Sparkling Kristalwellen
Near the small(ish) mountain city of Innsbruck sit rows of industrial buildings with the proud sign “Swarovski” at the top.
And near those gray-ish buildings and parking lots is a space of land dedicated to all things beautiful, sparkly and aesthetic - Swarovski’s Kristalwellen (Crystal World). This is where we made our way on a very sunny Friday morning in our cute flowy dresses (except Misha got to wear his shorts).
The Kristalwellen is set in a green valley between breathtaking mountain views.
Upon arrival you enter the garden walls and come upon your first “wow”, the Cloud. The Cloud is a set of sculptures that look like gray clouds, dotted with large crystals which sparkle in the light. I found this pretty much impossible to capture by camera, but Misha succeeded. It was beautiful in real life!
As we had early bird tickets, we made our way first to the Giant - a green behemoth of a building in the shape of a head - and entered through one of his cavities (perhaps an ear).
Inside were a sequence of chambers made to impress. Now, to be honest, some were less impressive than others, but here is a bit of a glimpse into a few that truly managed their job:
Winter during a Heatwave
The Crystal Dome
Hollywood
The Gift Shop
Having exhausted our sparklemania, we exited through the store, and hunted for the perfect piece of memorabilia. We ended up with a super adorable pink elephant, with a teeny tiny adorable bow.
The Park and Playgrounds
With our new acquisition complete, we made our way outside to enjoy the rest of the park! And there was much to enjoy. Beyond it’s beautiful setting and sparkle, Kristalwellen is an amazing place for kids and adults alike.
The park is full of sculptures and installations.
The outdoor playground is BIG and super varied. If you aren’t spinning giant wheels and diverting streams of water, you might be running all over a rooftop setting up courses for big wooden “marbles,” swinging on giant swings, or conquering an American Ninja style obstacles in your white dress!
And if you are not doing that, perhaps you are taking a ride on a super artsy black and white carousel (perhaps three times in a row).
And if you are not doing that, maybe you are getting lost in a giant maze and looking for the diamond in the middle.
And if you are not doing that (yes, I am still going), maybe you are watching circus performers leap onto each other’s shoulders.
And if you are not doing that (almost done), then you may have entered the 5-story high play tower where you are served free and clean non-slip socks your size, and let loose on climbing ropes three stories high, floors of trampolines and slides taking you from one level to another instead of stairs. Oh, and did you notice the views?
And if you got tired and hungry doing all THAT…then, it’s time to make your way to the Swarovski restaurant for a reasonably priced three-course meal full of delicious fancy food. This, of course, included a stellar apricot dessert and my favorite beef broth with bread (and cheese or bacon) dumplings - a dish I ordered at EVERY restaurant that had it. I’ve dubbed it my “I could swim in this bowl” soup.
As the Swarovski shuttle took us back to Innsbruck, I was running through the memories we made in my mind. Kristalwellen was somewhat cheesy and manicured - a Disneyland of sorts. But, just like Disneyland, it may be one of the happiest places on earth! I can’t help but smile thinking of it, even now.