Discover Vienna: Your Essential Guide to Austria's Vibrant Capital
The City of Dreams
What comes to your mind when you think of Vienna? Mozart, Bheetoven, Freud, maybe croissants?
There is just so much to see and explore in Vienna, from gothic cathedrals, famous operas, museums, to imperial & baroque palaces and modern architectural masterpieces. The Austrian capital is one of the most beautiful, historically rich, and cultured cities in Europe whilst at the same time being a compact and very easy to navigate city.
And what’s best, you can get your caffeine fix literally anywhere in this city as Vienna boasts one of Europe’s best cafe scenes!
Things to do in Vienna
Here is my top pick of things you can’t miss if you are a first timer in this beautiful capital. Oh, and I am listing them in what I think would be best order to see them.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral:
This 20th century gothic cathedral stands at 107.2 metres and is the symbol of Vienna. It has four towers out of which you can visit two, the north and south towers. Visiting the south tower comes with a “hefty price” of 343 steps whereas the north tower is a bit shorter but accessible by lift. Whichever tower you opt for, they both offer a stunning view of the city as well as the emblematic colourful tiles of the cathedral roof.
Vienna Cathedral - North Tower View
What's more, St. Stephen’s cathedral is situated in Stephansplatz, right at the very centre of Vienna, where you will find plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops.
Prices: North Tower (€6.00), South Tower (€5.50)
Opening times: Daily between 9am and 5.30pm.
The Hofburg complex:
Just a short walking distance from the St. Stephen’s cathedral lies Hofburg, the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty.
It is one of the world’s largest palace complexes and today it houses the Austrian President as well as the famous Sisi museum.
Tickets: Sisi museum - €16
Opening hours: 9:30am to 5pm
Ringstarasse:
The Ringstrasse is a 5.3 kilometres long road surrounding the Innere Stadt, the centre of Vienna’s old town, where you will find many historical attractions and really impressive buildings!
Whilst strolling around Ringstrasse you will come across:
The Rathaus, Vienna’s picturesque town hall
The Burgtheater national theatre
The beautiful park of Volksgarten with its riveting Temple of Theseus as well as,
The Greek-style Parliament building
Walking further along, you will also come across the Museumsquartier and finally the Staatsoper, one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses (see below for more info). It should take you only up to 3 hours walking the entire Ringstrasse.
Museum(s)!!:
If you are a museum lover, this is your city!! Vienna’s hosts one of the largest museum quarters in the world!! Impressive, no?
Around Maria Therezien Platz you will find the:
Natural History museum (€14.00)
Kunsthistorisches historical museum (€18.00), and
MuseumsQuartier (tickets from €10.00) which encompasses 60 cultural institutions of contemporary art, culture and so much more.
Still not enough museums for you?? Well Vienna offers an endless list, here are some more:
Albertina: modern art museum in the heart of Vienna with impressive rooms full of Picasso and Monet artworks
Mumok: the largest museum of modern and contemporary art in central Europe.
Leopold: exquisite paintings
Staatsoper:
The Viennese State Opera is one of the leading opera houses with one of the largest repertoires in the world.
It offers nearly 300 performances each year!! What’s best, you can find tickets for performances starting from just a few euros!
Staatsoper
Tickets: from €13.00 to €300 (depending on seats)
Karlskirche:
Approximately 200 metres away from Ringstrasse lies the church of St. Charles, one of the finest examples of Baroque religious architecture in the city.
Unlike many of Vienna’s great churches, Karlskirche can be approached from a distance as you walk across the open area before it offering stunning views of the church.
The Belvedere:
Just a 15 min walk south of Karlskirche, you will find the Belvedere palace. This palace is imperial Vienna at its most awe-spiring; 800 years of art history in one place!!
It was originally built as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy and today, hosts a permanent paintings’ collection (including masterpieces by Klimt and his famous kiss painting) in the Upper palace and a special exhibition area in the Lower one.
In between these two baroque palaces lies a stunning garden which is open to the public for free. Even if you are not a fan of art and paintings, it's really worth coming for a visit around the gardens.
Tickets: from €13.90 (depending how many of the palaces you want to see)
Opening times: 10am and 6pm
Schonbrunn Palace:
This Unesco World Heritage baroque palace was once the summer residence of the Habsburg rulers and today it has transformed into one of Vienna’s most visited attractions. It is definitely worth spending at least a few hours there.
This Unesco World Heritage site offers a stunning palace with residential and state rooms with their original furnishings and decorations as well as an impressive garden.
There are several tour options available:
Imperial tour - access to 22 rooms (€22.00)
Grand Tour - access to 40 rooms (€26.00)
Classic Pass - access to 22 rooms and parts of the garden (€31.00)
The park itself is very very large and most of its part is open to the public (not the maze, privy garden and zoo).
I chose the classic pass, however, I felt that the best parts of the garden were the free ones. Hence, the imperial tour is the one I would suggest.
Fotis_Travels Tip: As you might have noticed already, many of the attractions in Vienna are not always quite cheap. If you decide to visit many places during your stay, you might want to opt for the Vienna Pass.
The Vienna Pass will give you free access into 70 of Vienna’s most popular attractions and museums, including the Imperial Palace, Schönbrunn Zoo and the Natural History Museum. Price: €76.00 for 1 day or €107.00 for 2 days
Other noteworthy Sites:
Wiener Riesenrad:
The oldest ferris wheel in the world! They say that if you haven't done a round on the giant ferris wheel, you haven't been in Vienna..
Secession:
An exhibition hall that stands like a golden beacon embraced in white.
Hundertwasserhaus:
A residential block built by the famous Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an Austrian artist whose original architectural style recalls Gaudi.
Where to Stay:
There are 23 districts in Vienna, all with their own character and attractions. If you are, however, a first timer in the city, I would advise staying somewhere near the city centre.
Innere Stadt:
By staying in the 1st district, you would only be just a few steps away from all major attractions.
Pros: Right in the middle of most attractions, lots of cafes, restaurants etc.
Cons: Can get very touristy and more pricey.
Leopoldstadt:
If you are looking for something close to the centre but a bit more affordable but still close to the centre, then the 2nd district is the right place for you.
Pros: Cheaper hotel options, still fairly close to the city centre.
Cons: Large area so can be further away from central attractions.
* This is where I stayed, just east of the river Donaukanal, and it was only a 15 min walk to the city centre.
Landstraße:
Even more affordable options can be found in the 3rd District.
Pros: Very close to the heart of Vienna and Belvedere.
Cons: Fewer hotel choices.
Where to Eat:
Reinthaler's Beisl - €€ (4.5*): That was my favourite restaurant in Vienna. Right in the city centre in Stephansplatz, it is a wonderful place with Austrian atmosphere, traditional tasty food, and very affordable prices. Here you can taste the authentic Wiener schnitzel, saftgulasch, Vienese pancake soup (it was amazing) and so much more.
Due to its location, the restaurant can get quite busy so it would be advisable to make an earlier reservation.
Wiener Wiaz Haus - €€ (4.6*): Authentic Austrian food, offering great service, delicious meals and a very friendly environment.
Sixta Restaurant Bar - €€€ (4.8*): Outstanding food, great cocktails, great decor, and very nice staff!
Useful Info:
Best time to visit: April to May / September to October
Population: 2 mill
Language: German
Currency: Euro (€)
Plugs: European
