As a town between Innsbruck and the Patscherkofel mountain, Igls is most appreciated as a haven of quietness just south of the regional capital city. The town has a population of around 2,000 inhabitants and is officially part of Innsbruck, though the center of the regional capital is around 3.5 miles further north. It is popular with tourists in summer because of its archaeological heritage and hiking opportunities, and in winter for the ski facilities on the Patscherkofel.

A streetcar from the Berg Isel station in Innsbruck will deliver you to Igls, 1,001 ft. higher than the capital, in about 30 minutes.

Bus J passes through Igls on the way to the Patcherkofel Talstation. It leaves on the hour and the half-hour from the Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof. Get off at Igls Ortsmitte. Alternatively, take bus 4141 and get off at Altes Rathaus.

Tram number 6 connects Igls Bahnhof to Bergisel in Innsbruck. The route is very scenic, as the tram weaves through the pine forests and offers travelers a great view over Innsbruck. Bergisel is a 2-min walk away from Innsbruck Stubaital Bahnhof.

Igls is small enough to get around by foot. To get to the Patcherkofel Talstation (valley station), take bus in the direction Igls Patscherkofel and get off at the terminus station where the entrance of the Patscherkofelbahn is to your left.

Igls is generally a very safe town. During the winter ski season, drunk tourists are known to cause trouble in bars and nightlife venues, where some warm up with excessive alcohol consumption after enjoying the Patscherkofel slopes on skis or snowboard.

Igls` locals are reserved but helpful, so should anything happen to you, do not hesitate to ask for assistance. There is adequate mobile reception in the entire town and most parts of the Patscherkofel.

Public car park on Igler Straße - open all year round. Also, make sure to check in advance with your hotel about parking options.

During the daytime the winter activities include ice-skating, sleigh rides, tobogganing, and mountain hiking tours. There is also horse riding, paragliding, tennis, squash, bowling and golf. The Olympic bobsleigh run is an unforgettable experience and open year round. In the summer activities include swimming in Lanser Lake, seeing the mountain botanical garden and mountain hiking and biking.

The currency of Austria is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

ATMs are common in major cities and larger towns and this is one of the easiest ways to get cash. Credit cards are accepted in most establishments. It is a good idea to inform your credit-card company before you travel, otherwise, the credit card might be put on hold due to unusual activity. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

It is recommended to park the car at the parking lot `Kaiservilla`, as there is hardly any parking spaces available in the center of town.

The currency of Austria is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

ATMs are common in major cities and larger towns and this is one of the easiest ways to get cash. Credit cards are accepted in most establishments. It is a good idea to inform your credit-card company before you travel, otherwise, the credit card might be put on hold due to unusual activity. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

In winter the skiing area Patscherkofel makes Igls a popular holiday destination, characterized by about 11 miles of ski slopes.

The summer months allow for fantastic hiking on the plentiful hiking paths at the Patscherkofel mountain and surroundings. The popular Patscherkofel cable car brings you into the world of mountains from May to October. One of the trails takes you to the highest located alpine garden of Austria, where the alpine flora and fauna flourishes in an area comprising 5 acres. Other leisure time activities this time of year include playing golf on the 9-hole golf course `Olympia Golf Igls` as well as a cool jump into beautiful Lake Lans.

The nightlife here is not extensive but adequate, with bars staying open until the early morning. Hotels occasionally have fondue and Tyrolean evenings; some host regular live-music performances. Weekly organised lantern hikes. Restaurants here are mainly limited to hotels, although a couple of pizzerias and a cafe do good business.

German is the official language spoken in Austria (and the Tyrol region). You will find only a minority of locals that can answer questions in English. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Sadly, in recent years, Igls has become a victim of global warming, with snowfall diminishing year after year. Lack of snow has resulted in the closure and decommissioning of the Patscherkofelbahn base station which used to offer skiers a direct ascent onto the Patscherkofel from the heart of Igls. The new base station straddles the mountain a mile or so to the south-east, and with skiers passing through the town by bus instead of visiting, the future of the tourism sector in Igls is uncertain. Restaurants and night life have already reduced their opening hours to compensate for the lack of patrons, but travelers looking for a deal can profit from the reduced demand for accommodation as hotel prices have also dropped significantly.

Shopping here offers a limited selection with the usual supermarkets, boutiques, souvenirs, ski-gear and ski-equipment rental. A more sophisticated choice can be enjoyed in nearby Innsbruck.

Austrian cuisine is well known to be homely, hearty and filling, with typical dishes like the Tiroler Grostl (A Bacon, onion and potato fry-up), the Styrian Pot Roast or the Tafelspitz (Boiled Veal). What better way to sample some authentic Austrian culture than to have some traditional food at one of many restaurants in Bregenz.

No trip to the Tirol area is complete without experiencing the local cuisine such as the Tiroler Gröstl (potato and meat fry up, topped with an egg). If you love cheese, then you will love it here because the dairy produce of alpine cows of Innsbruck is one of the best in the world. You`ll also want to be sure to try the strudel, it`s a rite of passage!

Try out the simple dish Marend, a mix of smoked meat and sausages and served with slices of alpine cheese and bread. Another one is Kasspatzln, noodles baked in cheese and served with fried onions. Another absolute must try is Kaspressknödel, a form of fried flat dumplings made with potatoes and cheese, and served in a warm broth. However there is much more than cheese based cuisine. The delicious Speckknödel is a dumpling made of bread, filled with bacon and usually served in a broth.

There are several cozy restaurants in and around the city of Innsbruck where you can enjoy these authentic Tyrolean cuisines. The city also offers a number of restaurants and eateries serving Asian food including Indian, Thai, Chinese and even Nepalese.

Landeskrankenhaus The Universitätklinik (University Clinic) at Innsbruck`s main hospital has emergency services.

Euro-emergency number - 122
Police Emergency Number - 133
Ambulance / Medical Emergency - 144
Fire Department - 122