In 1180, the town in the center of the Alps derived this name from its position by a bridge over the River Inn ("Inn" = name of the river flowing by, "bruck" = old German word for bridge). Remnants show that Romans had been here about 15 BC. At this time, Innsbruck was one of the major transport centers from Germany in the north to Italy in the south. In medieval Tyrol, its capital Innsbruck, played an important role in Europe’s history. The "Golden Roof" and the houses of the very attractive historic center are witnesses of this era. Over the last several decades, Innsbruck gained fame by hosting the Winter Olympic Games in 1964 and 1976.

Hall was first mentioned in a document in 1256. From the 13th century on the salt mine in the Halltal north of Hall was the main industry of the town and its surroundings. The importance of the salt is also displayed in the coat of arms showing two lions holding a cask of salt. The salt was exported to Switzerland and some regions in Germany. In 1303 Hall was made a town, and in 1477, it received the right of coinage. In 1486 the first high-grade silver Taler, the precursor of the dollar, was coined here.

In 1995, the multimedia artist André Heller created a world of wonders for the centenary of Swarovski. As a thematic focal point, Heller created the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in the form of a giant. And he imagined the story of the giant who had moved out to experience the world with all its treasures and wonders. With this knowledge, the giant retired in Wattens in Tyrol and has been "watching" over his chambers of wonders ever since.

The original principle of these Chambers of Wonder is based on the historical Chamber of Wonder in Ambras Castle, which in the 16th century as a universal collection tried to capture the entire knowledge of its time. In the Chambers of Wonder, as in an exhibition of crystalline art, internationally and nationally renowned artists, designers and architects interpret crystal in their own way. The art installations made of the sparkling material are special spatial or experiential concepts.

Welcome to a magical world that opens up when you enter the Swarovski Crystal Worlds through the giant's head...

King Ludwig II of Bavaria lived from 1845–1886. He is one of the tragic figures of Bavarian history. After his father died in 1864, Ludwig became king. His interest in art and the love of his country inspired the idea of a new and spectacular castle that would replace the ruins in front of the mountain called Schwanstein. In 1868 the plans were completed, in 1869 the construction started. The castle was finished in 1886. Its architecture perfectly matches the surreal dream world that King Ludwig had escaped to. He only lived here for 120 days. He then moved to Lake Starnberg where he drowned under mysterious circumstances (castle tour takes approx. 3 hours).

The Kaunertaler Glacier Road serves as an access road to the glacier ski region at 2,750 m (9,922 ft). The 26 km (16 mi) road, passing by the Gepatsch reservoir, offers a splendid ride over 29 switchbacks up to the glacier, covering a difference in altitude of 1,500 m (4,921 ft). During the warmer season, the ride up to the Kaunertaler Glacier might give you the impression of being catapulted back and forth between summer and winter – we are sure you will have an incredible riding experience.

Long before the road was completed in 1969, people used the Timmelsjoch to cross the mountain range known as the Ötztaler Alps. At 2,509 m (8,231 ft), it is the second-highest pass in the eastern Alps (after Stelvio) and covers a vertical distance of more than 1,800 m (6,000 ft). Especially the Italian (southern) side is quite spectacular to ride, the views are breathtaking. In 1991, Ötzi the Ice Man was found on a slope about 20 km (14 mi) from the top of the pass. In April 2016, Europe's highest motorcycle museum opened its doors to the public, displaying a collection of 190 vintage bikes. Unfortunately, it burned to the ground in January 2021 and all bikes were lost. What a pity! The owners, however, went out of their lines and built up a new museum, which has been opened up again for visitors in the autumn of 2021.

The baroque Ettal Monastery was founded in 1330 by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian and is today a popular tourist destination. The Benedictine monastery includes agricultural operations, several inns as well as a high school with an attached boarding school, an art publishing house, a distillery for the production of the monastery liqueur and a brewery. The famous Ettal Madonna - a picture of the Virgin Mary brought from Pisa - became the destination of pilgrimages, especially since the Baroque reconstruction of the monastery. The monastery church is consecrated to St. Mary: St. Mary's Assumption. The majestic dome of the Ettal Basilica, the heart of the monastery, rises in front of the cliffs of the Alps, which jut out of the mountain forest. Even the first Gothic building of the church was erected in such a way that the enormous dome, as a symbol of the sanctuary of "our dear Lady Foundress" visible from afar, left an unmistakable mark on the then still so lonely mountain valley. The monastery, which was built in the 18th century and extensively renovated in the 20th century, was built around the church. Thus it is already architecturally visible that the service is the center of monastic life. (www.kloster-ettal.de)