Vienna is the unique and exceptional capital of Austria which has a great variety of sightseeing and experiences to offer. From enviable architecture including magnificent palaces, stunning cathedrals and sophisticated museums to romantic strolls with horse carriages, traditional cafes and restaurants. Follow our step to step guide to discover the beautiful Vienna and feel its fairy tale vibe.
Day 1
Vienna’s State Opera
Located in the heart of Vienna’s City Center is one of the most famous Operas worldwide also known as Staatsoper. Featuring a Neo – Renaissance style and hosting a great variety of cultural events. Once a year the legendary opera ball opens with the well known command:
‘’ Alles Walzer! ‘’ .
Tip: Avoid the street vendors and buy your tickets at the opera’s ticket offices or online.
Albertina Museum
Just a couple minutes walking past the Staatsoper and after admiring Vienna’s cute traffic lights and the breathtaking architecture of its buildings, you come across the Albertina Museum. Apart from its beautiful exterior design, the museum houses an impressive art collection as well as some temporary changing exhibitions of the most famous artists such as Picasso, Monet and Van Gogh.
Austrian National Library
The Österreichische Nationalbibliothek is the largest Baroque library in Austria as well as in Europe. The library contains more than eight million books.
Lunch at Bier & Bierli
Take a break to rest and enjoy some Viennese traditional food.
Bier & Bierli is a restaurant located at Operngasse 12, 1010 Wien just a couple minutes away from the Vienna State Opera. Its interesting interior design and mainly its huge walls covered by thousands of colorful beer cans will definately impress you, thus make sure to enjoy a cold beer out of the great variety the restaurant has to offer. Everything was great and the personnel was very friendly.
Feel free to check their website for more information here.
Hofburg
It combines numerous styles of architecture, from Gothic and Renaissance over Baroque to Classicism. Amongst many Monarchs, Empress Elisabeth, better known as ‘’ Sisi ’’, resided there.
Today it houses the seat of the Austrian President. Furthermore, the Hofburg accommondates the Weltmuseum Wien, The Spanish Riding School and the Austrian National Library, parts of which are inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program Register.
Schmetterling House
Also known as Palmenhouse or the Imperial Butterfly House it is the home to hundreds of butterflies. Moreover, it features a tropical rainforest setting. It is said to be one of the most beautiful Palm Houses in the world, built during the Art Nouveu period at the beginning of the last century.
Enjoy a horse carriage dinner by Riding dinner Austria.
Riding Dinner Austria is the first and only horse carriage dinner service in the world, available in Austria and Salzburg. This company combines both the romantic character of a horse carriage sightseeing tour among some of the most famous monuments of Vienna as well as the chance to enjoy the traditional Viennese cuisine. There are many packages to choose from depending on your preferences. You can take a look here and book your upcoming riding dinner.
We opted for their most popular package the ‘’ Sparkling sightseeing ’’ including a variety of sweet and savory delicacies as well as Sparkling wine. We really enjoyed the food and wine as well as the exclusive information our friendly butler Marco shared with us. All in all, it was an amazing experience and we had so much fun. We also learned many thing about horses, their psychology and way of act and mainly witnessed the love and the care the horses are treated with.
Day 2
Belvedere Palace
The Belvedere is a historic building complex consisting of two Baroque palaces, the Upper and Lower Belvedere. In addition, it is the former city residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who had a formative influence on the history of Austria as a commander – in – chief of the Imperial Army. Both palace buildings feauture a baroque style. The lower Belvedere contains the magnificent Marble Hall and Gold Cabinet and also hosts a great variety of Austrian art from the past 70 years as well as the famous painting ‘’ The kiss ’’ by Gustav Klimt. The Upper Belvedere served as the statesman’s impressive representative quarters.
Apart from the baroque ceremonial rooms the Belvedere offers delightful parks and botanical gardens.
Church of St. Charles
This Church blends the different architectural traditions of Western and Islamic culture. The Church’s architect, Johann Fischer von Erlach found inspiration for his building in the ancient building in Rome and also took ideas from The Hagia Sophia and the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.
Lunch at Café Restaurant Leto
Cafe Restaurant Leto is a Greek restaurant offering Mediterranean and International cuisine in the city center of Vienna. Some of its highlights were definitely its sophisticated and modern interior design as well as the friendly, sociable and helpful personnel. The food was very special, delicious, and presentable. Definitely a must visit for those loving the Mediterranean cuisine and for those wanting an alternative to the tradition Viennese cuisine.
Visit their site here for more information and their full menu.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
More commonly known as Stephansdom is the most famous and impressive sightseeing located in Stephansplatz. It is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna. The Church illustrates Vienna’s eventful history.
