It's just over a month since I visited Innsbruck for the TBU conference yet the small town nestled between the Austrian Alps have left a lasting impression on me.
Arriving a little after midnight I didn't get the full effect of the surrounding area until I awoke the following morning, opened the curtains and my gaze was instantly drawn to the sight of a slate gray topped mountain running into the the deep green leaved trees and finally the pointed church steeples and the red tiled rooftops.
Admittedly I hadn't really read much about Innsbruck, or even Austria, before I left so to find myself in the shadow of the Alps left me quite surprised. In fact I haven't seen much of Europe other than Paris, Barcelona and Brussels so to find Innsbruck just a few hours away from home added to the wonder.
Getting my bearings around Innsbruck

My hotel lay close to the River Inn where I looked across the pink, green, white and orange five and six storey building on the far side. These are sort of picture postcard images you see of Europe but I'd mainly associated with photos I'd seen of Norway.
Heading into the centre of Innsbruck the streets become cobbled and are mainly pedestrian though you do get the odd taxi or delivery van bobbling down the narrow alleyways.
Don't forget to look up for the Golden Roof

That was something that struck me quite early on. Innsbruck seems a very clean and tidy place. I don't recall seeing any litter yet at the same time I never saw any cleaners. On the outside It appeared that residents take pride in their town and keep the streets tidy - something many towns in the UK can learn from!
A nice cup of coffee or a "I love Austria" hat?

They all lead in the direction of the Imperial Palace, a Gothic style castle completed in 1465. Inside you can walk around the high ceilinged halls with stunning artwork on them. Rooms have been recreated with original furniture to give a sense of what life would have been like in its heyday.
Stepping outside the front of the Imperial Palace my gaze was drawn back to the backdrop to this fascinating little town. Over the course of the week, the weather had turned slightly and when the clouds had cleared, a dusting of snow had attached itself to the upper reaches of the mountain.
In awe of the Tirolean Mountains

Innsbruck has left a lasting impression on me for many reasons. It has the history expected of a central European town, yet it has kept up with modern culture without spoiling itself. It is small enough to get around on foot and explore and doesn't get crowded with tourists during the summer.
However I think the overwhelming memory is the view I saw on that first morning. I've been to places with higher mountains and more striking peaks but being able to turn a corner within the town and still be surprised to see them.
Have you been to Innsbruck? What did you like or dislike about the town?