10 Best Things To Do in Vienna

Vienna's majesty, beauty and musical culture leave no visitor indifferent. If you want to make the most of your trip, take note!

Alex Grande

Alex Grande

8 min read

10 Best Things To Do in Vienna

Vienna's rooftops | ©Jacek Dylag

Walking through the centre of Vienna is a privilege and its palaces and monuments complete the charm of the Austrian capital. Few cities are as elegant as this one, but Vienna is not just a façade: it is history, art, architecture and gastronomy. These are my top 10 must-sees in the city.

1. Visit Schönbrunn Palace

Schoenbrunn Palace Pavilion| ©Dimitry Anikin
Schoenbrunn Palace Pavilion| ©Dimitry Anikin

You've probably heard stories about Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Sissi. Many of these stories have Schoenbrunn Palace as their main setting, located a little way from the centre of Vienna, but easily accessible from any point in the city by public transport.

In addition to guided tours of Schoenbrunn Palace, Austria's most important palace also offers premium experiences for travellers such as classical music concerts and dinners.

If you're someone who enjoys taking in the sights of the city at sunset, include this among the best things to do in Vienna at night and you'll discover the spectacular illumination of this and other buildings.

Book a ticketed tour of Schoenbrunn Palace

2. Tour the city by sightseeing bus

Sightseeing bus passing the Natural History Museum| ©Marco Verch Professional Photographer
Sightseeing bus passing the Natural History Museum| ©Marco Verch Professional Photographer

Vienna is a big city and although walking through its streets is a pleasure, if you're short on time and want to see all the sights without walking, I recommend buying a sightseeing bus pass. There are several companies operating in the city, the two main ones being Big Bus and Vienna Sightseeing.

Book a place on the Vienna Sightseeing Bus

3. Discover Vienna's surroundings

Wachau Valley| ©Jorge Cancela
Wachau Valley| ©Jorge Cancela

The Austrian capital has a lot to offer the traveller, but not only because of its landmarks; also because of its geographical location. Vienna is close to wonderful landscapes and other European capitals that can be seen in a day trip.

Some of the main experiences are the excursion to Melk Abbey and the Wachau Valley, the excursion to Salzburg, the excursion to Budapest, the excursion to Prague and the excursion to the Mauthausen concentration camp.

If you prefer to go on your own to these destinations around Vienna, be sure to visit these posts where I tell you the best way to get there:

Book an excursion from Vienna

4. Take a guided tour of the city centre

Vienna city centre walking tour| ©Leyy .
Vienna city centre walking tour| ©Leyy .

There are all kinds of guided tours of Vienna; from electric vehicle rides through the city to walking tours with a local guide. Regardless of your budget and type of travel, there will be a tour to suit your preferences and taking a tour is a way to learn more about the city and its way of life.

This experience is the next best thing to touring Vienna with a friend who has lived there for years and is fascinated by all the secrets the city has to offer.

Book a guided tour of Vienna

5. Visit the Hofburg Imperial Palace

Hofburg Palace| ©Richardjo53
Hofburg Palace| ©Richardjo53

Schönbrunn Palace is not the only palace you will come across in Vienna. Right in the centre is the Hofburg, the residence of most of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. Today, the palace's architectural ensemble is the most visited place in the city.

If you want to focus on the basics, I recommend buying the Hofburg Imperial Palace ticket which includes access to the imperial flats and the Sissi museum; it's the most worthwhile for those who want to get a general impression of the palace and are not interested in more specialised tours such as the silver museum or the riding school.

6. Inside the Vienna State Opera

Inside the Vienna State Opera| ©a.canvas.of.light
Inside the Vienna State Opera| ©a.canvas.of.light

It is no secret that Vienna is known to many as the city of music. If you have walked, even briefly, through its streets you will have already seen that the figure of Mozart rivals that of Empress Sissi in popularity in all the souvenir shops. This is why the Vienna State Opera is one of the most notable and visited monuments in the Austrian capital.

If you want to attend an opera in Vienna, I recommend two things when it comes to buying tickets: look online for the cheapest price offers (because you will find tickets from 5 to 150 euros) and book well in advance, as it will be very difficult to find a seat one or two days in advance.

