A town in midst of Alps

Innsbruck is the biggest city in Tyrol, and fifth biggest in Austria (after Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg) with its 120.000 people. It’s in the middle of a long but narrow valley with tall mountains on the sides (even higher than 2500m).

A place to feel good...

Unlike the air in my native Ljubljana, this air is cleaner and lung friendlier, for there’s basically no smog here (maybe only for a few days in a year). Hopefully it will stay that way, for the number of population keeps growing, mostly due to Turkish and Chinese immigration in search for a better future. Traditionally they’re preserving the environment, separating waste to the most detailed subgroups. And not only that’s it’s beautiful, almost everybody speaks English – for tourism plays a vital role in the economy.

If you wish to stay active, there’s even a 24 hour fitness studio, so if you can’t sleep… But if you’re a martial arts buff better go across the border to Germany. But if you simply enjoy contact sports, you might try boxing in Innsbruck – as a sport in the ring, naturally.

A University city

Innsbruck is an ideal place for somebody who wants to get a university degree in many a branch. You pay for tuition, but the studies are for free. Illogical? Well, every student get’s a scholarship, but sets aside a part of it to pay for tuition, so there’s enough left to live. Yes, it’s true. It’s not all as it seems at the first glance. You’ll not be missing a classical burek, if you study here, for they’ve spread across Europe, just like Balcan beats, which play in Innsbruck discos at night.

Unfortunately not every study is available, so for machine engineers you have to go to Graz or Vienna. There is a manager school here though, like it was in Kumrovec in our Yugoslavian days, where you gain political skills.

An Olympic city

Austrians spend a lot of money on culture, which is obvious from the numerous theatres in the city. There’s the State theatre, the City theatre, the Kellertheater, Knight games, the Western-Rail theatre, the Melon...

And there are also many museums: the castle Ambras, State museum of Tyrol, National arts museum, City museum, the Royal hunting museum, the museum of anatomy… and many parks like: Alpenzoo, Hofgarten, Rapoldi, Schlosspark Abras, Pechegarten Wilten and Beselepark.

»Hallo, Grüß Gott …«

The local transport runs like clockwork. Apart from the bus they also have the tram system, all also well connected to the main railroad station and the airport. So walking or cycling around town, there might be airplanes just a few feet above your head.

It’s a very friendly environment for tourists, both biologically as socially. The nature is beautiful; the air is clean – especially in neighboring mountains. There’s a lot of sunshine and if not, it’s only rainclouds above. The people are open and welcoming, even the girls greet back on the street, although they don’t know you. It’s even more obvious in smaller places, where everybody greets everybody else. The city center is beautiful, with many pedestrian zones, many fountains and benches to relax and enjoy the view.

It’s a beautiful city with a big center. So if you want a healthy place with Alps around, with no traffic jams and friendly people… then Tyrol is the choice you should consider as a holiday destination or maybe even permanent settlement in either Innsbruck or one of the small neighboring places. But if not in the city, you might have to take the bus, train or even a bike to the center. Oh and btw, who makes the best mountain bikes in the world? KTM, Austria.