Best Time to Visit Innsbruck

Winter: snow, short days and Christmas markets

From December to February, Innsbruck is cold and grey in the valley. Highs hover just above freezing, and you get only two or three hours of sun a day. The upside is the snow up high. The Nordkette cable car (the Nordkettenbahn) takes you from the old town to ski slopes in minutes. Other resorts are a short bus or train ride away.

Christmas markets fill the Old Town around the Golden Roof from late November until Christmas. They're lovely and busy, especially at weekends. Ski season brings the biggest crowds and highest prices around Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays. Travelling for the snow? January is a fine pick, and you'll skip the holiday rush.

Spring and early summer: the wet stretch

March and April are in-between months. Snow turns to slush in town, but it's drier than May. April is the better of the two, with highs of 13°C. Many lifts close, and some mountain huts aren't open yet.

May and June are the wettest part of the year before summer peaks. Rain falls on about 21 days in each month. May is rated Poor for a reason. If you come, plan museum time, like the Hofkirche with its bronze statues, and the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in nearby Wattens. Hiking trails higher up may still hold snow.

Summer: warm, green and showery

July and August are the warmest months, with highs of 22 to 23°C. They're also the wettest, and August is the wettest of all at 193 mm. Expect sunny mornings and thundery afternoons. Still, the days are long, the mountains are green and the cable cars run to the high trails. Families come in these months, as school holidays run through the summer.

Early autumn: the sweet spot

September and October rate Good, and they're our pick. Rain drops off, the air is crisp and the crowds thin. September is still warm enough for the Hungerburg and Seegrube trails. By October, larches turn gold and evenings turn cosy. Try a Tiroler Gröstl (fried potatoes and bacon with an egg) in the Old Town. November is quiet and damp, a gap between hiking and skiing.