Planning a two-day stopover between Munich & Verona, travel by train (and bus if necessary), probably in March/April. Rick has promoted Hall in Tirol as a quaint viilage stop as an alternative to Innsbruck. But I have researched and found Berwang, a bit to the west, as a gorgeous possibility.
Anybody been there to comment on one or the other? We are not skiers.
Innsbruck is surrounded by quaint villages like Igls (the most glamorous), Lans, Aldrans, Sistrans, Vill, Patsch, Natters, Mutters. All offer easy access by car to Innsbruck, some (namely Igls, Vill, Natters and Mutters) also easy access by public transportation. All look better than Hall and closer to any sight than Berwang.
Hi Jay,
Berwang is more than "a bit" to the west. By car it's an hour and a half drive between the two. For your train/bus trip, Berwang (in the "Zugspitze Arena" area) is pretty far out of the way. If you're looking for scenic villages, try something like Igls, above Innsbruck. The Innsbruck area is convenient and logical to your trip.
We've stayed at the Gasthof Badl in Hall in Tirol (15 minutes from Innsbruck) 5 times for a total of 18 nights. We have reservations to stay again this fall. Hall is not a village by any means. Nice, authentic old town. We love evening walks through the cobbled, quiet old town. The alpine scenery surrounding it is the same as Innsbruck's. Gorgeous.
Pic's from our last few visits:
www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646356645920
www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646734355876
www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646997622506
Paul
Berwang has become a tourist serving village. Hiking in the summer, but skiing in the winter is the draw. No old town center and even the residents lament the loss of business, a bakery, butcher and jobs for the young. Depending on when you visit many hotels will be closed in the seasons between summer and ski season. The ski lifts will not be running. It is a beautiful place as far as mountain scenery though and hiking. I enjoyed my short visit in February and I am not a skier, but we had perfect weather (clear blue skies and I got a mean sunburn). You can see the Zugspitz from certain viewpoints in Berwang. I've never been to Hall, AT. Maybe a stop in Sterzing, IT for an overnight (a favorite small town of mine in Südtirol) or even The Gardersee (Lake Garda).
If you have ever watched the mountain panorama camera show in the mornings on Austrian television 3SAT, then you know the waving man from Berwang (Winkemann aus Berwang). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sRSaSdbeDg
http://www.feratel.com/webcams-wetter/oesterreich/tirol/berwang.html