You can take a tour through the dome and also admire the Church’s exceptional interior design.
Explore Graben Street and The City Center
Take some time to walk down the most famous shopping street of Vienna. The origin of this street dates back to the old Romans and features beautiful architecture, many traditional and worldwide popular shops, cafes, restaurants and last but not least the Plague Column which was erected after the Great Plague epidemic in 1679.
Feel free to explore the graphic alleys around the Graben street and admire Vienna’s beautiful architecture. There you will also find many souvenir shops. Note that shops open 10:00 -19:00 o’clock on Monday – Friday and 10:00 – 18:00 on Saturday. Some shops also opens at 08:00 or 09:00.
The Graben street is accessible via metro U1 or U3 at the Station Stephansplatz.
St. Peter’s Church
Also known as Peterskirche, it is located in a side street of the Graben. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful baroque buildings in Vienna and the second oldest church in Vienna, established in the 8th century.
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Day 3
MuseumsQuartier ( MQ)
It spreads over 7.000 m2 and offers a great cultural variety for both younger and older people. More specifically, it features the Architecture museum, the Leopold Museum, the Mumok with its special exterior design, the Zoom Children’s Museum and many more!
Maria Theresien Platz
The Maria Theresien Platz joins the Ringstraße with the Museumsquartier. There you can find the two identical buildings facing each other: the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art History, their only difference being the statuary on their façades.
In the center of the Platz you can find the Maria Theresa Monument which is over 19 meters high. The monument pictures the empress Maria Theresa greeting the people. She is also surrounded by her 4 generals.
Walking through the platz you also find four fountains constructed around the year 1890.
Austrian Parliament Building
Firstly, you notice the majestic Pallas Athene Statue at the front entrance of the building. The parliament building covers over 13,500 square meters, making it one of the largest structures on Ringstraße. It was built in Greek – Roman Style and contains over one hundred rooms, the most important of which are the Chambers of the National Council, the Federal Council, and the former Imperial House of Representatives. The building also includes committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining rooms, bars and gymnasiums.
The parliament building is currently closed due to renovation work and there are no more guided tours until approximetely the end of this year.
Volksgarten
It is a public park, part of the Hofburg Palace opened to the public since 1823. It was built over the city fortifications that were destroyed by Napoleon.
MinoritenKirche
It is formally called Italienische Nationalkirche Maria Schnee.The Gothic Ludwig choir was built between 1316 and 1328, and used as a mausoleum in the 14th and 15th centuries. However, The top of its belltower was damaged during the first Austro-Turkish war, rebuilt, then again destroyed again during the second Austro-Turkish war; the top was then replaced by a flat roof.
Votiv KIrche
It is built in Neo – Gothic style and the second tallest church in Vienna. Its Construction started in 1856 as a symbol of gratitude for an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph.
Rathaus
The Rathaus is the Town Hall of Vienna located across the Burgtheater. During the year many special events take place there like the film festival, a circus, the Christmas market, an ice-skating rink and many more. Futhermore, in July and August you can watch operas or concert recordings at a large screen which is directly in front of the town hall. There are also a lot of seats and you can enjoy them free of charge.
Burgtheater
It is the most important German language theater, one of the most important theaters in the world and the second oldest theater of Europe. Every season the Burgtheater welcomes approximately 400.000 theater viewers.
University of Vienna
It is one of the oldest academic institutions in the world and the biggest university in the German speaking world.
Lunch at La Spiga Vienna
La Spiga Vienna is a traditional Napolitan Pizzeria. This restaurant brings out a fresh Italian air from the cute red and white tablecloths, the beautiful photos on the walls and the little Italian touches in the interior design throughout the restaurant. The pizzas are made with fresh and high quality ingredients and are baked in a stone oven which is visible to the tables. We got the chance to see the process of our pizzas being made.
For more information and for their full menu visit their site here.
Day 4
Secret Rooftop Experience with 365 days in Vienna
Vienna is known for its amazing architecture and great amount of sightseeing. So, Is there any other better way to witness them all than from the highest and most secret rooftop of Vienna’s city center, which is closed to the public?
With 365 days in Vienna you can experience on of the most beautiful 360 degree panoramic view over Vienna and all its famous sightseeing, learn some of the most interesting information about them and simultaneously enjoy delicious drinks and Viennese sweets.
Definitely a unique experience. We got the chance to capture some of our most beautiful photos from Vienna.
For more information and some other interesting experiences available click here.
