Innsbruck lay before us and we took full advantage of the rest day. To explore the area before it got too warm, we first headed to the Hofgarten of the Hofburg Palace.
After the Hofgarten, another walk through the old section of the city (Altstadt) was pleasant before the afternoon crowds arrived. We found that the main retail offerings appeared to be souvenir shops! The architecture of the area and the ornate buildings were quite impressive.
We hopped on a city bus to get a bigger picture of this Tyrolean capital city. Our route passed by the Triumphforte Arch, commemorating the marriage of Archduke Leopold II to Spanish princess Maria Luisa. Unfortunately, Leopold’s father died during the celebrations following that marriage and Leopold and his mother were devastated. A mourning pall fell over the celebrations. As the Arch was still being completed, the south side of the arch celebrated the happy nuptials and the north side memorialized the death of Leopold’s father.
Our restful day ended with a tasty meal at the Piano Restaurant in Altstadt and a session of people-watching while enjoying an ice cream cone!
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