12 Unmissable Things To Do In Vienna, Austria’s Fairytale Capital

Thanks to its rich cultural and historical heritage, there are a ton of things to do in Vienna.

The centuries of imperial history mean the city is crafted with opulence and grandeur; walking through the city is like walking through a fairytale, with baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces to set the scene. Be sure to visit Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace and the Hofberg, to name some of Vienna’s most iconic attractions.

This city was home to some of history’s greatest artists and musicians, such as Mozart, Beethoven and Glimt, and the impact from this remains in today’s Viennese society in the form of classical music concerts, museums and art galleries. The Albertina is one of the most renowned art galleries, home to the worlds most important graphic art collections.

There are also plenty of modern touches throughout the city, like the global food market Naschmarkt, where you can indulge in spicy curries, Asian noodles and more. Or, choose to embark on a river cruise along the beautiful Danube, Europe’s second-longest river that flows through 10 countries.

Ready for a run-down on the best things to do in Vienna? Let’s get started!

First things first: grab a Vienna Pass

I was quite shocked during my visit to Vienna to discover how expensive its museums and attractions are. Therefore, if you’re someone who is going to Vienna for museums and attractions, as opposed to, say, general sight-seeing and nightlife, I recommend you pick up the Vienna Pass, which gives you free entry to over 60 of Vienna’s top attractions, including Schönbrunn Palace and the Natural History Museum. It also grants you Fast Track Entry so you can skip the lines.

The Vienna Pass means you can pop into museums you might never have tried otherwise, and if you don’t like them, well, it’s no loss!

I also recommend purchasing a Travelcard as it’ll allow you to get around the city in a more affordable way, without worrying about how much you’re spending on metros and trams. Vienna’s transport system is excellent so you’ll no doubt be using it regularly.

12 things to do in Vienna

1) Join a guided walking tour to learn about Vienna’s past

I love joining walking tours when in cities. I feel that they’re a great way to gain an understanding of the history and culture a little deeper, which, in turn, helps me to enjoy the city even more! Many cities offer free walking tours.

I was very keen to join a free walking tour in Vienna, so we went with a company called Good Tours, and found it to be really good fun. The guide was quirky and humorous, which made the tour highly entertaining as well as educational.

You’ll meet outside the Albertina at either 10 am or 2 pm, and be guided through some of Vienna’s top sights, such as the Hofberg, St Michael’s Square, the Jewish Quarter and more. Be sure to reserve a spot as they cap it at 40 people!

2) Take a tour of Schönbrunn Palace

You may have heard of Franz Joseph I, the longest-reigning emperor of Austria? He was born at Schönbrunn Palace and spent a large part of his life there, along with his wife, Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Following the downfall of the Habsburg monarchy in 1918, the palace became the property of the newly founded Austrian Republic and was preserved as a museum. It now features historical documents and artefacts of Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth’s life, along with other members of their family.

There is a confusing number of options for the purchase of tickets, with each offering different levels of access to sections of the palace. It really depends on how interested you are, but we went with the Classic Pass, which included an audio guide through Schönbrunn Palace, as well as access to the beautiful Privy and Orangery Gardens.

I recommend booking online to save yourself having to queue for a long time on arrival. We learned this the hard way!

Opening hours: 9:30 am – 5 pm every day
Price: €12 – €50 depending on the ticket. €28.50 for the Classic Pass.

3) Visit the Sigmund Freud Museum

I have a degree in psychology, so am naturally quite curious about Sigmund Freud. And while I don’t believe in his school of thought, I do find the concept of psychoanalysis and Freud’s early work interesting, if not peculiar. With this in mind, a visit to the Sigmund Freud Museum was one of my top priorities when visiting Vienna.

The museum is located in Freud’s actual former living quarters and office at Berggasse 19 in Vienna’s ninth district, where he lived and worked from 1891 until 1938. The museum is home to a series of documents, artefacts and photographs which outline Freud’s works and some of his personal life. Original furnishings, including the waiting room, some of his antiques collection and first editions of his works are also there to see.

Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm every day
Price: €9

4) Enjoy street food at the Naschmarkt

Would you believe that the Naschmarkt has been around since the 16th century? People have bought their produce here to sell for centuries! Today, it features around 150 colourful stalls which sell treats from across the globe. You’ll find traditional Austrian breads and cheeses alongside kebabs, spicy noodle dishes, fresh fruit, exotic vegetables, Japanese sushi, Korean kimchi and more.

There are also many small restaurants in Naschmarkt if you prefer a sit-down meal over street food.

Oh, and the Naschmarkt district is home to much of the Vienna gay scene, if you’re interested!

Opening hours: 9 am – 6 pm everyday, closed on Sundays

5) Get your caffeine fix at Café Schwarzenburg

You can’t leave Vienna without indulging in its coffeehouse scene. Drinking coffee in Vienna isn’t just something you do for a caffeine boost – it’s a way of life! In fact, “Viennese Coffee House Culture” is officially on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, as the unique coffee scene here dates back hundreds of years.

