Ambras Castle: The magnificent castle near Innsbruck

In front of me is a huge wooden door. I open one of the grand pianos and suddenly find myself in one of the most beautiful halls I’ve ever seen. / Ambras Castle

Even from the outside, the entire property of Ambras Castle enchanted me. The stately castle with large gardens is located on the outskirts of Innsbruck in Tyrol. But as soon as you enter the castle park, I completely ignore the city. It is an oasis of calm and a place of wonder inside the walls.

Ambras Castle near Innsbruck is one of the most important sights in Austria. The complex was first mentioned in a document in the 11th century. However, the magnificent palace gained fame and importance above all from Archduke Ferdinand II. The Tyrolean sovereign, ruling in the late 16th century, is the founder of the Ambras collections. This is a collection of important works of art. Ferdinand II had these works of art set up a museum in the basement. And this museum is considered one of the first in the world.

The exhibition that can be viewed on site today is a reconstruction of the Kunstkammer of the time. You can also take a look at the armory and the antiquarium. In addition, some rooms invite you to marvel. The Spanish Hall, the sacred interior of the St. Nicholas Chapel and the so-called sweat bath, i.e. the sauna, are particularly worth seeing.

Insta tip: The Spanish Hall is particularly photogenic. Preferably without other visitors. So it pays to be at the checkout first thing in the morning.

Arrival to Innsbruck

Innsbruck is often referred to as the “capital of the Alps”. Once you’re there, you know why. The city is in fact surrounded by mountains. And although the mountains rise up almost all around, the city is very well connected in terms of transport. There is even an airport that is served several times a day from some major German cities.

Those who do not have such a long journey can also easily get to the city by car or train. We start in Munich. The journey takes around 2 hours by car. The quickest route is via Kufstein and then through the Inn Valley via the autobahn. In terms of kilometers, the route via Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Seefeld is shorter. I also like the latter in terms of landscape.

Depending on the connection, you can get there even faster by train. If you take the EC from Munich main station, you will be at the train station in Innsbruck in 1:45 hours. In many cases I would even recommend traveling by train. Because if you stay overnight in Innsbruck, many hotels do not have their own parking spaces. Instead, you have to park your car in public parking garages, which is correspondingly expensive, especially in the city center. In addition, almost everything in the area can be reached easily and regularly by bus.

You can also get to Ambras Castle by bus. There is a bus from the city to the castle about every 10 minutes. I also find it relaxed, then you don’t have to go looking for a parking space again on site. We get off at the Luigenstrasse stop. Then we walk into the castle park.

Admission & opening hours

Tickets are available in the outbuilding of the High Castle. You can already buy the tickets online. Then the ticket costs 12 euros per person. There are reduced admission prices for students and seniors for 9 euros. Children and young people under the age of 19 have free admission.

Incidentally, Ambras Castle is an attraction all year round. The castle with its exhibitions is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is only one exception. Ambras Castle is closed in November. I would advise you to avoid the holiday periods and weekends in the summer season as much as possible. As everywhere, there is also a lot going on in Ambras Castle during the high season.

Huge park area around the castle

The weather couldn’t be better. The sun is really beating down from above. We caught one of the hottest summer days. I am all the more happy about the shady trees in the castle park, some of which look very old. Before we walk towards the castle, we first explore the park and everything it has to offer. For example, there are two large ponds that we pass. Everything looks idyllic and peaceful.

Like your own little empire. There is even a gorge here on the property. A bridge leads across the gorge that lies at our feet. On the ground, the water thunders down over a small waterfall. You can also walk along the water below. Or continue up a mountain over the bridge. If the rulers, who used to stroll through the garden here, had tracked their steps, they would have easily reached every step goal.

Then I approach the Bacchus Grotto. It’s near the gorge. The dark, cool grotto was created by hand and is named after the Roman god of wine. Drinking tests are said to have taken place in the cave in the past. Invited guests gathered in the grotto and were not allowed to leave until they had drunk. They then signed a drinking book. Three drinking books are still on display in the Ambras collection.

I stay a little longer in the cool shade of the grotto and then notice movement out of the corner of my eye. Something just slipped by? I turn my head and just look behind a mighty plumage. Directly behind me, a peacock struts towards the castle. A second follows. And the two noble animals don’t let me upset them. What a greeting.

Historical sauna and gigantic hall

We stroll through the old walls of the high castle. I like immersing myself in a foreign time and experiencing how people used to live. For example, the fact that the gentlemen used to love saunas was new to me. It seems to have been like that, because there is a historic sweat bath at Ambras Castle. From the boiler room next door, hot water was piped into what was then the wellness area. In addition, hot stones have been laid out to keep the water warm for as long as possible.

However, I am even more amazed by the Spanish Hall. I get inside through a large double door about three times my size. The mighty hall is 43 meters long and 13 meters wide. The walls are colorfully decorated. A total of 27 full-length portraits of Tyrolean sovereigns look down on me. I feel tiny in this huge hall. My gaze wanders from the paintings to the wooden ceiling and gets stuck on a number of gold-decorated elements. No expense or effort was spared here. Insanity!

Conclusion

In my opinion, visiting Ambras Castle is a must when in Innsbruck. The whole property is worth seeing and there is a lot to discover. A tip from me would be to combine a visit to the castle with a hike. For example, you can hike further through the Lanser Moor to the Lanser See afterwards.

Culture enthusiasts will find even more sights in Innsbruck. The Hofburg and Hofkirche are also well worth seeing. In my opinion, a walk through the old town, a visit to the Bergisel ski jump or a few hours in the Alpine zoo are also worthwhile. Or you lace up your hiking boots. Because Innsbruck is surrounded by mountains. You can choose between easy tours with cable car support or demanding, day-long mountain tours or via ferratas.