The city of dreams, the city of music - Vienna is indeed a dreamy and soulful place to fall in love with. Dazzled with the finest palaces and museums as well as a vibrant city culture, there is so much Vienna can offer for all kinds of tourists.
Before you head on to your adventures, you can consider getting a Vienna Pass, which covers the entrance fees of major tourist attractions! For more details about the pass, you can read more in our article here : Visiting Vienna - should i buy a Vienna Pass? With no further ado, here is your friendly guide on the 10 best things to see and do in Vienna!
1. Go Palace-hopping at Vienna’s palaces
If you are here in Vienna, the no. 1 top itinerary to do is to visit the palaces in this city. The palaces here are stunning and majestic and it is definitely a fairy-tale come true stepping foot on its grounds. Bring your camera along and make your way down to some of Vienna’s best palaces!
Schonbrunn Palace
The most famous and iconic palace of this city would have to be the Schonbrunn palace, a Baroque treasure and one of the most important architectural monuments in the whole of Austria. Take a walk amongst the lush palace gardens, visit the interior of its many rooms, or even chance upon the world’s oldest zoo here!
Hofburg Palace
Another Viennese gem of a palace is the Hofburg Palace, the grand residence of the Habsburgs Monarchy till 1918. The grounds stretch extensively and it is one of the biggest palace complexes in the world. Come and visit this amazing palace to see its numerous museums with outstanding collections of the past!
2. A galore of museums for you to discover!
There’s one thing that Vienna will never run out of, that that is the extensive list of museums that this beautiful city can offer - not only are there different styles and types of museums available, but the architecture of these museums are crazily stunning.
It is rather impossible to go to every one of them in Vienna but if you want to have a list of museums to refer to, check out this article right here : Get stunned by the museums of Vienna on this list. As for now, here are the top three museums to visit- the Sigmund Fred, the Jewish museum and the Belvedere Museum.
The Sigmund Freud Museum
Sigmund Fred is famously known as the founding father of psychoanalysis, a set of psychological and therapeutic techniques that analyses the occurrence of unconscious thoughts, feelings and traumatic memories.
The Sigmund Frued museum preserves the legacy and many of his original works and personal belongings are on display as well. However, what is more fascinating about this place is that it is the exact same place where he tended to his patients many years ago!
Address: Berggasse 19, 1090 Vienna
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10am-6pm.
Entrance fees: Adults, £10.00, 12-16 years old, £5.00, and children under 12, free admission
The Jewish Museum and the Museum Judenplatz
The Jewish Museum and the Museum Judenplatz are important historical and cultural museums in Vienna as well as in Austria that shape the understanding of the heritage and culture of Judaism in the past and present.
There are permanent exhibitions which offer a retrospective look on the Jewish presence in Vienna. There are also a wide range of seasonal contemporary exhibits showcasing Kosher food, the alphabet and photography too.
Jewish Museum Vienna
Address Dorotheergasse 11, 1010 Vienna
Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday, 10am-6pm ( closed on Saturdays)
Jewish Museum Judenplatz
Address: Judenplatz 8,1010 Vienna
Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10am-6pm, Friday, 10am-2pm. ( closed on Saturdays)
Entrance fees: Adult €12,00 ; Child (0-18): free for both museums
The Belvedere Museum
Believe it or not, the Belvedere museum is actually part of the Belvedere palace, where it is split into Upper and lower Belvedere that served as a summer residence for the Austrian princes in the 1600s.
Besides admiring the expansive landscape gardens and architecture, come inside and be amazed at the staggering collections of artwork primarily dedicated to Austrian art from the Middle ages to the present.
Address : 1030 Vienna, Austria
Opening Hours : Saturday-thursday, 9am-6pm, Fridays, 9am-9pm
Entrance Fee : Main gardens are free, but it’s €16 for a standard adult ticket to Upper Belvedere and €14 for Lower Belvedere (when open). Ages under 19 go free and there are other concessions.
3. Visit the Naschmarkt
Built in the 16th Century, this Vienna open-air market is an iconic place that fulfills a foodie’s dream come true. Being the most popular outdoor market, the colourful lively ambience dates all the way back to the late 16th century when the area was mostly populated for farmers selling dairy products. Then, merchants began to populate the area with different goods like spices, cloths and cooked food and now we have the Naschmarkt.
Right here, you can soak in the bustling life of this market, interact with locals and the commotion as well as purchase some goodies back home. Prepare cash and some change, and if you are cashless, there are ATMs nearby and at the market grounds.
