Winter adventures big and small with the Welcome Card in the Innsbruck region

Updated on 15.02.2023

The holiday season is the best time of the year - especially when you spend it with your family. Elisabeth de Koekkoek is someone who knows all about what you can experience with your loved ones in Innsbruck. As a mum of two and blogger for Innsbruck Tourismus, she is regularly out and about in the region with her sons and husband to try out the wide range of family activities on offer. She reveals her five favourite winter activities with the Welcome Card guest card and what she likes about them.

1. Animal on the move: alpaca hike in Oberperfuss

Hiking is a great activity for the whole family in itself, but with fluffy companions like on the alpaca hike in Oberperfuss, it becomes a very special experience. Elisabeth de Koekkoek, whose sons were immediately enamoured with the animals, agrees: "My boys were instantly smitten, although the little one was a little cautious at first. But when he realised how lovely the alpacas are, he immediately lost his shyness." But it wasn't just the youngest family members who were impressed by the animal escorts: "The eyes, the soft fur, the long necks - they really are very special animals," says Elisabeth. "And they radiate a calmness that is transferred to us humans. Even as an adult, you can leave the stress of everyday life behind for a while."

The alpaca hike in Oberperfuss is part of the free winter activity programme and is only possible with the Welcome Card.

2. On a leisurely tour: tobogganing in Oberperfuss and Kühtai

Tobogganing is becoming more and more popular, even with families. And for good reason, Elisabeth believes: "The great thing about tobogganing is that it really is for the whole family." One of the mother of two's favourite tobogganing excursions is the Rosskogelhütte in Oberperfuss with its eight-kilometre descent down to the valley. The mountain railway helps with the ascent to the Sulzstich, while the last 1.4 kilometres to the hut are covered on foot, which Elisabeth says has one big advantage: "You can enjoy the wonderful winter landscape." The Tyrolean recently tried out the newly opened toboggan run in Kühtai with her family. The ascent and descent are separate, so there's no need to worry about the little ones. There is also the opportunity to receive safety instruction from experts there. "It really makes sense to be 'coached' by a professional," says Elisabeth. "It's hard to believe how many new things you can learn."

The Welcome Card plus includes a ride up and down the mountain on the Oberperfuss cable car, while the Welcome Card allows you to take part in the workshop "Tobogganing must be learnt - safe tobogganing on the Kühtai family toboggan run".

3. Dance on the ice: ice skating in the Telfs ice rink

Ice skating is probably one of the most beautiful activities you can do in winter. For many, dancing on the ice is associated with their childhood - as it is for Elisabeth: "Especially in my school days, I spent many hours on the ice rink at the Telfer sports centre, not only in PE lessons but also in my free time. If you saw me today, you would hardly believe it. I clearly don't have any talent. But that's not the point." The main thing is to have fun - especially when you're travelling with your family. And according to Elisabeth, ice skating at the Telfs ice rink guarantees that: "The rink is a 15-minute walk from the train station, there are skates to hire, and thanks to the covered artificial ice surface, you don't have to worry about the weather and can enjoy the winter fun at any time."

Admission to the Telfs ice rink is free with the Welcome Card.

4. Fun in the water: swimming at the Axams leisure centre

Whether summer or winter: Swimming is always worth a family outing. Thanks to various indoor pools in the Innsbruck region, young and old can splash around as much as they like, even in winter. Elisabeth and her family are regular guests at the Axams leisure centre swimming pool. And the children are still very fond of the indoor pool, even if their needs and preferences have naturally changed over time. "When our sons were younger, the spacious children's area was our highlight. With its baby pool, water slides and lots of play options, it was an absolute paradise for little bathers," recalls Elisabeth. "But now that my boys are a bit older and like more action, the heated outdoor area with the torrent is their favourite."

With the Welcome Card , visitors receive a 50 per cent discount on admission to the pool.

5. Plenty of space to play: Joy and Flip Lab in Völs

"Really let off steam" is the order of the day at the indoor playgrounds Joy and Flip Lab, both of which are located in Völs, close to Innsbruck. Joy offers everything a child's heart desires: slides, bouncy castles, go-karts, trampolines and more. "The kids are guaranteed not to get bored," says Elisabeth. In the Flip Lab , Western Austria's largest trampoline, parcours and freestyle park, everything revolves around big and small jumps. "The Flip Lab has already been extensively 'tested' by my family several times. My older son in particular is a big fan of it: if you let him, he would probably spend every free minute there jumping around," says Elisabeth, adding with a grin: "And I couldn't blame him. Who, whether child or adult, wouldn't enjoy it?"

With the Welcome Card , there is a 20 per cent discount on admission to the Joy and on all "Flip Times" in the Flip Lab.

By the way: You can find more tips and articles from Elisabeth on the #myInnsbruck blog.

Welcome Card: flexible and cost-saving when travelling

The Welcome Card guest card is issued free of charge by partner businesses in the Innsbruck region for stays of two or more nights and the Welcome Card plus for stays of three or more nights. It includes numerous admissions and discounts as well as the use of all public transport in the region. This means that guests can not only save a lot of money on their alpine-urban family adventures and experiences in Innsbruck, but also travel easily and environmentally friendly by train, bus and tram in and through the region.

All information about the free Welcome Card can be found at www.innsbruck.info/welcome.

About Innsbruck TourismusInnsbruckTourismus is the official destination management organisation of the Innsbruck region, which extends from the Tyrolean capital to 40 towns and villages in the surrounding area - from the Inntal valley to the Mieminger Plateau via Kühtai to the Sellraintal valley. With almost 3.5 million overnight stays per year (as of 2019), the Innsbruck region is one of the largest tourism institutions in Austria and is a unique symbiosis of vibrant urban space and fascinating Alpine mountains. Diverse city flair and sightseeing are just a breath away from the next cycling or hiking tour, the next skiing or winter hiking experience. The free Welcome Card guest card is the key to the region's boundless diversity: with free use of public transport, numerous highlights can be experienced sustainably and conveniently up and down the mountain. For the approximately 90 employees, the guest is at the centre of their thoughts and actions. Through their enthusiasm for the alpine-urban area, they convey to their guests what their own hearts beat for and thus create unforgettable holiday experiences in harmony with people and nature time and time again. With a total of 12 tourism information centres, Innsbruck Tourism is close to its guests, right at the heart of the action and with its finger on the pulse - a hub for authentic stories and personal impressions of local characters, which can be found on the popular blog and social channels under #myinnsbruck.