Café Schwarzenberg is a perfect example of a traditional Viennese coffee house and is one of the most famous in Vienna. Because of this, it can be busy and you may want to book in advance.

Two local favourites are verlängerter (espresso with hot water) and melange, which is a Viennese-style cappuccino. I loved the melange. Order your beverage of choice, sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.

Opening hours: 7:30 am – 11 pm Mon-Fri, 8:30 am – 11 pm Sat & Sun

6) Check out some museums at the MuseumsQuartier

Vienna is home to over 100 museums. Yep, there’s a lot of history in this city.

Many of the city’s finest museums can be found in and around MuseumsQuartier, which is a beautiful district spread over 90,000m2 in central Vienna. It’s one of the largest districts for contemporary art and culture in the world!

The top museums here include the Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum), Kunsthistoriches Museum (Art History Museum), Leopold Musuem, the Austrian Museum of Architecture, MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art), and more.

Plus, The Albertina, one of the most renowned art galleries in the world, is just a 12-minute walk away from the MuseumsQuartier.

Prices
Leopold Museum: €14
MUMOK: €13
Kunsthistorisches Museum: €16
Naturhistorisches Museum: €12
The Albertina: €17

7) Marvel at Belvedere Palace and its gardens

Probably the most beautiful baroque palace in existence – in my opinion – is Vienna’s Belvedere Palace.

Inside Belvedere Palace, you’ll find a lavish palace-like interior, as well as art collections from some of Austria’s most famous artists, including Klimt, Schiele, Funke, Monet, and Van Gogh.

If you don’t wish to pay to enter, you’ll be pleased to know that the beautiful Belvedere Gardens are free to walk around day and night, offering a jaw-dropping view of the palace and Vienna’s skyline.

Price: €16
Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm everyday

8) Visit the Hofberg

The House of Habsburg was one of the most influential and distinguished royal houses of Europe, who ruled over a collection of lands from the 13th century to 1918.

The Hofburg is the former imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty, and is now the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It was actually the Habsburg winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence.

Located in the very heart of central Vienna, this impressive building was built in the 13th century, although has been expanded upon several times since. There’s a lot of history here – I recommend reading up on it in order to fully understand the significance of this palace before your visit!

9) Indulge in Viennese desserts

In 1832, a man named Franz Sacher created the Sachertorte, which fast became the most famous dessert in Vienna. This iconic cake is still sold in most of Vienna’s coffee houses today, so be sure to indulge and enjoy the Sachertorte’s delectable chocolate sponge, apricot jam filling and dark chocolate casing.

You may have also heard of the apple strudel, another iconic Viennese dessert. The apple strudel is pretty old – the oldest known recipe takes back to 1697! Sachertortes and apple strudels are both delicious, and where better to sample them than in Vienna itself?

10) Admire St Stephen’s Cathedral

The most important religious building in Vienna, St. Stephen’s Cathedral has borne witness to many important events in Austrian history and is, without a doubt, one of the city’s most iconic attractions.

I recommend you visit St Stephen’s Cathedral twice: once during the day to venture inside, and once at night to see it lit up.

St Stephen’s Cathedral is located in Stephansplatz, a bustling square at the geographical centre of Vienna. Stephensplatz itself has lots of shops, restaurants, cafés and bars, so it’s a fun place to be.

Price: €6.50 entrance to the Cathedral and €6 to climb the South Tower.

11) Have fun at Prater Park

Prater is a large public park in Vienna’s 2nd district, Leopoldstadt, home to a ton of fairground rides, roller coasters, arcades and more – think ghost trains, dodgems and classic amusement park fun!

I recommend going on the famous Wiener Riesenrad, which is a 65 metre tall Ferris wheel, providing you with great views over the city. It’s one of Vienna’s most popular tourist attractions, and is pretty much the symbol of the district.

It’s free to enter, but each ride costs money, so it can, unfortunately, work out to be a very expensive day out if you want to go on lots of rides.

Opening hours: 11 am – 12 am

12) Go cycling along the Danube

If you want to make your way around Vienna by bike, you will find a well-developed cycle network throughout the whole city, comprising about 1,400 kilometres of cycle lanes.

However, the best cycling is just outside of the city alongside the beautiful Danube River. The Danube flows from Germany to Romania, winding its way through many of Europe’s most important cities, such as Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Belgrade and more!

The Donauradweg is a long-distance bicycle trail which follows this scenic river along well-maintained paths. You can join the Donauradweg just north of the city – it will take you to Bratislava, Budapest and beyond if you head east, or Passau and beyond if you head west.

Read more: Passau to Vienna By Bike or Vienna to Budapest By Bike

And there we have it – 12 unmissable things to do in Vienna! It’s truly a gorgeous city, but I’d advise having a fair budget in order to really get the most out of Vienna.

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