Stadtpark
It is one of the most well known and the biggest park of Vienna offering a great ‘’ escape’’ from the city. There you can find several pools and fountain installations as well as many monuments. One of the most popular and most photographed is the golden plated bronze statue of Johann Strauss son the Viennese waltz king. Feel free to sit on one of the numerous benches and enjoy the clean air and the beautiful landscape this park has to offer. If the weather is good having a picnic is a great way to spend your time there!
Hundertwasser Haus
Exiting the Stadtpark we recommend you take the route to the Hundertwasser Haus by foot. The route is very interesting featuring a more sophisticated and modern architecture with many skyscrapers and the Wien Mitte the Mall located in the LandstraBe. Otherwise, you can easily take the Tram line 1 leading to station Hetzgasse which is only 100 m away.
The Hundertwasser House is an apartment house by surprise and thus you can only see it from the outside. In this area you can also find phone booths identical to the famous London ones fitting perfect to the whole scenery. There are also benches and coffee shops where you can sit and admire the view.
You can learn more information regarding the artist of this house and his art in general at Kunst Haus Wien with the Hundertwasser Museum which is located nearby.
Dinner at Figlmüller
Figlmüller also referred as ‘’ Home of the Schnitzel ’’is one of the most famous traditional restaurants in Vienna established since 1905. Famous for its delicious traditional schnitzel, it is a must when visiting Vienna. There is a great selection of traditional starters and deserts too. We definitely recommend you try the kaiserschmarrm with stewed plums, another delicious traditional Viennese dish. The restaurant’s design is interesting, classy and highlights the Viennese atmosphere.
The restaurant is always packed and a queue is always build up out of the restaurant so make sure to make a reservation before visiting. You can learn more about this restaurant’s history , its unique way of preparing the schnitzels and make a reservation here.
Some Useful Tips
Currency
The currency in Austria is the Euro.
Airport Transfer
There are many options regarding the route from the airport to the city center.
City Airport Train (CAT) :
it connects the airport with the transport hub at Wien Mitte in only 16 minutes and it is the quickest connection. It plies between the airport and the city every 30 minutes. A single ticket costs 12 euros and 21 euros with return ( valid six months after purchase). Children under the age of 15 travel free, wheelchair riders enjoy discounted tickets. You can purchase tickets at www.cityairporttrain.com, from ticket machines and from tourist information at the airport.
ÖBB Railjet :
The route from the Airport to Vienna Main Station (U1) lasts 15 minutes and 30 minutes to Wien Meidling station (U6) and it is available two times every hour. The ticket costs 4.20 euros for adults, 2.10 euros for children and youth aged from 6 to 14 years and is free for children under the age of 6.
Express train S7 :
it departs from the airport every 30 minutes and stops at the Wien Mitte and Wien Praterstern, where other transportation services are available. The journey from the airport to Wien Mitte takes 25 minutes, and to Vienna Praterstern about half an hour. The ticket costs 4.20 euros for adults, 2.10 euros for children and youth aged from 6 to 14 years and is free for children under the age of 6.
Busses :
There are several lines available, some of them are:
Line VAL1 (Vienna International Airport – Westbahnhof via main railway station),
Line VAL2 (Vienna International Airport – Schwedenplatz city center)
and Line VAL3 (Vienna International Airport – Donauzentrum)
The tickets cost 8 euros ( single ticket) for adults and 13 euros ( return) and 4 euros (single), 8 euros ( return) for children and young adults 6-14 years and is free for children under 6 years of age.
Transportation
Vienna has a very efficient public transportation system varying from buses, metro lines, trams and trains, running from roughly 6am in the morning until midnight. Moreover, on Fridays and Saturdays the Metro service continues all night in addition to the Nightline Buses.
A single one direction ticket costs 2.40 euros
A 24 – hour ticket costs 8.00 euros and a 72 – hour ticket 17.10 euros. There are also weekly, monthly and annual passes.
Budget
Hotel prices starting from 70 euros per night regarding region, stars and services.
Airbnb prices starting from 25 euros per night regarding region, stars and services.
Last but not least, the food costs 3- 20 euros per meal / per person ( the prices refer to different kind of meals such as a snack or a sandwitch from a super market, breakfast at a hotel, restaurant meals etc).
Attractions 5-15 euros.
Tap Water
A big advantage for travelers visiting Vienna is that the tap water is high quality spring water from the alps. That means that you can safely consume it and save some money and the environment from plastic bottles too.
Safety
Despite the heartbroken news regarding the terrorist attack that happened on November 2nd, Vienna is considered to be one of the safest cities in the World. This applies both when strolling around the city or taking a casual evening walk. Our sympathy and love goes to the families of the victims and all the Viennese people being physically and mentally hurt by this incident ❤️.