I always wanted to visit Innsbruck. The old town, the baroque and Gothic architecture, the 360° mountain views — it all felt like a place I needed to see. My mom knew, so she gifted me a weekend in Innsbruck for my birthday.

We stayed at NALA INDIVIDUELLHOTEL, a cute and unique hotel where every room is different from the other – perfectly located on a quiet street, yet within walking distance of all the good spots. The weather was amazing! We spent our days enjoying vegan food, strolling along the Inn River, randomly running into friends, and even going for a hike on our last day.

We also explored a few secondhand shops. NECTAR VINTAGE had an incredible selection of shades — some quite pricey, but really unique. SISTERS VINTAGE had the best vibe: a small, curated selection, a live jazz house DJ set, and some handcrafted pieces. At NOWHERE VINTAGE, I found a crochet dress and an asymmetrical mesh long sleeve with embroidered black pearls — very special pieces.

All in all, it felt so good to finally experience Innsbruck — the mix of city and nature is what makes it stand out. It’s a relatively small town, with around 130,000 residents, but it attracts a lot of tourists, which can take away from the atmosphere in some areas. Still, the parts that aren’t overly touristic feel calm, local, and full of charm. There are many students and young, active people around — even on a sunny 20-degree day, you’ll see people walking through the city with skis over their shoulders, just coming back from the mountains. I really love this connection between urban life and the outdoors.