INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA

The Old Imperial Capital in the Alps

We left Munich on Monday morning and set our course for Florence, but we had the chance to stop in Innsbruck for a few hours. Innsbruck is a beautiful town set in high in Alps and was at the center of European politics for more than a century and a half after Maximilian I based his imperial court here in the 1490's.

We spent our short time wandering the streets near the River Inn (above & right). Of course, no trip would be complete without some statue impressions (left). We made our way to the lively city center (or Zentrum in German), stopping to see the Domkirche of St. Jakob. From there we strolled Innsbruck's main drag, the Maria-Theresien-Strasse (below) with it's good people watching and beautiful views of the Nordkette mountains.

A few highlights on the Maria Theresien Strasse (German for "street"):

• Ryan buying a German hat (below)
•  Annasaule, a column supporting a statue of the Virgin, erected to commemorate the retreat of the Bavarians in 1703.
• Eating a doner kebap (mmmm)
• The Trimphpforte (below), the triumphal arch build for Maria Theresa's son Leopold in 1756.

After leaving Innsbruck, we enjoyed our travels through the gorgeous mountains of Austria and Northern Italy, the beautiful countryside of Central Italy and the crazy traffic of Florence!