Address: Kettenbrückengasse Kettenbrückengasse, Vienna 1040, Austria
Opening Hours: The main stalls are open every day except for Sunday. Most stalls open around 6am and close at 7-7.30pm. On Saturdays, they close earlier at around 5-6pm.
4. Visit the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral
St. Stephen’s cathedral is truly the symbol of Vienna. Marked as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this glorious and grand cathedral welcomes millions of visitors every year. It is the epitome of Gothic opulence and represents eight centuries worth of architectural history.
The Cathedral boasts many features of value, such as its Romanesque Giant’s door at the entrance, the Organ Case, and the massive Pummerin Bell that is rung and heard only on special occasions like New Year’s Eve. There are also many activities and events held here around festive times so do come and check it out!
Address: Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday : 9am-11.30am, 1pm-4.30pm // Sunday : 1pm-4.30pm
5. Watch the riding performances at The Spanish Riding School
Built during the Habsburg Monarchy The Spanish Riding School is the only institution in the world today where classic equestrian skills are still practiced and preserved in its original form. The horses are trained in the art of dressage and all this practice is put into show in demonstrations and performances for the public.
For those who love riding, this is a must-see in Austria and if you are not, you can come and watch a unique life-time experience of horse riding. The performance or training sessions are not free though as you do need a ticket to spectate the training. To do so, you can simply purchase a ticket from the Riding School visiting centre or book in advance here at Native!
Address: Michaelerplatz 1 (Besucherzentrum/Visitor Center), 1010 Wien
Opening Hours: Daily, 9am-4.30pm
6. Stroll along the Ringstrasse, or the Ring
The Ringstrasse is a 5,3km road that circles around Vienna's city centre - as such , this street has the most remarkable and breathtaking architecture in this city. Some of these sights include the Rathaus ( City Hall), the Parliament, the Hofburg Palace as well as the Vienna State Opera.
A great way to sightsee around this road is to take a tourist Ring Tram or catch the public city tram that leads you around these iconic sights while you sit comfortably.
7. See the Rathaus Vienna/ City Hall
The Rathaus is also known as Vienna’s City Hall - designed in a neo-Gothic style between 1872 and 1883, it is the most important secular building at the Rathausplatz. The Rathaus has five towers, which the middle is the largest and decorated with the iconic Rathausman statue. Today, the Rathaus houses the workplace of the Town Council.
For those who want to take a peek into the interior, there are guided tours available of the inside of Rathaus and it will definitely be an enriching experience to see the workspace as well as the rooms.
Address: Friedrich-Schmidt-Platz 1 , 1010 Wien
Opening Hours: Everyday 10am-6pm
8. Watch a concert at the Vienna State Opera
Remember that Vienna has its nickname as the city of music? Yes, this is where all falls in place in the Vienna State Opera, where it impresses all not only by its architectural grandeur but the site for countless world operas and concert premieres. It is no doubt, one of the greatest and most beautiful opera houses in the world.
The opera house was built at the time as the reconstruction of the Ringstrasse and on May 25 1869, the house was opened with Don Giovanni, one of the best opera singers in history, and by the one and only Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Since then, the house has held over 40 world premieres, numerous productions that adds up to around 50 a year! Calling all music and opera lovers, this is the place for you! Find the latest concerts and purchase your tickets here
Address: Opernring 2, 1010 Wien, Austria
Opening Hours: The ticket office opens from Monday to Friday, 9am and closes one hour before a performance, Saturdays, from 9am-5pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays.
9. Prater Fairground
The Prater Fairground is a large public park and amusement park in Vienna's 2nd district at Leopoldstadt and it is the oldest amusement park in the world! What is amazing about the Pratar area is that in 1766, Emperor Josef the II decided to dedicate the building of the fairground and surrounding parks to the people of Vienna. Since then , the park remains accessible to everyone and many other features such as cinemas, bowling alleys and merry-go-rounds were introduced to this place.
One of the best attractions in this fairground is the Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel, a 200ft-high landmark that stands proudly at the entrance to Prater amusement park. It is the ultimate experience to see the whole of Vienna at the “top of the world” with a spin on this ferris wheel. It is best to come during the summer and spend a great afternoon at this fairground.
As you can see, Vienna is indeed a place of many opportunities to discover your interest as well as plan your adventure - if you are into music, there’s the Vienna State Opera for her, and if you would like to relive your fairytale fantasies, there are so many palaces for you to glide through the palace grounds to the court rooms. Whatever activity you do in Vienna, it will definitely be a memorable one!
