Note: A second edition of this guide book is now available! Discover Kufstein, gateway to the Alps and the Pearl of Tyrol! The Tyrolian Alps are a place of beauty - snow-capped mountains tower above the green valleys, glass-clear glacier-fed lakes and rivers sparkle as they wind their way down-stream, castles and historic farmhouses dot the landscape. Every year tens of thousands make the trip to enjoy the unsurpassed skiing and hiking, to soak up a bit of culture, or simply just to explore. For many centuries Kufstein and Kufstein Fortress have guarded the passage into the Inntal valley, the major route into and out of the moun-tains. Strategically and economically vital, Kufstein has a long history as a meeting place for warring armies and trading merchants. The modern city is just as important, it lies at the hub of many different transport networks and has become an economic powerhouse based on local industry, transportation, and tourism. Current-day Kufstein is a complex mixture of modern city and historical town. The old fortress towers over the city, stone battlements looking down on cafes and restaurants. Travel in the outer part of town and you will see old wooden farmhouses interspersed with modern apartment blocks. Visit a local festival and you will find that half the lederhosen-wearing partygoers are employed by the nearby biopharmaceutical company. The state-of-the-art hospital complex is directly across from pastures for cattle down from the mountain meadows. This mixture of old and new ensures that there is always something for visitors - you may spend one day exploring the old fortress and then the next enjoying a rock music festival. Be it traditional festivals, opera, or visiting comedians, a jam-packed calendar of events ensures that it is difficult to find a time when there is nothing to do. This program draws visitors from across Europe, even more find Kufstein to be a natural halt on their journey through the mountains. Whatever your reason for visiting, there is plenty to do in Kufstein.