a barren vista reminiscent of Tibet. On the other, cliffs drop sharply into the verdant valley where, far below, Innsbruck is enfolded within a curve of the river. Only 30 minutes ago, I was down there. Now I am standing on an alpine summit, seemingly scraping my head against the sky.

My three-day stay in the Tyrolean Alps has been full of literal ups and downs. The Innsbruck Card in my pocket provides me with free transport on buses, trams and cable cars. With remarkable ease I am able to crisscross the city and ascend some of the looming peaks, gaining firsthand familiarity with the geography.

The family-friendly card also provides admission to the main visitor attractions, which open a window onto the city’s fascinating imperial history. First stop is the Golden Roof Museum, in a building constructed at the beginning of the 16th century in honor of the great Habsburg ruler, Emperor Maximilian I. His royal balcony, capped with a roof made of 2,657 gold-plated tiles, is the symbol of Innsbruck.

Maximilian’s great-grandson, Ferdinand II, converted a medieval fortress overlooking Innsbruck into the magnificent Ambras Castle as a home for his commoner wife, Philippine, who was not welcome among the aristocrats in town. The castle houses Ferdinand’s Chamber of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre paintings and objects that has attracted paying visitors for nearly 450 years — making it, arguably, the world’s first museum.

A major royal attraction downtown is the imposing Hofburg Imperial Palace. The interior is currently under restoration, and some of the ornate rooms will be closed to the public for at least another year, but a visit remains well worthwhile.

Next door to the Hofburg is the Mausoleum of Maximilian I, the most impressive imperial tomb in Austria — though the great emperor is actually interred in the cathedral at Wiener Neustadt, south of Vienna.

The Habsburgs eventually fell from power, but another Innsbruck dynasty is still going strong. Since 1599, the Grassmayr family has been making bells at the Grassmayr Bell Foundry (www.grassmayr.at). The foundry is open to visitors and features a fascinating interactive museum. Through the safety of a window, you can see bells in the process of being forged.

A 15th-century bell tower, the Stadtturm (City Tower), provides a great panorama of Innsbruck. A challenging climb up a succession of staircases takes you to a rickety, outdoor balcony that feels quite precarious, but the 360-degree view across the rooftops is spectacular.

There are essentially two seasons in Innsbruck: green and white. In the warmer months, the deciduous trees are heavy with leaves and the mountain slopes are carpeted in luxuriant grass. In winter, everything is under a thick layer of snow, and the valley is transformed into a vast sporting arena.

Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, and the venues remain major attractions. In the village of Igls, the Olympic Bobsleigh Run provides an incredible adrenaline rush. For $50 you can board a sleigh piloted by a professional driver, hurtling down the run at 70 mph.

Immediately above Innsbruck, the Bergisel Olympic Ski Jump (www.bergisel.info), another striking building designed by Zaha Hadid, has a café affording splendid views of the ski jumping stadium and the city.

Sitting at my table in the café, I gaze down at an autumnal landscape. Crews are making final preparations to the many ski slopes on both sides of the valley. The sky is heavy, hinting that the first snow is perhaps only days away. Another change of scenery is about to come to Innsbruck.

LODGING

GRAND HOTEL EUROPA

You see the true colors of a hotel not when things go smoothly, but when they go wrong. I arrived to find confusion regarding my reservation — they had expected me the previous week. The hotel was now fully booked, but the reception staff seamlessly sorted things out; within five minutes I was in my room. The hotel’s location opposite the busy and noisy rail station is not perfect, but the prestige of this property is deeply rooted — it has been an address of choice for royalty and celebrities since 1869. That old charm has faded somewhat, and the guestrooms are in urgent need of refurbishment. However, breakfast in the Baroque ballroom was memorable, and the staff went out of its way to be helpful.$$$$
GRAND HOTEL EUROPA
Südtiroler Platz 2
tel 43 512 5931

HILTON INNSBRUCK

To opt for a modern hotel when staying in an ancient European city seems like sacrilege. Yet the high-rise Hilton has its benefits. The rooms are spacious and well equipped, the location is within a short walk of downtown attractions, and the views from the rooms are terrific. It is probably the city’s best option for families, offering babysitting and child-friendly amenities. For adults, there is a spa offering a steam room and sauna and, next door, Austria’s largest casino. $$$$
HILTON INNSBRUCK
Salurner Strasse 15
tel 43 512 59350
www.hilton.com

HOTEL GRAUER BAER

The 4-star “Grey Bear” is a long-established favorite in downtown Innsbruck, just a two-minute walk from Old Town. The exterior is timelessly Tyrolean, while due to a recent refurbishment, the 196 warm and spacious guestrooms meet 21st-century standards. The fifth-floor Wellness and Fitness Center is a major selling point; while basking in the indoor pool, you can enjoy a great view of the city rooftops and the mountains beyond.$$$
HOTEL GRAUER BAER
Universitätsstrasse 5 –7
tel 43 512 5924
www.innsbruck-hotels.at

DINING

EUROPA STÜBERL

Stüberl means “small room.” This celebrated restaurant on the ground floor of the Grand Hotel Europa occupies a series of intimate, pine-walled, candlelit parlors. The ambience is cozy — the perfect retreat after a day spent hiking or skiing in the mountains. During my dinner, service was superb until a local dignitary appeared with his entourage, and then I was pretty much ignored. It didn’t matter, though. The food — I opted for the venison main course — was first rate, and I was content to take my time. For dessert I went for a refreshing selection of sorbets garnished with forest fruit.$$$
EUROPA STÜBERL
Brixner Strasse 6
tel 43 512 5931
www.grandhoteleuropa.at

LANDHOF WILDER MANN

Immediately south of the city, the alpine foothills briefly flatten out into an expanse of rolling farmland interspersed with idyllic vi
llages. Many of these little communities are ideal bases for the winter ski resorts and are connected to the city by regular shuttle buses. One particularly pretty village is Lans, where this family-run restaurant in a traditional Tyrolean wooden farmhouse serves excellent Austrian specialties. I especially recommend the tafelspitz — boiled beef served with applesauce and horseradish.
LANDHOF WILDER MANN
Römerstrasse 12
tel 43 512 379696
www.wildermann-lans.at

RESTAURANT LICHTBLICK

Come here during a sunny lunchtime, and the Lichtblick (ray of light) lives up to its name. Situated on the seventh floor of the downtown Rathaus Gallery shopping center, the eatery’s floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides allow the light to flood in and afford superb views of the city and its alpine backdrop. In warm weather you can eat out on the balconies. The menu is in German, but the waiters speak English and can translate. The two-course options — salad and fish or soup and meat — are a great value. The food is contemporary, so expect some foam and some surprising combinations of ingredients. Reservations are essential.$$$
RESTAURANT LICHTBLICK
Rathaus Gallery 7th floor
tel 43 512 566550
www.restaurantlichtblick.at

INFO TO GO

Flights arrive at Innsbruck Airport (INN), situated 2.5 miles west of downtown. A taxi into the city costs about $15. There is also regular bus service linking the airport to the main railway station with departures every 15 minutes; tickets cost approximately $3 each way. For more information, visit www.innsbruck.info.