The boot, the Meindl, the double-stitched, the Vibram sole, the leather that has the been the waxed the 50 times over the decade, the laces that are the tied by the Austrian hiking guide at the beginning of the 20 km day in the Zillertal Alps (the Berliner Höhenweg, the most famous hut-to-hut route in the Tyrol, the 7 days, and the essential Alpine hiking experience), is the essential tool of the Tyrol. The Tyrol is the Austrian state in the western Alps (the capital is the Innsbruck), and the Tyrol is the paradise for the hikers, the climbers, and the lovers of the mountains: the 500 peaks above the 3,000 metres, the 24,000 km of the hiking trails, the 1,200 mountain huts, and the most extensive hut-to-hut hiking system in the world. Here is your guide.

Tyrol, A Paradise for Hikers, Climbers, and Mountain Lovers

• The hiking, the essential Tyrol: The Berliner Höhenweg (the “Zillertal Runde”, the most famous hut-to-hut in the Tyrol): the 85 km, the 7–9 days, the 5,500 metres of the ascent, the alpine (the glacier, the rock, the scramble, and the essential for the experienced hiker only), the huts: the Berliner Hütte (the 2,040 metres, the 1879, the largest in the Zillertal, and the essential first-night hut, the €40 for the dorm and the half-board, the book the months in advance for the July–August), the Grawandhütte, the Friesenberghaus (the view of the Olperer, the most famous Tyrolean mountain photograph: the Olperer and the suspension bridge). The essential Berliner Höhenweg practicalities: the July–September (the snow the can the linger in the June, and the October snow can the arrive early), the book the huts the 3–4 months in advance, and the essential: the sleeping-bag liner (the huts provide the blankets, and the liner is the required). The Eagle Walk (the “Adlerweg”, the essential long-distance trail of the Tyrol): the 413 km, the 31 stages, the across the entire Tyrol from the St Johann in the Tirol to the St Anton am Arlberg, the 30,000 metres of the ascent, and the essential for the experienced long-distance hiker. The essential Eagle Walk section: the Lechtaler Alps (the stages 5–8, the wildest, the most remote, and the best section of the Eagle Walk). More Austria →
• The Innsbruck, the climbing, and the practicalities: The Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol and the essential base: the Innsbruck is the city in the Alps, the Nordkette runs from the city centre to the 2,334 metres in the 20 minutes (the funicular, the Hungerburgbahn, the €9 return, the cable car, the Seegrubenbahn, the €36 return, and the best city-to-mountain experience in the world. The essential Innsbruck morning: the coffee in the Old Town and the summit of the Hafelekar, the 2,334 metres, in the 40 minutes), the Old Town (the Goldenes Dachl, the Golden Roof, the 2,657 copper tiles, and the most beautiful balcony in the Alps), the Hofburg (the Imperial Palace, the Maria Theresa, and the best Baroque interior in the Austria. ~€9), the lunch at the Stiftskeller (the €12 for the Tyrolean dumplings, and the best-value lunch in the Innsbruck). The climbing, the essential Tyrol: the Tyrol is the best sport-climbing destination in the Austria: the Martinswand (the 450-metre limestone wall, the 10 minutes from the Innsbruck, and the best single-pitch climbing in the Tyrol. The routes: the 3–8 on the UIAA scale, the essential for the beginner to the expert), the Zillertal (the multi-pitch, the granite, and the best alpine climbing in the Austria). The essential Tyrol practicalities: the best base for the hiking: the Mayrhofen (see #1336 for the skiing, the same valley, and the best hiking base in the Zillertal. The Gasthof for the €80/night), the best base for the Innsbruck: the Pension Paula (the €90/night, the mountain-view room), the best season: the July–September for the hiking, the June and the October for the quieter trails and the lower prices.