For lovers of this art form, you can't miss the House of Music in Vienna where you can discover historical instruments and personal objects of the great classical composers, among many other things! Here's how to get your tickets. Without a doubt, a fantastic plan if you are travelling with your family and include in your list of things to see and do in Vienna with children.

Probably not to go with children, but one of the best Christmas plans in Vienna is, without a doubt, the famous New Year's concert. It's not easy to get tickets to see the great musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, but in case you want to try, here's a post about the biggest musical event of the year in Vienna.

Book tickets for a Mozart concert in Vienna

7. Marvel at the Belvedere Palace

Belvedere Palace| ©Andreas *****
Belvedere Palace| ©Andreas *****

The list of palaces to visit in Vienna is considerably long. Belvedere Palace is considered a Baroque masterpiece and houses the Austrian National Gallery where you can see works such as Klimt's The Kiss. As well as visiting the interior, a tour of the French gardens is a must.

Depending on the areas of the complex you want to visit, you can buy tickets to the Palace either at the ticket office or online. Pay attention to what is included in each ticket as many of the areas to be visited are in separate pavilions away from the palace.

Book tickets for the Belvedere Palace Vienna

8. Recreate at the Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts| ©Larry Koester
Museum of Fine Arts| ©Larry Koester

A must for art lovers. The Habsburgs managed to put together a collection of world-famous masterpieces, all of which are housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, also known as the Museum of Fine Arts. Caravaggio, Dürer and Brueghel the Elder are some of the highlights of this museum. If you are going to visit it, pay special attention to its Egyptian Art collection.

A piece of advice: try to buy your tickets online and in advance to avoid, as far as possible, the long queues at the ticket office. Children under the age of 18 are free. But to really understand the incredible collection of this museum, I also recommend one of the guided tours, where you will be told in great detail the story behind the main works.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best museums in Vienna, although it is not the only one.

9. Taste Austrian gastronomy

Naschmarkt market| ©Anne and David
Naschmarkt market| ©Anne and David

What is it like to eat in Vienna? Austrian cuisine is characterised by tradition and international openness and is accessible to all budgets. In Vienna you can eat at the typical street sausage stalls (one of the most popular varieties is the Käsekrainer which mixes pork and cheese) and also in the typical Viennese restaurants known as "Beisin" which will serve you traditional dishes.

My advice would be to go by the recommendations of the locals, but if you want to play it safe you can order the Wiener Schnitzel**(veal** or porkescalope in batter) or the Tafelspitz (beef stew). If you're curious about Viennese food, don't hesitate to visit the Naschmarkt market, where you can also get some great tastings.

10. Spend a day at the Prater

Prater amusement park| ©Jorge Franganillo
Prater amusement park| ©Jorge Franganillo

In any other city, going to the Prater amusement park is usually more of an activity reserved for locals than for those visiting the city. There are too many sights to see in a new place to see things you can find anywhere else, so why do I recommend spending a day at Vienna's amusement park? Because the Prater is not just any amusement park.

The Prater is the oldest amusement park in the world, the oldest amusement park in the world, the one with the largest hanging merry-go-round ever built and the largest discotheque in Austria. In addition to all this, there are 250 rides and attractions open from March to October. In short, if you like amusement parks, a trip to the Prater during your visit to the Austrian capital is not a waste of time.

Book tickets for the Paater Ferris wheel

Tips for an unforgettable trip to Vienna

The fact that Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe is well known to all visitors throughout the year. Without a doubt, choosing Vienna as the European capital for a few days' getaway is a good decision.

My recommendation is to plan your trip, make sure you book your airport transfers in Vienna and get a tourist card, the Vienna Pass. Also, don't miss these tips for travelling to Vienna and getting the most out of the city.

When is the best time to visit the Austrian city?

The cold temperatures of autumn and winter in Vienna can't stop you from travelling to the beautiful city at this time of year, as even the snow has its charm there. On the other hand, spring and summer in this area, which bring warmer and more pleasant temperatures, will also attract more tourists. If you still have any doubts, take a look at these posts on the best things to do and see depending on the time of year you're travelling:

Or perhaps you'd prefer to know the options by month:

And now that we have the when, let me tell you what is the best travel plan depending on the time you have available in Vienna: