Bonus Mystery Tour stop: Innsbruck
After entering a food coma in Bologna, I was ready to head home to Budapest. Three weeks is more than enough for an intense trip where spending only one or two nights per destination is the norm.
But I still had a another day on my rail pass so why not break up the journey with a mid-way stop in Innsbruck?
I wouldn’t have stopped if I hadn’t found a hotel directly opposite the train station. My bags, now full with specialties from each stop, are far heavier than when I started this trip.
A giant chocolate coated wafer from Poland, a mini Sacher torte from Vienna (giving it another try), sea salt from Ljubljana, organic wine from Zadar, bomba Calabrese from Trieste (not originally obviously), Christmas panettone from Venice and balsamic vinegar from Bologna.
This trip turned out to be a gourmet food tour.
Innsbruck’s beauty is in its valley location, squeezed in between the mountains, settled along the emerald green River Inn.
City residents are known to ski the slopes before work but not yet this winter. It’s mid-December and no sign of snow.
I’ve written about Innsbruck before. It’s a charming destination in central Austria, a region known for its skiing and spa resorts. But for me it’s a great city break destination, often unfairly overlooked in favour of Vienna and Salzburg.
For a more complete view, read my previous post on things to do in Innsbruck.
Where I Stayed: Grand Hotel Europa, a very nice 4 star hotel across from the train station.
Bologna to Innsbruck: 5 hours 20 minutes via Verona in Italy. €11 reservation required for the Verona to Innsbruck section of the trip. The ride through the alps is easily the most scenic train trip of the entire tour.
View all the photos from the Mystery Tour.
Previous destination: Eating All The Food in Bologna
Final destination: Budapest
A full review of the Mystery Tour will be coming in the new year including a reader giveaway. Subscribe to my newsletter to find out more.
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