Visiting Swarovski Kristallwelten in Austria - a glittering place

What is it like to visit Swarovski Kristallwelten in Austria? This adventure attraction, located just outside Innsbruck, is a mecca for crystal, art and jewellery lovers. A glittering place to be!

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Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Austria

Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal World) is an attraction created by André Heller, for the Austrian crystal glass manufacturer Swarovski. Here you can expect exhibitions of crystal, jewellery and art as well as a shop, garden, playground and restaurant.

Swarovski Kristallwelten is located in the town of Wattens, in the district of Innsbruck-Land, in the Tyrol region of Austria. The attraction is located just over 20 kilometres east of Innsbruck.

The unexpected story of Swarovski and Riedel

Swarovski crystals were born when Daniel Swarovski, who grew up in Bohemia in the Czech Republic, invented the automatic grinding machine in 1892, which turned lead glass into a kind of glittering jewel. The Swarovski company was formed a few years later, when Daniel opened a crystal factory in Wattens, Austria, in 1895.

Another famous company, which also has its roots in Czech Bohemia, is the wine glass manufacturer Riedel. This family long ran a successful glassworks in the Bohemian forests, but faced extreme challenges during the Second World War.

When the Germans stormed in, they chose to blow up the mill rather than let it fall into German hands. Later, the company was seized by the Soviet regime and Walter Ridel was sentenced to prison in Russia.

Walter's son, Claus Riedel, became a prisoner of war in Italy, but managed to escape at the age of 16 during a train journey through the Austrian Alps. Here he was lucky enough to meet Daniel Swarovski, who had mentored Josef Riedel. Now it was Swarovski's turn to help Riedel build a new life.

Today, both Riedel and Swarovski are world-famous brands, both of which are located in Austria, and in the Czech Republic there is the Preciosa brand. Read more about Kristalldalen in the Czech Republic, where crystal, glass and art glass are still produced today.

Daniel Swarovski reached the age of 93, and died in 1956. The company has since been run by his sons, and then by his grandsons. The headquarters are in Wattens, near Innsbruck, and this is also where you can visit the Swarovski Kristallwelten adventure attraction.

Visiting Swarovski Crystal Worlds

You can of course get to Swarovski Kristallwelten with your own vehicle. There are parking spaces for both cars and motorhomes. Another option is to do what we did and take the green shuttle bus, which departs from the centre of Innsbruck a few times a day, according to the timetable on the Kristallwelten website.

The Giant - with Chambers of Wonder

The Swarovski Kristallwelten attraction opened to the public in 1995, and has since been renovated and developed. The main attraction consists of large exhibition rooms, accessed by passing through a large green giant, with a waterfall from its mouth.

From stunning jewellery to glittering celebrity outfits and modern artworks, the exhibition space is a place where imagination knows no bounds. Chambers of Wonder has taken inspiration from the historic chambers of curiosities and art that aristocratic families once enjoyed creating. A shining example of this type of collection can be found at Ambras Castle in Innsbruck, where you can see one oddity after another.

At Swarovski Kristallwelten, the words "wow" and "wow" are often uttered. It is sparkling, beautiful and surprising. Some of the exhibitions are more or less permanent, while others are temporary and change. Here's a little photo bomb from our visit.

Shop

Of course, there will also be a shop on site, where anyone can take the opportunity to buy a necklace, a bracelet or perhaps an earring from Swarowski.

Garden and playground

There is also a large garden and a playground, including a merry-go-round, maze and 'playhouse'. The highlight of the garden is the "Crystal Cloud & Mirror Pool", which offered a truly gorgeous setting. We were here on a rather cloudy day, but as soon as some sunlight peeped through, you could start to experience the sparkle...

Restaurant Daniels

At Swarovski Kristallwelten you'll find Restaurant Daniels, in a wonderfully bright space with large windows. It's not exactly cheap here, but the food is fantastic. If you want to eat something simpler, there is also a bar with the apt name "Crystal Bar".

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Swarovski Kristallwelten is located right next to the beautiful city of Innsbruck, which has a lot to offer. Here you will find magnificent historical sights such as the Hofkirche church, the Hofburg palace, the Golden Roof, St James' Cathedral and Ambras Castle. You can also visit the Bergisel Ski Jump, and of course go hiking or skiing. In addition, there are plenty of nice restaurants in Innsbruck!

Have you visited Swarovski Kristallwelten?

Visiting Swarovski Kristallwelten is a special and slightly different experience. We, who are interested in history, would have appreciated a greater focus on the historical aspects of the company and crystal production, but we were still very satisfied with the visit to this sumptuously glittering and fascinating world.

Have you visited Swarovski Kristallwelten? How was your experience? Please tell us in a comment!

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